Warren Gerds (Entertainment/Arts Columnist/Critic):
Van Ess played a tribute to New Orleans Jazz Legend Pete Fountain – one of the tunes Fountain was famous for, “A Closer Walk with Thee” – playing a Fountain clarinet. Now, Van Ess is liquid gold as a clarinet player. He embraces some notes, sets firecrackers under others and shifts gears, tones, colors, emotions and speeds faster than a flash. If Pete Fountain died and went to heaven, he sure has a wondrous soul left here. Van Ess’s playing of “A Closer Walk with Thee” was transcendent. And then Van Ess capped the piece with passages of “Amazing Grace.” Amazing…grace, indeed – in many layers of meaning. To experience Van Ess’s moments was pure joy, and the crowd erupted in approval and admiration
Green Bay Press Gazette: UWGB Jazz Fest # 1 performance of the year. "Highlight clarinetist Kevin Van Ess. An astonished fan called his solos insane."
Madison Jazz Society "Dear Kevin on behalf of our members and Board of Directors, we are overjoyed that you provided such wonderful music and entertainment for our jazz fans. You were all amazing what a privilege it was to have you perform for us. The performance was non-stop entertaining!! We received many many favorable comments on your performance!"
Fox Lake Summer Concert Series: "I have been all over the world including New Orleans several times and The Talk of The Town is the best jazz I ever heard. Kevin's performance was fantastic!"
What a night! 🎷 Last Saturday, Birch Creek Music Performance Center was buzzing with the infectious energy of The Talk of the Town featuring Kevin Van Ess and his Dixieland Jazz Band. They blew concertgoers away with their renditions of Sing Sing Sing and classics like "Jailhouse Rock" and "Root Beer Rag." 🎶 Our Fall Concert Series is still going strong when you have Kevin Van Ess and The Talk of The Town getting several standing ovations from a full house!
Fish Creek(Door County Summer Concert Series) Dear Kevin: "I have been coming up to Door County for years and The Talk of The Town is the best band I have ever heard in Door County!" "Very Entertaining and Talented Band." "My three favorite clarinet players are now Benny Goodman, Pete Fountain and Kevin Van Ess." "I was only planning on staying a minute because I had to be somewhere, and I ended up staying for the entire concert." "When the concert was done, I didn't want to leave." "I wanted more!"