Soul Session

Hiring Garland and Soul Session was one of the best decisions we made throughout our planning process. Garland really took the time to get to know us and was supportive from start to finish. The compliments we received on our wedding day about Soul Session felt endless. They truly helped make our wedding day the best day of our lives! Thank you Soul Session!!!!

We had the pleasure of being able to book Soul Session for our wedding at the Glen Sanders Mansion. The band is led by Garland Nelson who was an absolute pleasure to work with! We may be bias since we have seen the band perform in several settings publicly and at a previous wedding but we knew this is THE BEST band in the area!! He immediately makes you feel like family, and is very flexible based on what your looking for. His ability to flawlessly manage, coordinate, offer insightful professional advise, and thoughtfully curate music & entertainment tailored to your desires is top notch! Throughout our entire event, the band seamlessly kept the energy and vibe rolling! We received countless positive feedback from our guests and know that everyone danced their feet off. From a musical perspective, the band is extremely talented and all members have their own unique highlights. Depending on your taste, Soul Session has the ability to deliver and exceed your expectations in any genre. Would highly recommend Soul Session or Garland for any setting in which you are looking for musical entertainment that is sure to be a huge crowd pleaser! We thank you and your team for performing at our special day - ya'll absolutely crushed it!

"We are no longer at the Washington Inn. We are playing Madison Square Garden!!!" For us, it was a no brainer to hire Garland and the Soul Session superstars, me personally as a long time member of this epic extended musical family. We wouldn't have trusted anyone else with the tall task of unmatched musical talent, MCing, managing the entire reception flow, technical skill/production and throwing the party of our lives! And G and the band delivered beyond measure. Our special crowd of Saratoga family musicians participated in the evening tastefully but really all got to relax, celebrate with us, and enjoy just being straight up entertained by loving, talented professionals. G was with us throughout the entire lead up to the wedding to accommodate our special song requests (endless thanks to the band for learning them), handle the ceremony sound (G made an EXTRA trip to our venue to ensure we had sound at the rehearsal!), make sure we were both feeling comfortable with the plans and "ready to blow it up," and even pulled off a secret musical surprise from me to the groom on the night of. Sheer perfection, and we will be forever grateful. Best in the business, plain and simple! We love you G!!!!

I cannot recommend Garland and the Soul Session band enough!! I had the pleasure of hearing them at my best friend's wedding a few years ago, so when I got engaged I knew immediately they were the band I wanted at my wedding. From the start, Garland makes you feel like family and that your wedding is his top priority. He is not just a musician but a wedding guru! He ensures the timeline of the night flows and makes amazing suggestions that you would never even think of. He wants to make sure that the event is a true reflection of who the couple is and that all the guests leave feeling like they were apart of something special. The band kept our guests dancing from the minute the reception started and we can't thank Garland and his team enough!!!

Cannot say enough good things about working with Garland throughout the entire planning process. He was quick to respond, incredibly professional but also had a way of making you feel like you were family. When it got to the day of we were not prepared for how much this band would blow us and our guests away. Everyone had such an amazing time at the wedding and that was in large part to the energy and vibe that the band brought to the night. So much love to Garland and Soul Session for everything that they did to make the day so special.

We are so lucky we found Soul Session, and have had the pleasure of working with Garland! Garland was so helpful throughout the planning process and giving advice, and his energy cannot be matched. All our guests raved about Soul Session, and they definitely get everyone on the dance floor!

Let me first start out by saying something. My wife and I are music nuts, and we met at a Phish show years back. We decided early on in the wedding planning process that music had to be the most important aspect to our big day/weekend. We went back and forth trying to decide who we wanted, when my wife came across Garland Nelson and his merry band of pranksters, Soul Session. I was very impressed with the videos I watched, as the band sounded tight and together, funky and loose, all at the same time. We reached out to Garland … and it was the absolute best wedding decision we made. Throughout the process, Garland met with us a few times in Saratoga and had several hours’ long phone conferences with us, where he explained how we could have the most kick-ass wedding ever. We took all his advice. Not only did he gain a huge understanding of what our musical preferences are, but he took so much time getting to know us each individually, and how we function as a couple. That right there was the key for us. Initially, I wanted a bunch of Phish and Grateful Dead throughout the night, but Garland laid it out for me with no BS: doing a show that way would likely alienate a lot of the attendees. Garland was a major support to us throughout the process, which anyone who’s gotten married can attest to being very stressful. He developed backup plans in case what we chose was not working with the audience, and gave us so many great song ideas. Going into the wedding, we did not know the order of songs aside from the opening dances, which played into our personality as a couple. We like improvisational rock music where we do not know what is coming next. Well, Garland and Soul Session delivered on a level I cannot accurately put into words. During the cake cutting, the band burst into “Tweezer Reprise” by Phish without telling us beforehand, and that turned into another dance with just my wife and I on the floor (their guitarist is a big Phish fan, and I have to shout him out here. He absolutely NAILED everything, and had me in tears once with one of his solos). The band got the entire venue up and rocking with a stellar rendition of “Shakedown Street” by the Grateful Dead, with people who are not Deadheads dancing their faces off. Garland then went into the Phish ballad, “Waste,” a song we considered for our first dance, making my wife and I jump up and onto the dancefloor for yet another special moment we will forever remember. By the time our wedding was done, just about all of our guests came up to us and told us how that was the best band they’ve ever seen at a wedding. Many more commented on how it was the most fun wedding they have ever attended, and all of them nodded to Garland and Soul Session as big parts of the reason why. It has been nearly a month since our wedding and Garland still texts me to ask how we are doing and that’s not something he has to do. He does it because he genuinely cares about the people he performs for, and he made us feel a part of his huge extended family. If you are on the fence about Soul Session, jump off right now and dial Garland’s number. It will be the best wedding decision you ever make.

We were married last weekend in NYC. Let me be clear on this. Apart from marrying my wife, the single greatest decision I've made in the past 2 years was having G and Soul Session involved in our wedding. I say "involved in our wedding" rather than "play our wedding" because G did more than just perform on the day of. He lifted our spirits throughout the process. He treated us like family. He helped us through issues with the venue and the photographers and a bunch of other headaches. He customized EVERYTHING about the wedding. Most of all, G and Soul Session absolutely TORE THE HOUSE DOWN, RE-BUILT IT, THEN TORE IT DOWN AGAIN. It was an absolute blessing to work with his band. Soul Session played my sister's wedding 10 years ago and at the time it was the best wedding performance I had ever seen. 10 years later, somehow, they topped it. I know what you're thinking... I'm biased, right? No. I've had dozens of friends and family members exclaim the same sentiment with utter joy. "WHO WAS THAT GUY? WHERE DID YOU FIND HIM?" Thank you Garland. Thank you Soul Session. You've changed our lives.

G was an absolute blessing to work with through our entire planning process and we are so lucky to have found him and Soul Session to jam out with during our wedding. His voice is a gift from above that rings in our ears as we think of our wedding day. From the processional songs, to the reception, he not only set the tone for our wedding celebration, but he felt like family throughout the process. G gave us so much more than unforgettable ceremonial music and a fun reception! He gave us professional opinion and creatively guided us through planning out the music and vibe for our wedding day. He facilitated unforgettable memories through the sound of his music. He was always open to hearing our ideas and was so flexible working with our family to make our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception truly a dream come true. His words of wisdom the months and days leading up to our wedding, will never be forgotten. Thank you, G, and all of Soul Session, for sharing your musical talents with us and for setting the vibe that we dreamed of for the best day of our lives!! Can’t thank you enough, family!

MORE THAN JUST A BAND. Garland and his Soul Session family absolutely KILLED IT at my wedding! I can't describe to you the energy that they put out there into the crowd. They get your guests UP to celebrate! Incredibly professional, so easy to work and so much fun. They tailor every single moment of your wedding to you and how you want it sound/feel/vibe. They set the scene for your whole night and take it up into another universe. I am serious. I cannot recommend this group enough. KILLED IT!

They played at my Granddaughter's wedding July 24th @ Sablewood in Schoharie & they were fabulous! They had everyone up & dancing from the start of the reception to the very last minute! You won't be disappointed at this band or with Garland. 🥳👍🏻💃🕺❤

Garland and Soul Session, did such an amazing job for our wedding! We had him play piano during our ceremony, himself and a fellow member of his group sing/play live music during the cocktail hour/dinner/first dances and had Garland DJ during the reception/dancing. Garland definitely knows how to get the party started and going all night! Our friends and family keep raving about how much fun they had at our wedding and a lot of that had to do with the vibe Garland created for the night. We have seen Garland perform at our venue other times as well on Saturday nights so we already knew he would do a great job. He is very versatile and is well organized ahead of time planning and ensuring he captures the vibe of the bride and groom as well as all of the guests.

Growing up in Saratoga, when we got engaged we knew Garland and Soul Session would be an essential part of our big day. We are so incredibly blessed that they were able to make our day so special. The majority of our guests were from out of state and are still raving about the show they put on! We can't thank them enough for getting my husband up with them playing the saxaphone. Garland was so fun to work with and from start to finish, made our day incredible. Thank you all!

WOW where do I even begin? Just stop reading this and book them right now... Garland and his band are so much more than a wedding band they are family. That is how we felt after our wedding experience with them. You will never find anyone better from a performance, energy or leadership perspective. Out of the gate Garland was so generous with his time, walking us through every detail and creatively thinking how he could deliver on the vision of our day. Garland's emotional intelligence is so tuned in that at times we were just nodding in agreeance over the phone. We were a long distance wedding and for a full year conducted everything via phone and email. We had never even seen Garland or the band perform live until the day of our wedding. But from our phone calls and emails we knew they would be perfect. Soul Sessions was the best thing we ever did for our wedding. Garland thought through every detail from timing, to play lists and adapted to any change on his feet. Our entire family and several guests came up to us asking WHERE DID YOU FIND THEM? Our venue has even thought to book them for their own events going forward. There is no questioning this one, if you can book them!

The star of my wedding day was of course my wife… but Garland was a very close second. The man is amazing, and the Soul Session band are equally as talented, energetic and downright fun. Garland really took the time in the months and weeks before our wedding day to get a sense of what we were looking for, and oh man did he deliver. I have never seen a band leader who was better at reading the crowd, getting people on the dance floor, and keeping the energy high. I cannot begin to count how many of our guests have told us “that was the best wedding band we’ve ever seen.” We truly consider Garland and the band part of the family. What a show.

Garland and the entire Soul Session band were nothing short of AMAZING!! Not only was Garland attentive to our special requests, but he is the nicest, funniest, coolest guy to talk to and be around. Everyone who attended our wedding cannot stop talking about our band. We've received nothing but compliments and we owe it all to Garland. Everything from creating beautiful song during our ceremony and learning Ripple, by The Grateful Dead upon my request to walk down the aisle to. The most beautiful jazz standard was played during our cocktail hour and they straight crushed our reception - I could not thank him enough...seriously. We have nothing but positiive things to say - our wedding was AMAZING!! Love and thank you Garland!

We found the amazing Garland and Soul Session when attending a friend's wedding. As soon as my (now) husband popped the question, he knew we needed to have Soul Session there for our big day. We were thrilled they were available and even willing to make the trip to Philadelphia for the wedding. Garland was incredible to work with throughout the entire planning process. He took the time to listen and understand what we were about, graciously collaborate on the ceremony music with our cousins (who performed vocals at the ceremony), and absolutely CRUSHED the reception. Our family and friends still rave about it 6 months later. Not to mention, the week of our wedding as Garland and I were going over last minute details, he gave me some great words of wisdom to calm my nerves and sang a few notes of the song from my Father Daughter dance. All around incredible people and talent. We are so thankful!

Garland Nelson and Soul Session are absolutely fantastic. Four months after our wedding, we still have family and friends telling us how our wedding was one of the best they've ever been to. Soul Session kept our dance floor packed the entire night, playing the perfect variety of songs. We didn't leave the dance floor the entire night and could have continued dancing for hours when the reception ended. Garland is also one of the most amazing people to help plan a wedding ceremony and reception. We spent many evenings on the phone with him talking through logistics, the flow of the evening and ideas for how to make each moment special. We didn't have to think about anything for a second once we hit our reception - Garland kept the evening flowing perfectly. We couldn't have done it without him.

Soul Session preformed above and beyond our expectations!! Garland Nelson is a high energy band leader that gave us a perfect blending of professionalism, talent and fun! At our lake-side ceremony, Garland provided a flawless sound system. He was very helpful and accommodating to our choice of classical music for the ceremony. We had a guest flutist join his pianist, who commented that “Garland was a pleasure to work with, had great ideas and is a fantastic musician. So is the rest of his band”. At cocktail hour, Soul Session’s musicians and singer performed jazz pieces that were the perfect background and warm-up for the evening. Soul Session’s performance at the reception was amazing. Garland’s timing and direction of the evening’s events (bride/groom dances, toasts, Hora, cutting of cake, etc.) made everything flow smoothly – and his energy and enthusiasm were immediately contagious. The band’s performance was exceptional – such talented musicians and singers! Our guests continually commented on the band (“Amazing!”, “So talented!”, “Phenomenal!”), and the dance floor was completely packed throughout the reception. The evening ended with our guests chanting “ONE MORE SONG, ONE MORE SONG!!!” We cannot thank Soul Session enough for making our ceremony and reception so memorable – and so much fun! Thank you, Garland – and thank you to the entire Soul Session team!

Amazing band. My husband and I had a ball. Garland and his whole band had our dance floor moving. Garland had to stop playing music so our ballroom could bring dinner out. The dance floor was never empty. They played every type of music from all different genres. People still talk about our band and we got married in July of 2012. Hands down been to a lot of weddings with a lot of bands and they are the best.

Garland & Soul Session just ROCKED OUT our wedding this weekend, and I can't say enough amazing things about them!!!! They had every guest up and dancing all night, and every single person commented on how amazing they were. Working with Garland was such a pleasure, and he was the ultimate professional throughout the entire process. They did the music for our ceremony, cocktail hour, reception AND after party and it was all absolutely flawless. I can't recommend Garland & the Soul Session crew enough. They made our wedding. My husband and I can't stop talking about how awesome they were!! Would highly highly highly recommend to anyone. Anywhere. Seriously - fly them in. They're worth it :)

If you are looking for a good band with lot's of energy that will have your dance floor PACKED for the entire night...then Soul Session is your band!! They set the vibe for the wedding as soon as the reception started and kept it going all night long...they were absolutely AMAZING...My husband and I couldn't have been more happy! Garland Nelson knows how to have a good party!!!

Soul Session and Garland Nelson really know how to get a party started, and they keep it going all night. They were the best!

Garland and Soul Session have a special little place in my heart. We booked our wedding based on what day this band was available. To us, the wedding band is one of the most important aspects of the wedding. We wanted an energetic, fun, lively, involved band. We hit the jackpot! These guys played everything from Pink floyd to trace adkins to adele to Jay z. All night long everyone was asking me where i found this band! They made our wedding night one we will never forget. Mission accomplished!

Garland was wonderful to work with in getting our reception music perfect to our tast and liking! He and his band are so incredibly talented, they dominate every song! Our dance floor was packed ALL night, we danced to oldies, classics, trendy/modern songs! Every song was perfect! I did not dare exit the dance floor all night afraid I was going to miss out on something! Garland and his band also played jazz music during the cocktail hour which was really elegant and exactly what we were looking for again. He also did a great job with keeping the flow of the night going and making sure all of the important pieces to make a wedding night perfect were in place! I could not reccommend them more!

this is the best band in the capital region!

Soul Session was absolutely amazing! My guests had a fantastic time and Garland Nelson was so great to work with. He is truly an outstanding performer and an all around good time. You won't have the dance floor empty for a minute.

amazing...kept crowd involved...very attentive..great song selection