About
Hudson Heights is a 7-piece wedding and event band based in the NYC metro area. They provide a range of live entertainment services, from intimate acoustic sessions to high-energy, full-band performances. Hudson Heights' musical versatility is their greatest strength - they can quickly transition from an instrumental jazz cocktail hour to a large room dance party. Though there are six members, they come with the value of a 7 - 10 piece band. The instrumentation between the four musicians includes: electric and acoustic guitar, bass, upright double bass, electric and acoustic violin, keyboard, trumpet, saxophone, drums, and cajon. Hudson Heights is fronted by two dynamic singers, male and female, who double as event emcees. The vocal abilities of Hudson Heights' singers allow the band to cover a wide range of genres from 50’s pop and rock to today’s hits. All Hudson Heights bookings include professional stage lighting and a sound engineer to ensure a high-quality and customized visual and audio experience.
Meet the band
Each Hudson Heights band member has extensive experience performing with wedding and event bands over the past decade. Learn more about us below!
Eden Mendez - Vocals
Eden has been singing professionally for the last decade. Having earned her Bachelor of Music degree (with a concentration in voice), Eden is able transcend all vocal styles and genres effortlessly, all while engaging the crowd with her energy and personality. When she is not performing at a wedding, event, or nightclub, you can find her on stage performing in musical theater productions throughout NJ/NY.
Danny Giovenco - Vocals
Danny first began performing as part of an acoustic duo in the early 2000s, and he has not stopped singing since. Even while he pursued his PhD, Danny continued performing with a professional cover band for the last 5 years. He particularly enjoys singing today's pop, rock, and dance hits. Having lived in Spain, Danny is fluent in Spanish and is able to sing a wide variety of musical and cultural styles.
Jeff McLaughlin - Guitar
Jeff McLaughlin has appeared around the world including the Montreux Jazz Festival, the Ravinia Festival in Chicago, the Indianapolis Jazz Festival, and the Philadelphia Folk Festival as well as the Blue Note, Apollo Theater, and 55 Bar in NYC and the Blue Whale in LA. He has performed with artists such as Ari Hoenig, Drew Gress, Tom Kennedy, Rudy Royston, Ralph Alessi, Shane Endsley, Tina Fabrique, and David Baker.
Sean Francois - Bass guitar, upright bass
Sean Francois, an accomplished bassist from Sleepy Hollow, Illinois, has been performing throughout the country since the age of nine. He is known as a bassist who can play anything and everything. Sean has studied with world renowned musicians and educators, including David Baker, Nick Schneider, Mark Bettcher, and Jeremy Allen. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies: Double Bass from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.
Jon Schmarak - Keys, trumpet, vocals
Jon’s musical creativity knows no bounds. He plays multiple instruments (sometimes simultaneously!) and can create intricate sounds to match any genre or style. A formally-trained musician with a degree in music education, Jon effortlessly balances technical skills with a high-energy and captivating stage presence.
Kito Bovenschulte “Kito B.” - Drums
Kito is a drummer and percussion player from New York, New York. Learning how to play the drums at the age of eleven put him on a fast track to major opportunities at a young age and nationally and internationally acclaimed success as a professional musician. Kito has been playing music professionally for over a decade, getting a start on the regional Northeast US club circuit while still in high school, and graduating to the national and international level by his mid-twenties. These experiences granted him the opportunities to play at some of the country’s most famous clubs and venues, in addition to some of the biggest and most notorious music festivals, performing alongside many of his musical heroes. He brings this experience and excitement to each and every one of his Hudson Heights event!
Sean-David Cunningham - Violin
Highly regarded as a seasoned and skillful professional, Sean-David Cunningham started playing the violin when he was four years old in Brooklyn, NY. He holds a Bachelor of Music in violin performance from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University and attended the Master's Degree program at The Schulich School of Music, McGill University.
His captivating, high-energy performances delight his audiences, as he blends musicianship, creativity, and tradition into an unforgettable sound.
