DJ Mystical Michael NJ DJ & NY DJ

As a working full-time professional Wedding DJ, I get many requests about potential gigs. They typically look and feel the same till I speak to the Bride and Groom directly. Each Wedding has its own personality and energy that separates it from the rest, but the requests themselves do not often vary greatly.

Recently I received a request for a professional Wedding DJ that inspired me and got me interested in meeting the Bride and Groom immediately. The service request for a professional Wedding DJ was on the wedding and event planning site Decidio. I copied and pasted below the part that caught my attention and had mo on the phone with them in les than a  minute:

I received a cancellation this week for my regular Friday Night DJ gig at The Office in Cranford, NJ. Fortunately, I will resume next Friday, they held a special event and needed to cancel. The good news is that I received a phone call from a woman in Newark, NJ needing a professional DJ for tomorrow night at a local Lounge in The Ironbound section of Newark, NJ. Newark is where I was born and appreciate when I get the opportunity to make it back there.  

I get asked all the time by friends and family, “How do people know they are getting what they pay for when they hire a professional DJ for their wedding or party that they do to already know?”

I always smile before I reply, “Great question! It is not easy for them and that is why I came up with three easy steps”:

The last few weeks I have really enjoyed my professional DJ gigs at The Office. I like the staff and guests, the vibe there is very fun and friendly. It is fun as a professional DJ to be in an environment where diverse music and acceptance that many folks have differing tastes in music.

Cinco De Mayo is always a fun holiday. I don’t know anyone that is ‘against’ Cinco De Mayo.  According to Wikipedia,  “The Battle of Puebla was important for at least two reasons. First, although considerably outnumbered, the Mexicans defeated a much better-equipped French army. "This battle was significant in that the 4,000 Mexican soldiers were greatly outnumbered by the well-equipped French army of 8,000 that had not been defeated for almost 50 years." Second, it was significant because since the Battle of Puebla, no country in the Americas has been invaded by any other European military force.”

Cinco De Mayo at The Office will be a good time with good music. Come play!

DJ Mystical Michael NJ DJ & NY DJ

Wednesday and Thursday nights this week I will continue my Trivia Hosting at Applebees locations in NJ as professional DJ in disguise. Wednesday night will be at the Hackettstown Applebees at 9:00pm and Thursday night at 8:00 in Hillsborough. Both locations were fun last week with my first events hosting trivia as a NJ professional DJ.

We had eleven terams competing in Hackettstown and seven teams in Hillsborough. Of course, the music round was the most fun for me as well as adding music between each round. If you have never experienced National Trivia Association Quiz Game, it is really fun and educational. It includes seven rounds with each round a different topic. The last round is the bonus round. The top three teams all win prizes and everybody has fun.

Come out and join us!

DJ Mystical Michael NJ DJ & NY DJ

I know it has become ‘cool; for professional DJs to not take requests these days. I have never really understood this but it is getting to be the norm versus the exception. Fortunately for the fun people at The Office in Cranford last night, I am not one of those kinds of professional DJs. I love requests! They are a great way to connect with folks and learn what they want. It is even more fun when guests ask for songs to be sent or dedicated to others present.

I am returning as professional DJ for The Office in Cranford this Friday Night April 27th. If you have never been to any of The Office locations, they are fun, casual grill and bars. They have several locations throughout North and Central Jersey. They are experimenting with professional DJ entertainment and I am part of that experiment. The experiment seemed to go well last week. There were lots of requests and everybody had a good time. It was fun honoring the requests that ranged from “The Thong Song” to “Teach Me How to Dougie” to Avicii to Adele, Fun. and Pearl Jam. Wonder what we have in store tonight?

One of my new regular gigs are two nights of Trivia Hosting at Applebees locations in Central New Jersey. Wednesday nights will be at the Applebees in Hackettstown at 9:00pm. Tomorrow night and subsequent Thursdays nights will at the Applebees in Hillsborough at 8:00pm.

When speaking with Brides and Grooms while helping coordinate and plan their weddings, the professional Wedding DJ knows a good fun wedding in advance. The professional Wedding DJ will see certain songs on the Bride and Groom’s playlist that clue the Wedding DJ that it will be a fun wedding. Of course there are the ones that are obvious like Prince “Kiss”, Michael Jackson “Wanna Be Startin’ Something”, Beatles and Rolling Stones classics, a host of Motown party songs, B-52s, Barry White, Cyndi Lauper, Bob Marley and some recent dance songs that will surely be classics someday by LMFAO, Beyonce, Usher, Daddy Yankee, Elvis Crespo and other Salsa classics. But I am starting to notice another clue to a fun wedding for a professional Wedding DJ in Garth Brooks “Friends In Low Places”.

I am very grateful to be invited back to The Hoboken International Film Festival for the third year in a row! I love the festival and all the unique films they have highlighted. Last year I was able to view may of the films ands enjoyed most of them, especially the documentary of the fire at Seton Hall University.

I have been booked as professional DJ for The Office in Cranford this Friday Night April 20th. If you have never been to any of The Office locations, they are fun, casual grill and bars. They have several locations throughout North and Central Jersey. They are experimenting with professional DJ entertainment and I am part of that experiment. They have a fun menu and have been preparing good food as long as I can remember. I used to frequent The Offices in Morristown and Summit when I was younger.

Like most professional Wedding and Event DJs, i tend to look forward to DJ opportuntities that I cna give back tot he community and offer our DJ services as a volunteer. I work a lot of fubdaraisers as DJ but not always to do them compeletely volunteered, often there is a small fee to cover expenses. Tonight is a freebie!

Wow! I have been having so much fun booking professional DJ events for Weddings and Parties lately! It seems every day I am booking another Wedding DJ or Event DJ gig. I meet such great people and love hearing their stories of what and why they need a professional DJ for their Wedding or Event. Of course, my favorites are The Brides and Grooms. They have the best stories to share and the excitement and energy level is off the charts.

With Spring bringing sun, warmth, green and flowers, it also delivers the end of the down season for a professional DJ. I have had the opportunity to offer my DJ services at several volunteer situations in NJ & NY during this period. This Saturday night may be the last of the season. Tomorrow night I will DJ again at The Barefoot Boogie in NYC. For the last one and a half years I have been the Coordinator of Teachers and DJs at Barefoot Boogie. I enjoy being involved with such a positive and fun organization that is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year!

Yes you read that correctly. I will be professional DJ at an all-female event tomorrow night.  It is the 13th birthday for a Muslim family. This particular family celebrates these kinds of events gender segregated, in this case, only females.

I tried to shift this gig to one of the female DJs that I work with. The event planner would not let me. She is the girl's Aunt and is also a Wedding Planner. We are discussing me as Wedding DJ for a Bride and Groom she is planning a wedding this summer. She wants me to be there. I really attempted to offer for it to be a female DJ but not the plan. So, tomorrow night I will be professional DJ at an all-female event.

This night will be focused on the girl and her friends early in the night. As her Aunt said, "Play all American-style music for her and her friends."

"What about later?"

"I will give you a list of Afghani music for us later."

I smiled, "OK."

I am getting used to this sort of situation as a professional DJ that specializes in Multicultural Weddings and Events. Folks hire me to create professional DJ music for Weddings and Events that I have never even experienced before. This used to be something that might rattle me years ago but my experiences while living in South Korea and traveling through Eastern and Central Asia taught me to accept circumstances that are new or foreign to me.  

I am looking forward to tomorrow night. I have been a participant in all-female events as a 'special guest', but never as professional DJ. Can't wait to see how it goes!

DJ Mystical Michael NJ DJ & NY DJ

No.

But, there are not glaring differences from one to the other at first glance. Most professional DJs have a decent website and great photos of their gigs. We all tell you we have all the best music and will get the crowd up and dancing. We go on and on about our excellent audio equipment. Sometimes I think DJ websites are written for other DJs, not folks trying to find a professional DJ for their wedding or party.  Because most of us are typically good with people, we know what you want to hear and plaster it all over our websites.

Many Brides and Grooms are frustrated and stressed trying to figure out the specifics of their wedding. As a Wedding DJ in the NJ & NY area, I knew I needed to create a simple guide for planning weddings for couples.

I have been very busy responding to requests for service, quotes and information plenty lately for couples planning their weddings! It is a fun time and I get excited with each connection. Each couple offers different opportunities for me to co-create an exceptional wedding together with you. You are the architects and I am just the builder.

When I first started out as a NJ Wedding DJ, The Event Coordinator was responsible for gathering and directing the Bridal Party for Introductions. Back then, a family member or old friend made the Introductions and acted as Wedding MC. Today, the Wedding DJ is Coordinator and MC at most weddings. The good news is that I love being on a microphone and have been coordinating major events as a social worker for nearly twenty years.  Funny how all the skills I have accumulated over the years are transferable to being a top notch NJ & NY Wedding DJ and Entertainer.

Being a NJ DJ started in big Rock clubs for me. It may seem today since I offer such a diverse collection of music that I ever was a rocker but I was. In some ways, I still am.

I was just a little boy when I first saw The Monkees on TV; we still called it television back then.  They were a hilarious group of guys who happened to also make music, at least that is how I viewed them at the time through my child’s mind. I sang their songs and even owned a few of their albums including The Monkees and More of The Monkees.  In fact, I had an argument with my second grade teacher about the proper spelling of the word monkey since I have had ‘proof’ that it was spelled monkee, not monkey.

I was working at an Audio/Video recording and production studio a couple of years ago. It was when I first returned to The USA after living and traveling in Asia for a year and a half. One of my projects was to launch a DJ agency for the studio. We were mildly successful until I left.

One day the owner asked me if I would be willing to record a live conversation on why I enjoy being a NJ & NY Wedding DJ and Entertainer so much. I laughed and without thinking agreed. Next thing you know he has me sitting down in front of the main board with a camera pointed in my direction, and we were recording footage!

Of course, I had not prepared for this at all and was dressed very casual for a video about Wedding DJs. Eight minutes later we had the raw footage for the video. And raw it was!  This was what we salvaged from that day. Maybe not the most professional or well-produced piece I have worked on but entertaining.

As a Wedding DJ and Entertainer in the New Jersey and New York area, we are held to a very high standard of professionalism and skill level. It weeds out some of the professional DJs who have limited experience and training trying to pose as professionals. In other areas of the country they may get away with it but not here.

Let me know what you think of this video.

DJ Mystical Michael- NJ DJ & NY DJ 

The year was 1970 in Oklahoma City. The date was today, Febrauary 27th. The band was Jefferson Airplane. The use of profanity broke a local ordinance. They were fined $1000 for this violation. The ordinance was drawn up due to Jim Morrison of The Doors allegedly exposing himself at a concert in Miami the year before.

Imagine an artist being fined today for use of profanity at a life show?

There are few aspects of the winter that are beneficial to a Wedding and Event DJ and Entertainer in NJ or NY.  After the Holidays, we hit a bit of a slow season till the spring with weddings, graduations and parties starting to fill our schedules again. I do get the opportunity to volunteer my services as DJ at many local events. My favorite is The Barefoot Boogie in NYC. I have several friends there and enjoy the chance to play music that I could not play at an event I was hired to perform.

As a professional DJ in the New Jersey & New York area, we cannot be effective without an immense library of diverse music; I mean we are talking diverse. One of the reasons I enjoy living in this area of the country so much is the diversity of people (and food). In NJ & NY we come in all shapes, sizes, colors and tastes. 

Growing up, Smokey Robinson was one of my favorite artists with The Miracles. I had many of their ‘45s’ and played them till they didn’t work any more from creating grooves in the vinyl from overuse. When I became a DJ in my late teens, Smokey as a solo artist became a sensation all over again.  Smokey Robinson & The Miracles solo and as a group are a DJ’s dream since there are few listeners who do not like at least one of their songs. It is common for me to be playing a classic Miracles song like, "Ooh Baby Baby",  “The Tears of a Clown” or “Love Machine” at a wedding or party and have a young adult come up and ask me, “What was that incredible old skool R&B stuff you were just playing?”

Of course, I smile and share with them “It is one of my musical influences, The Miracles.” They run away excited to tell their friends about this ‘new’ artist that jams.  Before the night is through, one of their friends will come up and request another Miracles tune, which I will oblige willingly.

Simple. I know I excel as a DJ and MC. I want you to have that same confidence, so you can focus your attention and energy on other aspects of your wedding or event. You worry about getting your guests there and making sure they have food, beverages and everything looks beautiful. I will make sure they have a great time and remember your wedding or party long after. They will have fun and I am condfidnet in that, so I can offer aguarantee since I am certain you will want to pay me. You are investing in me by hiring me and sending me a deposit. I invest in you by offering a guarantee that states if you are not happy with my performance, you do not have to pay the remainder of the balance. Period.

It has now been enough years of Guetta producing hit songs that have made it in the American music industry that he his body of work gets requests from top shelf artists wanting to utilize his talents.

It is rare that the same artist wins Billboard year-end #1 for best album, song and artist. It is even rarer that an artist that recorded the album at age twenty-one wins all three. HINT!  HINT! Yes Adele has won all the main categories for a pop artist for 2011. I am not surprised since she is an amazing artist that has dominated the charts and the music industry all year. In fact, she may have single-handedly saved the record industry.

Last Saturday night I attended the first ever Dance of Eden, a new freestyle dance event coordinated by two friends of mine.  One of them is a DJ I work with from time to time who also happens to be an excellent musician, Allan Chapman. I had recommended the same audio system I use, The BOSE L1 with Bass and he has since purchased one. I knew he was going to be cranking it up for the dance event and I was looking forward to hearing it.

As we are deep into winter here in the New Jersey/New York/Pennsylvania region, the milder weather has been pushing me to get excited about he upcoming Wedding season!  I can almost feel the spring air and Brides in their Wedding Dresses strutting down the aisle. It is not long now before my favorite time of year.

I remember as a new DJ when I was turned on to Madonna’s first single, a ‘45’ on Sire Records, “Everybody”.  As a DJ in North Jersey, the song was available regionally before its national release later that year.  Her sound was fresh, energetic and full of passion. We all knew at the time that we were listening to something unique and important; we had no idea that thirty years later she would still be a force in the music industry and the pop icon she grew to become. It certainly never occurred to me that I would be watching her performing at a Super Bowl in 2012!

On this date in 1959, a small plane crashed killing three American Rock & Roll legends and pioneers; Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, as well as the pilot near Clear Lake, Iowa.

The song by Don McLean, “American Pie” coined the phrase The Day The Music Died when writing about what most consider Rock & Roll’s most tragic plane crash, and its first.

I have had the opportunity to share experiences with many NJ & NY DJs and party planners over the years.  I still find it incredible that some professional DJs do not produce a written contract when booking a gig with an event planner.  For me, the written contract creates security and a firm commitment by both parties, a sense of mutual trust. I can’t imagine working without one.

Great Music. Great People.  Great Vibe.

I get often asked, “DJ Michael, how do I make sure that the Birthday Party I am throwing will be totally fun?”

It is on this day in 1961 that the first girl group to ever achieved a #1 single. The Shirelles reached the top of the HOT 100 with “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” written by Gerry Goffin and  Carole King. Carole was eighteen when she co-wrote this hit single. The Shirelles were from Paterson, NJ and signed a record deal after being noticed performing at a talent show at their high school.

{Morristown,NJ} – January 24, 2012 – WeddingWire, the nation's leading wedding Marketplace, is excited to announce DJ Mystical Michael has been selected to receive the prestigious WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2012 for DJ! 
The esteemed annual awards program recognizes the top local wedding vendors from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism within the wedding industry. While many industry awards are selected by the organization, DJ Mystical Michael was selected based on its stellar reviews from past newlywed clients. 
DJ Mystical Michael is recognized as part of the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire local vendor community, comprised of over 200,000 wedding professionals throughout the United States and Canada. The Bride’s Choice Award recognizes  the best local wedding vendors across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, based on their overall professional achievements throughout the past year. 
“WeddingWire is thrilled to honor the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “Since the launch of the Bride’s Choice Awards™ program four years ago, thousands of outstanding wedding professionals have been recognized by the bridal community for their supreme service and dedication to the wedding industry. It is with great pleasure that we congratulate DJ Mystical Michael for their continued professionalism and commitment to enriching the wedding planning experience for engaged couples.”
We are happy to announce that DJ Mystical Michael is one of the very best DJs within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Project Wedding, Brides.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire. Thanks to their positive feedback we were able  to receive the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ for 2012. 
For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/dj-mystical-michael-morristown/d47016999754b69c.html. 
To learn more about the Bride's Choice Awards™, please visit www.WeddingWire.com. 
About WeddingWire, Inc.WeddingWire™, the nation's leading marketplace serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 reviewed wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers. WeddingWire also offers a comprehensive suite of online planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire is the only all-in-one marketing platform for businesses online and on-the-go. WeddingWire offers one simple solution to build a professional network, improve search visibility, manage social media and reach mobile consumers. Businesses that advertise with WeddingWire appear on WeddingWire.com, ProjectWedding.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), Brides.com and Weddingbee.com. ###

I typically enjoy every gig I perform, some more than others. When I am hired for a wedding or event, I am focused on making sure I meet needs of the host, and all the guests are having a great time. That is what I am hired to do and my primary focus.

I always look forward to the nights I am able to provide music for dancers at The Barefoot Boogie. As a dancer, this is one of my favorite places to perform. There are so many appreciative dancers that I have such a great time.

First, decide what kind of music you want before your search begins. This will help you discern who is right for you. Next, determine how many hours you will need the DJ and what is your budget.  I encourage you not to make up fake prices for your DJ, be honest about what you can spend and stick to it!  Then let your search begin…

This afternoon I had an associate ask if they wound be able to borrow my gear for a community event this weekend in my region. They don’t live in the area and are DJing for a very special situation.  A young man that died tragically this past week hiking in Arizona is having an event held in his honor to support friends and family.

Of course, I said, “Yes!” without even having to think about it. I am just glad we are not already hired for this date and time so we can support the cause.

He is both an engineer and an excellent DJ; he and his wife DJ together regularly. I knew this when she asked me and that eventually we would get to the “gear” question when he was able to get in touch with me tonight. I gave him the link to my Equipment Page so he would be able view it and see how fortunate he is to get to play with the best out there.

Anybody who knows anything about audio equipment knows how outstanding the BOSE system is. I still get that racing I my heart every time I do my sound check before a gig. I keep thinking at some point it will lose its ‘rush’ for me but has not happened yet. I am like a kid opening gifts on his birthday each time I connect the last cord and crank my system up. I was first turned-on to the BOSE L1 system by the owner of a recording studio I used to work with. He swore by and after one use, I understood why.

I remember one time we were setting up for a gig and we both couldn’t stop gushing over the sound like two little geeks with a new techno toy. As is typically the case, the CEO of the corporation that was hosting the event came over and started rubbing his chin and staring at the speaker until he could hold back no longer. “Are they really the only speakers making that sound that is filling this whole hall and sounds like we are at a live concert?”

We laughed and the three of us engaged in a conversation about BOSE and our mutual appreciation for their superior technology and performance. It is very sad that this young man has tragically died. I am grateful that I can at least provide the sound system for the community’s support of his family and friends. It is not much but at least it is something.

December 30th brought us two members of The Monkees, Michael Nesmith in 1942 and Davy Jones1945.  The Monkees were a pop group formed by Robert “Bob” Rafelson and Bert Schneider in 1966 for the TV show by the same name. The show had a run from 1966-1968.

Initially the members of the band were not allowed much musical and creative input. They weren’t even permitted to sing live in the beginning. They fought for rights in musical output of the band and eventually were able to tour.

Their singles and albums have sold over 65 million copies.  Their first four albums, all went to #1 in the U.S. including three #1 Billboard singles; “Last Train To Clarksville”, “I’m A Believer” and “Daydream Believer”.

The Monkees have a peculiar legacy in that they were clearly a pop band created for acting purposes and are still enjoying popular success today.  It is possible that they continue to draw interest as the guys who were not supposed to make-it as musicians but simply a bunch of funny, cute Beatle-like performers.

I find it very bizarre they had two members with the same birthday. Happy birthday Mike and Davy.

This video was created on December 31, 1966, must have been a birthday present to Mike and Davy.

On this date, Taylor Swift Fearless began a seven week run at #1 on the Billboard Charts. She has continued to demonstrate incredible popularity and critical acclaim.  

When she was ten years old, a computer repairman showed her three basic chords on the guitar and it lit the fire within her. She claims to have been a victim of bullying in school and felt like she did not fit in. She turned to songwriting to deal with these experiences. She states that her songs are highly biographical and references that they are like reading her personal diary in lyrical form.

When she turned fourteen, her family moved from Reading, PA to Nashville, TN to support her musical career. Her first single released was "Tim McGraw". She has enjoyed an unequaled run of charting and sales success as a female Country artist and is opening new doors for future Country artists, especially females.

Former guitarist and singer Joe Strummer died on this day in 2002. He was co-founder and lyricist for The Clash.  Joe and The Clash were inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. Rolling Stone magazine awarded The Clash’s London Calling album of the 80’s.

Strummer had hit a violent member of the audience at a performance in Hamburg, Germany with his guitar. This action facilitated reflection, “I nearly murdered somebody, and it made me realise that you can't face violence with violence. It doesn't work.”

The Clash were given the title of  “The Only Band That Matters “, which was conceived as a promotional slogan by their recording label CBS Records. They were one of the original punk bands and were widely acclaimed for their highly charged, politicized lyrics and experimental instrumentation. They were one of those bands that constantly pushed the boundaries of music for themselves and their audiences.

Some of their hits in The USA include “Should I Stay or Should I Go”, “Rock The Casbah”, “London Calling” and “Train In Vain”. Many artists attribute their desire to be musicians to Joe Strummer and the Clash. 

Joe, you are missed but not forgotten.

Alan Parsons, studio audio engineer, musician, and record producer was involved with the production of The Beatles' Abbey Road and Let It Be, and Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon was born today, December 20^th1948. As a music listener and professional in the industry, the idea of working on two of Rock’s greatest achievements is quite a resume to attach to your name.

He was only nineteen when he was hired to work at Abbey Road Studios. Soon after that The Beatles were in the studio recording the album Abbey Road.

“But working with The Beatles was an amazing experience. And working with producer George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick gave me a great deal to learn from, and that experience too was amazing. The album Abbey Road was actually recorded very quickly, it was done in about eight weeks which for The Beatles was pretty fast. But I enjoyed every second of it. And I was getting paid to work with the greatest pop band of all time!” Interview with Joe Matera from Ultimate-Guitar.

Alan was a main ingredient in the most successful Rock album in the history of Billboard’s Top 200 album charts.  He engineered its highly technical production with only sixteen tracks in analog since they did not have digital technology yet.

He has been nominated for ten Grammys, which seven were for his critically acclaimed Alan Parsons Project work and one for his solo work as Alan Parsons.

Today, December 15, 1919, Max Yasger was born, the owner of the dairy farm in Bethel, NY where the Woodstock Festival was held in1969. He was a man who fought through significant local resistance to ‘all the long-haired hippies and anti-war young people playing loud music’ coming to the area to make sure the event took place. There were signs around town, this being one of them, "Stop Max's Hippie Music Festival. No 150,000 hippies here. Buy no milk."

He was initially offered $50,000 to lease the land for the festival. It was a rainy year and he needed the money. He also believed in the right to self-expression even if he did not agree with the actions and attitudes of the festival attendees.

There is a legend that the locals were selling water to folks at the festival. He apparently was angered by this and slammed his hand on his kitchen table yelling that “Water is free”. His son Steve remembers exactly what his father said,  "He told us to take every empty milk bottle from the plant, fill them with water and give them to the kids, and give away all the milk and milk products we had at the dairy." recalled that "he told us to take every empty milk bottle from the plant, fill them with water and give them to the kids, and give away all the milk and milk products we had at the dairy."

Woodstock is one of The USA’s largest and most historical musical events. It set the tone for social, racial, religious and artistic shifts that we are still experiencing ripples today.

For those who do not know, here is a list of performers at the legendary festival concluding with Jimi Hendrix famed version of “The Star Spangled Banner” on electric guitar:

Richie Havens

Country Joe McDonald

John B. Sebastian

Incredible String Band

Sweetwater

Bert Sommer

Tim Hardin

Ravi Shankar

Melanie

Arlo Guthrie

Joan Baez

Quill

Keef Hartly

Santana

Canned Heat

Mountain

Janis Joplin

Sly & The Family Stone

Grateful Dead

Creedence Clearwater Revival

The Who

Jefferson Airplane

Joe Cocker

Country Joe & The Fish

Ten Years After

The Band

Blood Sweet And Tears

Johnny Winter

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Paul Butterfield Blues Band

Sha-Na-Na

Jimi Hendrix

3 Days of Peace & Music

Even with technology being what it is today, I still get asked, “Where’s your turntables?” from time to time.

On December 13, 1961 The Beatles signed with Manager Brian Epstein who later Paul McCartney said, "If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian." Brian Epstein paid for them to record a demo in Decca Studios since nobody thought The Beatles were talented enough to record.  George Martin was impressed with Epstein's enthusiasm and gave them a listen. He offered them a contract with EMI's small label Parlophone. That is where The Beatles journey began.

I wonder if The Beatles would have ever made it at all if not for the coaxing and complete faith that Epstein had that someday they would be an international hit. Hard to imagine growing-up without The Beatles and having them be 'with me' throughout my life. Imagine no "Let It Be".

Thanks Brian for your belief in these guys fifty years ago today!

Often overlooked in the American Wedding Traditions is the Garter Removal and Tossing.  Strangely enough, they typically like to have the same songs for all three pieces of the Garter Tradition. A quick history lesson on The Garter tradition. Just like the Bouquet Toss, The Garter Toss is supposed to represent the next single male to get married. It is believed in some traditions that the man that catches the garter will marry the woman that catches the bouquet but most cultures it is simply who will get married next.  While the Bouquet Toss is fun and funny, the Garter Removal, Toss and placing it on the woman that caught the bouquet brings out a more adventurous and racy aspect to the wedding reception.

One of the challenges for a good DJ is to stay current with many genres of music. It is not enough to just keep up on the most popular songs on The Billboard Hot 100, we must go beyond Top 40 and be prepared for a last minute gig that requires music from other genre like Country, Rock, Latin, Hip Hop, House, Dance, Smooth Jazz and some less popular styles in The USA like Buddha Bar, Lounge and what has become named 'World Music', a name that does not make sense to me since all music is from somewhere in the world.

After the traditions are completed, we get to turn-up the music and have some fun. Everybody has eaten and is ready to loosen their ties and let their hair down. This is where the DJ gets to shine and creates the last memories of an incredible journey. The Reception:

See The Groom back right? 

The Brides third dress! Doesn't she look amazing in green?

This Bride knows how to have fun at her Wedding!

Like a magazine cover don't you think?

They were concerned I would not be able to get anyone to dance:)

Trust me, it was hard to not join them!

An August Wedding on a scorching day.

We turned the lights down and the volume up!

Straight from Paris!

Receptions. Every one is different but the fun and smiles are the same.

For some, The First Dance can be a time of stress worried about how well they can dance with everyone watching. For others it is their moment to shine and soak in the spotlight. For all couples, it is an opportunity to create something you will remember for the rest for your lives.  Here are some of my couples First Dances in the past year.

Mike & Molly

Canh & Nogc

Colin & Renae

Mark & Yomi

Mike & Sara

James & Sung Hee

Josh & Bene

Joseph & Crystal

Joey & Melissa

I think they all did great and looked like they practiced for years!

It appears that most folks want to pay tribute to and glorify The Bride and forget about The Groom, believe it or not, he plays a part in all this too!

Every year I look forward to the opportunity to DJ & MC Holiday Parties. I know they can sometimes be corny but I still have fun at them. I get to play songs that only make sense for a few weeks each year. Some of my favorites are Elvis Presley “Blue Christmas”, Joan Jett ”Little Drummer Boy”, Nat King Cole “The Christmas Song”, The Kinks “Father Christmas”, Johnny Mathis “Silver Bells” and Emerson, Lake and Palmer “I Believe In Father Christmas”.  I do tend to get sick of most of the songs by the time we make it through the Holidays but I enjoy them for a bit and certainly when playing them at parties where everyone is having a great time and dancing.

I wanted to offer a peak into what our weddings look like. I would love to hear which you like best.

Simple: Great Music and Sixteen Candles Celebration Ceremony!

Today, most Sweet Sixteen’s have very creative themes: from Harry Potter to Dark Carnivals to Pretty In Pink.   The girls find really interesting outfits that match their themes, and often their closest friends are similarly dressed to suit the occasion. 

Last Sunday I was hired as entertainer and DJ by a really nice Korean couple for their wedding.  We spoke several times before meeting in person. Since I had recently spent a year teaching in South Korea and was still missing my time there, I was really excited to work with them and help plan their wedding day.

When Elle and her family first hired me for her Sweet Sixteen, there was no plan on including The Storybook as part of their package. However, as we got to know each other in the initial planning stages, it began to seem like a perfect fit for her celebration. We decided to go ahead and create her personalized Storybook together.  I am so glad we did because it was a great success that everybody loved!

I was searching for some outstanding images of dance and weddings last spring and came across Nuno Duarte'swork through Creative Commons . I was immediately blown away by the force and energy of the images. I thought it would be interesting to display his work with weddings. I look forward to reading your comments  to see if they move you the way they do me.

I am very excited to be offering my new service for the first time this weekend to two clients at their events. I have been working on this project for a while and can’t wait to be able to show it off for the first time Saturday night!

I am aware many DJs like to play just one or maybe two genres at events. It makes sense and certainly is less of a challenge. I mean, you know what will work and have little or no risk involved. I get it, I really do.

Sunday I have an event that the couple being honored for their 50th wedding anniversary happen to appreciate film and Broadway songs.  While creating the playlist i thought it might be interesting to see what the American Film Industry (AFI) determined to be the 100 years and 100 songs.

I rarely perform at a wedding or event these days that does not at some point include music from Motown Records. For me this is not a problem since I have loved The Motown Sound since I listened on my little red Panasonic battery-operated portable radio as a kid.  It did not matter to me if it was The Supremes, The Jackson 5 or Stevie Wonder; I was always a Motown fan and still am today.

I like to scan the Billboard Charts weekly to keep up on what is new, fading and any different trends. Today I was viewing the Billboard Top 200 Album Charts and saw something that had me tilting my head in confusion; Pink Floyd has FOUR albums in the current Top 200! What?

There is something really fun about having a night without a playlist.  As a professional working DJ, I rarely get to choose the music I play. I am extremely committed to making sure the folks that hire me get what they want and not pick music for myself at a gig. Last Saturday night at the Barefoot Boogie I had the music all to myself!  We usually try to schedule more than one DJ at each event to add diversity in style and musical choices.  This particular night I was the only DJ on the schedule and took full advantage of the opportunity.

“On this day 36 years ago, SNL broadcast its first episode ever!! In hindsight it's easy to see that that first show, which was hosted by George Carlin, with music by Janis Ian and Billy Preston, a performance by Andy Kaufman and a cast that included Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner, was the start of something special.”

I am even more excited than I was last night!

Along with being a mobile DJ & MC, I am also volunteer  Coordinator of Teachers & DJs at The Barefoot Boogie NYC.  It is my responsibility to recruit, schedule and sometimes train our teachers and DJs for our semi-monthly events.  The venue we create these evens is Insight Meditation Center, originally had a special event scheduled for this Saturday Night, 10/8. We shifted our schedule to accommodate. It turns out they had to cancel the event and we had some conversation and decided we would scramble together and put a dance event together for tomorrow night.  I offered to DJ since I have not had the opportunity to DJ there since before the wedding season was in full swing. I miss it.

I now get to DJ at an outdoor wedding in the afternoon and Barefoot Boogie at night.  Besides seeing friends and being in an environment I enjoy, DJing at The Barefoot Boogie allows me to get extremely creative in musical selection.  I will start the night with some slow, lush music to support dancers in getting warmed-up and stretched.  After I see folks are ready, I will slowly raise the energy, tempo and volume till we are at full force.  The boogie is an environment that diversity and creativity are considered gifts for dancers and movers.  Throughout the night I will try to mix in some music from many decades, genres and cultures from around the globe.

Should be a great day between the wedding and the boogie!

Last night I was on the phone with The Bride and Groom whom are getting married on Saturday. They are having their ceremony at a local park and then the reception in the backyard of their home.  It will only be the second backyard wedding I will do this season. The other was in a soggy, muddy yard but we still had a great time. I have no doubt this one will be fun as well.

I knew it was time for a new internal hard drive when I noticed that I was about to run out of space for adding new tunes to my computer.  As a professional DJ, continuing to build and expand our music library is essential to success with our customers. 

Last night was a really fun wedding. They all seem to be fun these days. It was nice that for the second Saturday in a row, the weather called for rain all day and the ceremony was outdoors on the beach, this time right next to Barnegat Lighthouse at Barnegat Light, NJ, but we had no rain and even some glimpses of sunshine.  The Bride looked like a walking magazine cover as she made the long walk from the top of the hill, down to the beach finally reaching her fiancé amongst family and friends.  We provided nice acoustic music in the background as the guests waited her arrival dressed in a multitude of colors with deep blue, lavender and black being the predominant choices.  The Groomsmen were in beige suits with white sneaker-like footwear for the beach. Most women were in bare feet with their beautiful dresses.

Preparing earlier today for tomorrow's wedding on Long Beach Island, NJ, I noticed that each component of the wedding has its own genre. This was the playlist created with The Bride. She wanted 'chill msuic' for the Cocktail Hour with Bob Marley, Jack Johnson, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison and Norah Jones, amongst others; all great stuff. 

Saturday night could not come fast enough for the adult children of two happy couples celebrating 50 years of marriage. Imagine trying to plan a double surprise party for your parents and your spouse's parents on the same night!  The good news is that all the siblings helped put the event together and kept the secret all along the way.

Yesterday was one of the days this week with lots of rain in the forecast. We have experienced rain on a continual basis lately and were worried the outdoor wedding may not be able to take place. We discussed potential back-up plans but none would compare to the original. I left my home for the two hour drive to Long Beach Island knowing that all could be for nothing. The reception was being held outdoors at The Gables in Beach Haven, NJ.

I still get such a a kick out of the confused stares I receive from folks as they gawk at the BOSE L1 System with B1 trying to figure out how that 'Little thing makes such a big, beautiful sound?"

Folks ask me all the time, “Michael, what kind of DJ are you?”

“The kind that plays music and makes fun.”

“No. I mean what kind of music do you play?”

“The fun kind.”

This weekend I will have the opportunity to DJ, MC and provide music for a dual 50th anniversary party.  A woman is throwing a party for both her parents and her husband’s parents who are both celebrating their 50th wedding anniversaries. I think it is amazing.

I was recently approached with an offer to DJ at a club that is under new management. It is really a sports bar with a club upstairs; a great place to eat and party.

One of the joys of living and performing in the NYC/NJ/Philly Region is the opportunity to work with Multi-Cultural Weddings. I received a request for a quote from a young lady whose sister is getting married in November. It is a small wedding at View Of The Hudson in Piermont, NY.  She has the honor of both being her sister and Maid of Honor and is required to find and secure a DJ for her sister’s wedding.  We exchanged several emails before having a fun and informative conversation via the phone.

It was a really fun wedding. Everybody had a good time and the smiles and high-energy on the dance floor let me know it was going great. I approached The Bride and Groom to let them we had about a half hour left and wanted to see if there were any songs they definitely needed to hear before we shut-down. They both looked at each other, laughed and in a chorus, "No", and she continued "Everybody is having so much fun!" and pointed to the dance floor, which was still packed with happy guests at 11:30.

I get asked regularly, "DJ Michael, why are you digital instead of turntables since you are such a DJ purist, an 'Old Skool-type DJ'?"

Here are songs that either don't make a lick of sense or give us the opportunity to reflect on what they are trying to say. 

1. The Perculator
2. The Happening - Diana Ross & the Supremes
3. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly
4. Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind? - the Lovin Spoonful
5. Mah-Na-Mah-Na - Piero Umiliani (or the Muppets)
6. The Thing - Phil Harris
7. Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
8. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2
9. Mmm Mmm Mmm - Crash Test Dummies
10. Mellow Yellow - Donovan
11. Hypnotized - Fleetwood Mac
12. For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield
13. Behind Closed Doors - Charlie Rich
14. Missing - Everything But The Girl
15. Hole In My Shoe - Traffic
16. Ball Of Confusion (Thats What The World Is Today) - Temptations
17. Question - Moody Blues
18. 25 Or 6 To 4 - Chicago
19. I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) - Meatloaf
20. Da Da Da - Trio
21. What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
22. The Dance - Garth Brooks
23. Land of Confusion - Genesis
24. Ode To Billy Joe - Bobbie Gentry
25. Journey To The Center Of The Mind - Amboy Dukes

26. Life Is A Rock But The Radio Rolled Me - Reunion
27. In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) - Zager & Evans
28. How Can I Be Sure - Young Rascals
29. MacArthur Park - Richard Harris
30. Is There Something I Should Know? - Duran Duran
31. Rock and Roll (Part 2) - Gary Glitter
32. De do do do, de da da da - the Police
33. What's Up - 4 Non Blondes
34. What's The Frequency, Kenneth? - R.E.M.
35. I Started A Joke - Bee Gees
36. What's The Matter Here? - 10,000 Maniacs
37. Everyone's Gone to the Moon - Jonathan King.
38. Say It Right - Nelly Furtado
39. Connected - Stereo MCs
40. Yes! We Have No Bananas - Ben Selvin
41. Little Willie - the Sweet
42. Don't Know Much - Aaron Neville & Linda Ronstadt
43. Whiter Shade of Pale - Procol Harem
44. The Bomb! - The Bucketheads
45. Blah Blah Blah - Ke$ha featuring 3OH!3
46. Book Of Love - The Monotones
47. Synchronicity II - the Police
48. I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing - James Brown
49. Mairzy Doats - Merry Macs
50. Love Plus One - Haircut 100

When I first began as a DJ, like most new DJs, I attached my style to my favorite musical genre. It never occurred to me that my skills could be utilized by planners of events from all types of music. Fortunately, I caught on a few later and continue to expand what my music library and knowledge base.

Recently, I was contacted by a promoter needing a Country DJ for a series of events. I am aware this is not my strength but have worked on trying to add to my library over the last few months preparing for gigs like this knowing that my services may be needed for events just like this. 

I have been hired for several Oldies events lately. These are typically parties with lots of good, clean fun. I grew-up with plenty of the songs from the late 50's and early 60's with artists like Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Dion & The Belmonts, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Sam Cooke, Johnny Mathis and all the MoTown stuff being the ones that stick out in my memori the most. My family also listened to a lot of Jazz, Pop Vocalists and Big Bands as well.

For reasons I do not know, as a child I gravitated towards the Oldies genre on my own. It started with me asking my parents to find me The Crusin' Series of albums and cassettes. They are where if isrst egeban to study music and the roots of Rock and Roll.

Last week I had the opportunity to provide music and DJ/MC services for a young couple. The Groom, a nice young man, is home from the Air Force.  The wedding was booked when he was deployed in The Middle East with The Bride making all the initial plans. I met with the two of them last month to complete all the final arrangements and help them prepare for their wedding. 

When I woke this morning, I was not certain it would actually happen today. The venue cancelled yesterday and they found another venue somehow. Friends and family had traveled from The U.K. and some had to be contacted very last minute to inform them of the new venue for the wedding.  My assistant's road was closed due to fallen trees blocking his exit. It felt ominous before taking in the weather outside. Slight rain and winds but dark and, well; ominous.  That was the word that was in my head; ominous.

Today I received a phone call I had not previously in my DJ career.

We are experiencing a bit of panic here in New jersey & NYC due to concerns about the possibilities of Hurricane Irene approaching this weekend.  I am not overly concerned but many are, including the owners of the venue where this Bride was supposed to be getting married tomorrow. They cancelled the wedding much to the disappointment of The Bride, Groom and their guests. He is from The U.K. and his family has traveled a long way to make it to his wedding. This would be the second time in the last year I have been hired for a wedding that at the last minute family from another country were experiencing major conflicts with making it to the wedding here in The USA. Last time it was closed airports in France due to safety concers. Just like last time, The Bride called me frantically and we found a way to get them married and have a great time. This time her mother actually found a venue last minute that was not closing and was able to get a staff together in time for the wedding tomorrow morning!

Jerry Lieber Died on August 22nd. For those who are not aware of him, him and his writing partner Mike Stoller were the driving force in shaping Pop Music early in the Golden Age of Rock and Roll.

Here are some of the hits they wrote:

Somehow we have the image in our heads that every wedding must be about dancing.  It is as if the whole guest list of friends and family don't all dance, the wedding is a failure.

Enter Rock Music.

As the sun set over the Delaware River at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia, it was apparent this would be another beautiful wedding. The Bride and Groom both dressed clean and elegant - she in white and him in a black tux with tails. Standing at my DJ station on The Moshulu Restaurant & Bar moving my MacBook to gain vision of the screen from the reflection of the sun, I took a moment to enjoy the moment of both the couple getting married and the majestic environment The Moshulu creates.

Here is a video we worked on a while back for a project. It is a sample of one of my Wedding Party Introduction styles. More often than not, I am asked for a Introductions with not as much energy, which is fine with me. This was specificly for a client who wanted me to capture a very lively Introduction. We added the speaking parts to fill in the missing pieces that text can't produce with the same energy.

Q: Why do you use the Bose L1 Music System?

A:  So many reasons, too many to list really.  First and foremost, I love the sound! I just can't find anything that even comes close to the sound that this thing puts out. It is so clean, natural and authetic. It is no wonder so many professional musicians use it to preform live for the best sound.

In our current age of Internet and smart phones  it is very common to 'shop' without actually speaking with a real life human being. This has some advantages like convenience and effeciency but certainly we all have experienced the obstacles of Internet shopping.  Of course, purchasing clothes, electronics, books, and other goods can be acheived easily and often less expensively online.  Shopping for personal services like DJ Entertainers are not as succesful through the Internet.

If you do enough parties and weddings, it is inevitable that you will get to witness young kids taking over the dance floor. I get a kick out of watching all the adults circle around the young folks in a circle clapping and cheering. Sometimes they will just join the adults and teens on the dance floor like they are supposed to be there, and why not?

Let's take a look at kids on the dance floor with and without the adults and teens.

Many people think of dancing as an individual and personal experience. Others may view dancing as a romantic and/or sensual means of connecting with a special person or partner. Dancing may also be a fun way of creating and building community. I thought it would be interesting to express this idea through images of experiences I have participated as DJ. 

I have been asked several times recently by potential clients, "What kind of party light do you have?"

I giggle inside because I know if I share the names of the lights they will not know what I am talking about. Truthfully, I too do not keep up on all the different lights for DJs that are out there these days. The good news is we have many options as DJs today for what kind of lights we want to use to add some 'juice' to the right gigs. Not all events will party lights be a good fit.

Here are some of the lights I regularly bring to events that they are successful in adding another element to the party. I have others that are not included but here are images of the sone of the more popular ones:

It is very common for couples preparing for their wedding day to be nervous about The First Dance.  Not all of us have the potential to be dancers for Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, present company included. For those who are a bit more self-conscious than most folks, it can be down-right stressful, especially if you are not a dancer.

This afternoon a recently married Groom called me after returning from their honeymoon, which he was beaming about. He wanted to thank me for the great time they all had their wedding. The three of us became friends while planning and coordinating their wedding over the previous half year. We shared meals, laughs, stories and ideas while creatively making a great wedding for them. It worked thankfully!

Since we took a look at Bouquet Toss Songs, it seemed like a great idea to also inspect the Grater Toss Songs that can be used for Garter Removal as well. I know some folks are not wanting Garter Toss at their weddings these days but for those who do want to include it in your Wedding Traditions, here are some suggestions:

1)  Do your homework.

Check out their website first, it will fill int he blanks on whom and what you are cosniderig for your wedding or event. Do they feel like someone you would invite as a guest? Will they make your guests feel welcomed by their requests and suggestions?

Read their references on their site and reviews left on other sites like Yelp, Wedding Wire and Thumbtack, etc. Do they sound genuine or written by frinds anf family of the DJ? Do the speak to your concerns and wishes for your wedding or event? 

Ask for former client references and actually take the time to call or write them and ask the questions that matter to you most.  Did they listen and honor your needs and requests? Did they make your guests feel welcome to request songs and offer suggestions?  Was the music sensational? Was the DJ fun and interactive with your guests?

Which artists are you surprised are on the list and which did you think would be but aren't?

On Saturday night I was an actual guest at a wedding. One of my cousin's got married to his high school sweetheart and it was a great time to see family that I do not typically get to spend time with. They are a good couple and glad they are finally getting married.

It was also an opportunity to listen to how my family members would respond to the DJ without asking questions, a data collection mission of sorts. The comments were somewhat surprising but more importantly, they mirrored what I was experiencing as well unfortunately. I am not one of those people that likes to criticize my peers. Here are a list of lessons I learned, again, about the honor of being a DJ and MC at a wedding:

For reasons I have not completely figured out, when I first started my journey as a DJ I was booked on a regular basis by local police and firefighters for parties. Many of these parties were reunions and local chapters of P.A.L. and other fraternal organizations. These events were all good times and primarily the music was Oldies centered, which typically make fun parties.

Here are some Great Rock and Pop Songs followed by a list of the most popular bouquet toss songs nationally.

One of the biggest thrills as a DJ is seeing young folks get-up and do their thing on the dance floor. They do not worry about looking silly or 'acting like a teenager' because they are teenagers.  They dance as soon as the music is cranked up and allowed to to have fun. In fact, sometimes we have to stop playing dance music so they will sit down to eat or the caterers  and parents might get angry. 

Most folks when thinking about their wedding and its accompanying playlist, they think of partying, up-tempo songs. Every now and then a couple wants slow music as their preferred choice for their reception. It is not as uncommon as one would assume.

If you have been following my blogs, you know that I had been looking forward to The Wedding of Yomi & Mark. I have really grown to know and like them very much. I can't lie, I knew in advance this would be a fun wedding based on the music they choose and just spending time with them. The wedding was held at Stevens Institute in Hoboken, NJ right on the Hudson River with a fabulous view of Manhattan, NYC, NY.  The ceremony was outside near sunset with a scare by some swirlign winds making us belive we would have to move inside due to possible storms but we were fortunate it styed beautiuful and even lowered the temperature a few degrees.

I get asked often from Brides and grooms preparing for their Wedding, "What are the best songs to have in the background before the ceremony?"

I always get excited when hired to DJ and MC a wedding from a Bride and Groom of different cultures, which seems to be my specialty these days. The challenge and opportunity to blend styles of music and genres during such an important celebration is fun and inspiring. In advance, I am often a bit concerned that it will not work. What if the family from The Groom's culture will not appreciate the music from The Bride's culture? Or the reverse?  What if it is too much of a stretch for them to connect? Is it realistic for everybody to just be placed in the same room and find a way to have fun and enjoy the magic of the wedding?

Today I was avoiding getting some work done and had a moment of inspiration to make a fun mash-up of some songs by The Clash. I recently was DJ at a wedding that The Groom requested a Clash song, "Jimmy Jazz".  At this wedding my assitant who is a big Clash fan, smiled and spoke dreamily about seeing them back in 1981 at The Roseland Ballroom in NYC. This was the source of the inpsiration. I wanted to make some of my favorite songs by The Clash into a fun dance mix for a gig coming up soon at a venue where it will be perfect.

Last week I was meeting with a couple whose wedding I will DJ this later month. I like them as I do most folks I get to work with on their events. The Groom asked me with genuine curiosity, "How do you DJ so many weddings and not get bored? Aren't they all basically the same?"

It is not every day that a DJ gets to play Celtic, Reggae and Classic Rock at a wedding. In fact, I do not think I have ever had the opportunity before this weekend to blend these genres in one fun wedding. The wedding was a young couple form Florida at The Bethwood in Totowa, NJ. The Bethwood has an excellent staff and the food is delicious. As with all weddings, it was the people and the music that made the event special. 

There is a point in every event that the DJ gets his/her reward for a job well done. You can see it in the smiles and posture of the guests at the party. They can't help but let the great energy of celebration get the best of them. If no one is facing us, we see other forms of evidence if paying attention.  It is easy to be misguided by the packed dance floor. I have been at events when the dance floor is packed since people really want to dance even if they do not like the music. Dancers will dance!  It is the passion and excitement in how they dance that is a greater indicator of success.

It is not often but sometimes I have an open date approaching the weekend. It is even rarer when that date is a holiday three-day weekend like the Fourth of July. Stranger yet was that two separate clients wanted to hire me last minute for the same day but at different times. One needed a DJ for a First Communion celebration in the afternoon and the other a unique form of Wedding Party in the evening. We somehow found a way to schedule both of them and serve the families that requested our services last minute.

I wanted to loook at what are the songs that people today think are the best songs fro the 60's. I searched the Internet for a current poll and found one that seems like a good fit. Let me know what you think.

The first song that surprised me by its placement on the list is #11 "El Paso". I did not think that still today it had the same popularity as some of the others. I will be mindful of this the next gig I have that includes oldies. On the flip side, I thought  "Respect" would rank higher, since it is requested all the time. I also would have thought The Drifters "Save The Last Dance For Me" would be in the top 25. It never would have occurred to me, although one of my favorite songs of al time, that Jimi Hendrix version of "All Along The Watchtower" would even be on this list, forget about being #64. Glad I am wrong.

I knew early in the night this was going to be a fun wedding party when I was playing basic Classic Rock as requested by the couple and folks were rockin' at their tables eating salad. If Bryan Adams was having trouble keeping them in their seats, the rest of the night was goign to be a breeze. It was.

This week I have been preparing for a wedding this Saturday in Robbinsville, NJ.  ThE couple like many young couples have differing tastes in music. This is not a problem for a seasoned DJ whom is not stuck in the mind-set that they need to play one style to be effective, actually my experience demonstrates much to the contrary.

This particular couple have very contrasting music that they enjoy. He is a fan of Country and Rock Music while she gets fired-up with some Dance, POP and Hip Hop.  As you can see, they do not compliment each other very well.

So what does a DJ do to make both of them happy and their friends and family?  Glad you asked!

Last night I was watching and listening to a DJ at an event that I had not met before. Since I had performed at this event in the past, I knew what was expected and the direction he would be headed.  I even assumed there woud be some crossover from the selections he picked to match the ones I had previously. I was wrong. It was surprising to me that a two and a half hour event had no common songs.  There certainly are enough rock songs that the same event can take place for twenty years and not once have a repeat but since the theme of the event was so specific, I thought at least one would be played again.

Since I have been planning many weddings lately, I thought it would be a good idea to add a list of popular Wedding Party Songs. It is not inclusive of all the songs I have played but it gives people ann opportunity to look at what other couples found good songs to help inspire them to find their own.  AS a DJ, The Wedding Party Songs are often the most fun since they have become a real party-type vibe these days. It used to be a rather solemn experience but not any more! It is becoming more and more popular for all the guests at the reception to be on their feet, clapping, cheering and having a great time.

Last Friday Night I again was asked to provide music for The Hoboken International Film Festival. It was a good time with lots of good food, beverages, music, a premier movie and more celebrities than I can count.  There is something really fun about seeing Robert Loggia rockin' out to your jams while waiting for the film to begin, which he was in the cast - The Great Fight.  

As I am for most gigs, I am looking forward to another opportunity to provide music for The Hoboken International Film Festival for the second time in Teaneck, NJ tomorrow night 6/3/2011. I did it last year and it was fun. The event is the opening night ceremony and movie premiere.

Last Saturday night I had the opportunity to again DJ at Barefoot Boogie at Insight Meditation Center in NYC. Another DJ and myself were both celebrating our birthdays! I find DJing is one of my favorite ways to have fun and share my birthday celebration with others. This time was no different.

I knew it was going to be a great day when we had our first warm and sunny day in weeks.  It was your basic dream wedding weather in May. I was already excited about providing music and MC services for this fun and interesting couple, the sunshine was the finishing touch. 

I thought it would be fun to take a look at which albums are the highest selling ever in The USA. I was surprised to find out it was The Eagles Greatest Hits. I thought it was Michael Jackson Thriller

If you are a DJ like me, you look forward to the process of co-creating the music for each event.  It may look to the guests at the party or weddiong that the DJ just shows up and follows what the crowd is enjoying. In may cases this is true. In most where it is an single event like a wedding or retirement, we have had extensive contact and conversation with the event planner or host.  Together we mutually determine the basic playlist. 

This past Saturday I was able to provide music and entertainment for two First Communion Parties. Since they were both located in Central NJ, I knew there would be a large population of Italian-Americans present. I was correct and felt right at home. Being born into a bi-racial, bi-religious family I appreciate any chance I get to be to be in the company of either of these cultural groups. My Mom is Italian, born and raised in Newark, NJ. I too was born in Newark. I grew up eating predominantly Italian food although she was a very adventurous cook and incredibly talented in the kitchen. She taught me well and I often feel most comfortable throwing together some fresh vegetables and pasta in the kitchen.

As we move into the month of May, I am aware that this is the season for engagement parties. For anyone that has never been to an engagement party before they are great events. They have all the means for a lot of fun - toasts, romance, hope, friends and family, beautiful weather for outdoor events and of course great music. They have many of the same elements for a great time that come with a wedding without all the pressure and stress that many couples experience. They get to just show-up and enjoy the moment with everybody else.

Really. It turned out to be so much fun! What we did is played a game of bingo followed by a small dance break with music. We even had background music during the bingo games themselves.  Who knew you could dance at a bingo fundraiser? They did; further proof of their creativity and playfulness.

Ticket 2 Eternity Productions (formerly Playing with Meds) presents BINGO Night! 

So we're hosting a BINGO night! The real deal...balls and all:)

Wednesday, April 20 at 7pm to Midnight. 
Drop by anytime. Stay for awhile or a game or two!

Jimmy's No. 43 on the LES.
43 e 7th st btw 2nd and 3rd ave.

The other day I receiveed a fantastic quote request from my website that had me smiling from ear to ear and back again.

As a DJ who happens to be a writer, I get excited about posting and wrtiting blogs as well as DJing. It provides an opportunity for me to share my talent with others in a productive, practical manner. Typically I write flash fiction, essays, memoirs and novels. Writing for my blog and the blogs I post on Top Wedding Sites allow me to write for function as well as artistry.

This past Friday I received a package in the mail I was very excited to get, my new piece of DJ gear the Focusrite Saffire 6! It is a neat little box that allows me to connect my BOSE L1 with Bass from the USB output on MacBook now.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to provide music and MC services for Alex's Lemonade Festival, a fundraiser at Old Pine Community Center in Philadelphia.  For those who are not familiar with Alex's Lemonade Stand, this is from their website:

http://www.alexslemonade.org/

"Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) shares the vision of our founder and creator, Alexandra “Alex” Scott—a cure for all children with cancer.

At the end of every gig, a DJ gets the opportunity to observe how the guests and dancers have enjoyed the night. We look for the color in their skin, brightness in their cheeks and eyes and the 'vibe' of thorough enjoyment.  We can see in your whole being when we have done our job successfully. Lately I have been fortunate enough to witness this on a regular basis. I do not know what I am doing different but it seems something is happening to facilitate such contentment and joy on so many faces. It is such a treat for me to be able to do my part to hlep make great events even greater.

On Saturday night I was again DJ at the Barefoot Boogie in NYC.  It is a freestyle dance event that is fun, creative and an environment for suppopprtive community building. We have a great time. This past event was even more so than usual. I left feeling as if I had somehow taken the gift of DJ to a new level. While I was packing up gear, several of the dancers appraoched me with phrases like "Heaven, just Heaven Michael", "That was such an amazing set Michael!", "Can you come to my house and do this every night so I can go to sleep with a smile on my face like tonight?" and "Thank you. I want to say more but really thank you is the only thing that is appropriate.".

We had a good night and the beaming faces full of life and vitality were the evidence I needed as we turned out the lights and filed into the 10th floor elevator out of Insight Meditation Center. Another great gig for me to participate as DJ.

www.barefootboogie.org

As the snow has melted away here in New Jersey and the days are getting longer and warmer, DJs take steps to prepare ourselves for the beginning of the event season. Winter is fading and Spring is waiting around the corner. For me the season begins this Saturday night with my first wedding of the year. I am excited because it means I will be doing my thing each weekend now and the opportunity to share my gifts with others and watch them have fun and enjoy the jams.

This wedding in particular should be fun for several reasons. The first is they are all Vietnamese and after spending one and a half years in Asia, I embrace the opportunity to be with them and share good times and special celebration.

On Friday night I had another gig at Buskers in Hoboken. I like being there since the crowd is fun and friendly.  As a DJ, the part that I like best is the diversity of requests and the opportunity to play music from all over the musical spectrum.

When does a DJ get to play Hall & Oats, The White Stripes, The Cure, Madonna, Britney Spears, Chumawumba, Kanye West, Cee Lo Green, Black Eyed Peas, Frank Sinatra and of course Rihanna?

I appreciate diversity of music, people, foods and lifestyles. This is one of the benefits of being  New York and New Jersey DJ. We get to play all kinds of music if we are...

Spring is finally in the air. A long semester of class, libraries and studying are completed. Time to get ready to say goodbye to close friends and roommates. Plans for summer or the plan of not having a plan for summer are ready to be hatched. A visit home to see the family is days away. What time is it? Time for your Spring Formal on campus!

Spring Formals are a lot of fun for a DJ. We get the opportunity to participate in students letting loose at the end of a semester wearing their best and acting like the emerging adults they are.  College students are...

It did not occur to me all those years as a teen counselor, social worker and educator that I would get back into the DJ business and have the opportunity to use the skills I learned in another environment. True, I did DJ all the middle school dances at the middle school I worked at earlier this decade. You would think I would have made the connection, since I had been a full-time DJ all the years precious to being a youth worker. I imagine if it was anybody but me I too would have seen the writing on the wall but I didn’t.  The good news is that I still gain the benefits without the obvious path recognized in advance.

The night is coming to a close. Everybody had a great time. There are many people fighting to stay on the dance floor knowing they may be grooving to their last song of the night.  The DJ wants to make sure that everybody leaves with the right feeling to carry withy them. The Closing Song. It is often the way a DJ leaves their mark on the night.

When I first started out as a rock DJ, my closing song was by David Essex; Rock On.  After a few years of radio, my closing song changed with it. My song to cap the night became John Lennon: Watching The Wheels as a tribute to my hero at the time. This was followed by...

It baffles me how many DJs will not play slow songs at private events when the genre of choice is Rock. This is even true for some DJs at weddings!  I understand how as a DJ you work with the constant tension of not wanting to lose the people on the dance floor. Playing slow songs may facilitate an empty dance floor, a DJ’s worst nightmare.  Time and experience teaches a DJ that if the music is right, people will dance. Knowing what the crowd needs to motivate them onto the dance floor in my opinion is the skill that separates a good DJ from the rest of the DJs. I know it is sexier to scratch and make beats but they are not what inspire people to dance till they need to drink a pitcher of water or beer, it...

When I first started out in the DJ business many years ago it was unheard of for a DJ to not honor requests.  Recently, this has changed. For some reason, DJs seem to think they are above respecting the musical choices and desires of others. This even includes those who hire them. I do not understand this.

It is s simple rule of business that you respect those who pay you. If someone hires me for the night, I want him or her to feel good about their decision, not just for future business, although that should be reason enough, because they are helping me pay my bills. When did DJs become such primodonnas?  If you look...

It is important to first determine where to start. If you are in a club, it is a little clearer since you will be playing music of a similar beat-per-minute and style throughout most of the night. If it is a house party, similar to a club but you need to take into account the fact that people may need to get comfortable, relaxed and in some cases, drunk before you can crank things up to full speed.

Weddings are different. At a wedding there are traditions and generations to consider. This is even truer for an afternoon wedding. People may not be ready to party yet so the DJ needs to allow...

I first started with this thing called being a DJ because I loved music. It was that clear and simple.  I grew to enjoy the attention and focus of clubs, parties and events as a bonus along with what was real good money then for being one of the three mobile DJs in New Jersey.  Over the years this has changed- I still love music, maybe even more so, I still like attention but definitely less so, the money is not what it used to be but not bad. These things have stayed constant to varying degrees but the aspect of being a DJ the most happens at least once during every gig, it is what makes this work worth it for me.

One of the fun things a DJ gets the opportunity to play with is finding away to meet the needs of people from often three different generations all at the same time. Recently, I had observed a DJ deal with this exact situation and was startled by his lack of sensitivity to the guest at this wedding. It was disappointing to witness. He was approached by an older gentleman who was expressing his frustration with the DJ not playing any older or slow music for him and his friends/family to dance. The DJ promptly told him that the Bride asked for new and fast music and that was it. No; "I'll get to it soon" or "As soon as the dance floor clears" or even, "I am sorry Sir". The man walked away grumbling about how he was treated. I did...

One of the beautiful aspects of a DJ at an anniversary party is that you have the opportunity to chronicle lifetimes and moments of a relationship through music. It is an event that is really shared by the family. It speaks to their periods of joy and grace and the periods of hardship and struggles. All of which are the testaments of a marriage that has lasted time and the pressures of the outside world.

When I first started DJing anniversaries, they were not a big deal- at the time Americans stayed married through thick and thin. Time shave changes and now anniversaries hold a higher value in this climate of divorce and separation. I am not judging just speaking to a change...

It is fun sometimes to take the time to learn music from different styles and genres that are not part of our normal library. It opens new doors into what people enjoy and along the way we find new stuff that gets us pumped up about music and being a DJ. I have been experimenting with Trip Hop, Ambient and Acid Jazz lately. I did not grow-up with these styles of music an they are not as incorporated into many of the mobile DJ events so I needed to dig on my own to learn about them and be able to expand my repertoire to include music from these groups and artists as well.  For anybody who is feeling stale about the music they are listening to these days, I encourage you to step outside your world and explore a new genre of music, one that is far from what you...

I remember when we first heard Sugar Hill Gang. It was Rapper's Delight on Sugar hill Records. It was a relatively new sound that was produced on their own label. I do not know if they knew it at the time but the choice to lay down tracks on their own label was the beginning of what has shaped the music industry since.  I am certain they did not know they would fuel a musical genre that no one outside of Brooklyn and The Bronx thought would last more than a few years, forget about owning the business for the next 30+ years!

This was their first single and it was the first hip hop single to reach the Billboard Top 40 and they were the first hip hop performers on American bandstand, many folks believe RUN-DMC were first but it was actually Sugar Hill Gang. They were sued for sampling...

There was Joe Jackson song in the early 80's named A Slow Song with one of my favorite chorus:

"But I'm brutalized by bass and terrorized by treble... And i get tired of DJs! Why's it always what he plays?"

I happened to be at a club in NYC Friday night and one of the DJs seemed set on playing house music even though no one besides his few friends were into it but it is what he plays so he kept playing it. This is one of my biggest gripes with...

There is a specific moment in all gigs when the DJ needs to let loose all of the songs they know will work in peaking the folks on the dance floor to their maximum enjoyment for the night. It is not always clear in advance when that will be but a DJ can often know which songs that will be the catalyst early in the gig. They are the songs that people have requested in multiple numbers and all seem to fit with each other and are popular enough to appeal to the larger group beyond those on the dance floor at the moment. That is the moment when the DJ "Unleashes The Hounds" till everybody goes wild with enthusiasm and joy.

One would assume that these songs will be the same night in and night out but not always the case. It varies depending on the crowd, culture, age, gender...

It does not happen often, but every now and then I have to really dig into my experience as a DJ to figure out how to make things work at an event.  Most recently, it was due to some cultural differences that I did not take into account and fortunately was helped by some of the guests to understand and find an effective solution.

Even though I have lived and traveled through a large section of Eastern and Central Asia, I still view how an event is supposed to go in the USA from an American perspective. This is not necessarily a bad thing but can be a blind-spot when not taking into account cultural differences. If I was in South Korea or Uzbekistan, I would not think twice about ASSUMING the way we do it here is the way it is done there. But being here in the USA, my...

One of the gifts of being a DJ that works with a MacBook is the ability to obtain music quickly and efficiently when needed for a gig. Recently I had a situation where I needed music for a high school graduation party that the family who booked the gig are from another country. No problem. They requested music from their country, which I had a small library of but not really enough to produce an excellent night of music for them.

Years ago when DJing an event like this, the DJ would have had to either spend lots of money buying individual or collections of music to meet the needs of the host, play the wrong music or not take the gig. Today it is different. We can obtain music we need to meet specific needs of the event directly from the Internet; all we need is an internet connection and...

Simple: DJs are alive and follow the energy and mood of the crowd- playlists do not know what is happening and cannot adapt. If you want your event to have life and excitement; hire a DJ. If you are just looking for background/ambient music, maybe a playlist is fine.

Determine what you want your event to be like, of course we have no control of circumstances like rain at an outdoor event or airport closings for guests flying in, but we can still know what we would like to happen at our event. If you want people to be dancing and moving around, a DJ may be the way to go. This is especially true if the guest list has diversity of age, background, geography, gender, education, economy or culture. Diversity makes predictability...

Probably the most fun activity for a DJ is working the room to keep a full and Rockin' dance floor. It is one thing to just keeping the dance floor full, it is another thing to keep them rockin'! There will always be people who will dance regardless of the quality of the DJ or the music. So, using the dance floor's capacity is not always a true barometer of DJ success. When everyone on the floor is having fun, real big fun; that is something to pay attention to.  How does a new DJ learn how to do this?

Start with paying attention to the folks on the dance floor AND the one's who are not on the floor. They matter too. Some people are not really dancers. They may be having a great time and loving the tunes but not comfortable being up in front of others.  Watch and...

I have not been a fan of a steady diet of remix after remix of old samples added to new beats. It somehow seems like a way to take someone's work and pull it apart. Think if we did the same thing with a painting or a novel? But music is somewhat different. Music is more malleable than most artistic forms. Artists have been doing their versions of artists songs for as long as there has been music. So, it is not a great leap to take their recorded music and reshape it to your needs. I need to clarify that I think it makes total sense for the artist or producer to remix at their leisure. it is their creative piece to begin with, but when we do so, it is without their voice being heard in the creative process. This seems different to me. 

What I did find interesting...

It is your wedding day and you have been getting ready for this day since you first met each other. Everything is perfect; flowers, ceremony, photographer, table-setting, dress, tux, family arrived safe, just the way you planned it! It is time to enter the reception hall for the first time as husband and wife with all your friends and family waiting excitedly. You enter the room to cheers and glasses tapping and you see some guy standing behind the DJ equipment wearing a t-shirt and jeans that you have never met before pronouncing your name incorrectly. Who is this guy and what is he doing at our wedding? Where is the DJ we booked?

Funny scene right? Well, this happens more than you think. It has become a sad but somewhat common practice for DJ companies to sell you on one DJ and have another show up. The DJ that you...

Experience. Experience is the most important aspect of choosing a quality wedding DJ for your wedding. A wedding DJ needs to have experience with DJing many kinds of events, and most importantly; weddings. Weddings have a certain rhythm and flow to them that can be overwhelming when you are new at providing DJ services for weddings.

Let's face it, the intention is to do this only once and it has to be something that you and your guests walk away feeling like having experienced a slice of heaven for a day.  One of the least thought about but often key decisions is choosing a wedding DJ. Your music and MC go along way towards making this a memorable and fun event for all....

There was a young man named Chris recording some of his most recent piano compositions in our studio this morning. I was and still am blown away by his force and grace at the keyboard. He reminded me in some ways of George Winston in his ability to transition from and to forceful, very intense to soft, gentle caresses of the keys.

One of the great things that music can offer us is a means to break and go beyond borders and limitations that are created individually or socially.  I think about when I was a kid. My family was not the most culturally aware or respectful but when it came to music, there were no barriers or prejudices. At night my parents could be listening to Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, Beethoven, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Fiddler on the Roof, Rossini's William Tell Overture...

One of my favorite event forms to DJ has always been class reunions. I enjoy the opportunity to provide some music to facilitate memories for people that have shared some part of their past together.

I started doing reunions back in the early 80's by accident really.  There was a group of Policemen in Morris County who were all big motorcyclists. They belonged to an organization named The Blue Angels. They hired me once to do an oldies (50's & 60's) gig, and from there I ended up doing many class reunions because I got a reputation as a good oldies DJ. This was funny to me since I was not born during a large chunk of the music I played and was a little boy during the rest. In took time for me to build a solid collection of this music on vinyl (all there was back then) and more importantly...

I was DJing an event at Barefoot Boogie in NYC after the special dance and movement class lead but Heidi McClure. Everybody appreciated Heidi's class and was completely ready when I cranked up the volume with Stevie Wonder to get things rockin'. It was a matter of minutes before everybody was totally into the music and shouting and singing while shaking and moving on the dance floor. This is what I live for as a DJ. It is when I know the time spent preparing and making sure I have the right music for the occasion was worth it without question.

In fact, on this night everybody was having so much fun with the old R&B, Soul and dance music that I was not able to shift the music to some of the more creative and interesting music I had selected that I only get...

I had the opportunity this morning to give some basic DJ training to a young man who is filling in for someone tomorrow night at a family function as DJ for the first time. It was fun to share with him the simple yet often failed process of blending styles and tempo together seamlessly. He seemed to 'get it' fairly easily, it is not rocket science.

Learning the art of transitioning musical styles and tempos is one of the most important skills a good DJ has. They have to be able to make Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Miley Cyrus, Michael Buble, The Police, Beyonce, Bon Jovi, RUN DMC, U2, Cotton-Eyed Joe and Frank Sinatra all fit together without taking the energy of one from the other. They have to actually fit together, not just be part of the same night.

The equally important art is that of shifting tempos from fast to...

When playing music for a group as a DJ, dinner music can be either one of the easiest or most challenging aspects of a gig. How can dinner music be challenging you ask? Good question.

There are the 'guest wars' over volume and musical styles. Uncle Joe wants "Some nice old Italian music, you know, Jerry Vale and Sinatra" and the Groom is concerned that "My Polish family will go crazy without any Polkas at a wedding" then the Bride, who booked the event to begin with wants "Slow, Soulful music" and the original playlist you discussed called for Western Classical music during dinner with some Smooth Jazz. You can see how this can be confusing. So what does a DJ do to satisfy all these contrasting tastes and requests?

Play them all!  Since the dinner potion of an event, especially a wedding, will last about an hour; this is when you...

All experienced DJs have a best friend they bring with them to every gig. No, I am not talking about their buddy who helps lug in the gear and keeps an eye on things during a quick trip to the bathroom. I am speaking of the songs or artists that you know you can bring out when things need a boost to kick into high gear. It is kind-of like cheating with a stacked deck.

In different times and places, the songs and artists vary. For example; if you are the DJ at a Sweet Sixteen, your best friend as a DJ for that gig will typically be whatever the top dance songs are on the Billboard charts that week. This could be Akon, Myley Cyrus or Carrie Underwood or who knows who will top the charts next week.  If you are the DJ at a high school reunion for the...

On Saturday night I was in Tilson, NY at an event called Freestyle Frolic http://freestylefrolic.org/. It is a bi-weekly event where it is free of smoking, drinking and drugs sponsored by Dance New England. I have been to, danced and DJed at their partner events in NYC that are called Barefoot Boogie www.barefootboogie.org but this was the first time I participated in their outdoor, freestyle event in the New Paltz area.

It was fun dancing and observing the different DJs throughout the night. I took particular attention to when and how they changed the flow and energy of the music to meet the needs of those dancing.  Since there was a big picnic first, the beginning DJ needed to slowly engage folks into dancing and getting them moving in a way that supported being outside, barefoot and taking in the beauty and tranquility of the environment. He did so with gentle...

Over the years I have had the opportunity to DJ at some outdoor events. They are fun and simple. They have the benefit of typically being laid back parties with plenty of good food and atmosphere.  It is also different for us as DJs to be at events that people are dressed so casually, as opposed to a wedding or corporate event where we are all dressed more formally.

Outdoor parties give us chance to spread our wings a bit more than usual since they are typically longer and less structured than indoor events. Besides, when do you get to smell freshly cooked BBQ at an indoor event?  If you are the DJ at the right event, the PA system is cranked up pretty loud and fills a backyard or park area with great music.  Nothing like corn on the cob with Marvin Gaye or The Beatles!

Choosing which music to play...

Yesterday I was reading an article in Skratchworx, a DJ magazine, titled "DJ? Who says so?" by Gizmo.

http://www.skratchworx.com/news3/comments.php?id=1493

It was an interesting to read the writer and the comments by the readers on the subject of what makes a DJ, a DJ versus just being someone playing songs. It is a topic I have reflected on many times. In some circles among the DJ community, a 'DJ' is only someone who works with turntables and scratches. In other segments of the community, a DJ is only a DJ if they know how to use the mic...

When at a gig, almost without exception, someone comes up and asks which DJ software package I use. When I tell them djay, they look surprised, especially after I tell them it is only $49 for the whole package. I think they imagine making everything work as seamless and precise as it is, I would need to buy some fancy expensive software that has all kinds of bells and whistles.  I do not think they take into account that I have been doing this for 30 years and do not need to cheat to make it sound the way it does.

There are many features about djay that I like. the first and most important is its ease of use with my MacBook and iTunes. It lets you access your entire iTunes library directly form djay, no extra downloads and exporting/importing needed. Just open djay and start spinning your music. You...

One of the things that is a constant in the DJ and music business is the notion of 'good music'.  When I am working with a new client to book their event, it is very common when asking them what kind of music do you want at your wedding or whatever the event is to get an answer similar to this, "Please play only good music!".

First note is that I would not on person play 'bad music'!

Second and more important is that the term 'good music' typically translates as; 'music that I like'. Of course, there is no such thing as good or...

Sweat, sweat is the easiest clue to knowing that what you are doing as a DJ is working. When the guests at an event have sweat dripping down their faces you know you are doing your job. Saturday night was one of those nights for me. Guest after guest approached about the music or requests or just to take a break and they had sweat all over the faces and clothes. It doesn't look good but it sure lets me as a DJ feel good about we are doing.

Other signs are when the person(s) who coordinated and booked the event don't come and talk to you much, meaning they are enjoying the event and there is nothing wrong.  They smile at you when they walk by and ask you if you had enough to to eat and drink.

It was fun for me to see everybody up playing and dancing on...

One of the things that has been a quirk of mine is the need for good clean sound when providing music at an event. I grew up with a Dad who was a bit of an audiophile and this was passed on to me. I have always had at least decent, if not more than decent audio equipment at home.

As a DJ, in some ways it is even more important to have high-end equipment that you can count on. For me, this is why I feel so comfortable using the Bose L1 System. I know what I am dealing with. Bose like Apple make good stuff. Working in a recording studio, we see a lot of equipment and get to know what holds up and is supported and what isn't, Bose and Apple are two brands that we know what we are getting, know they work and are designed well....

One of my favorite parts of being a DJ is getting ready for a gig.  Since most gigs have very specific needs, we want to always make certain we have our music ready before we get there. Sometimes this is just a quick look-over to make sure we have in our heads what music will work, knowing that we want to follow the energy of the crowd to really make an event successful. Others, we have to put in several hours to create a playlist or at least a tentative list.

One gig recently, the Hoboken International Film Festival required a bit more preparation than I am accustomed. For this particular event, I needed to create a playlist for the acceptance of awards at the Awards Gala. These songs were needing to be for when the winners would walk up to receive their awards and then return to their seats after...

This week I had the misfortune of doing business with a less than reputable DJ Agency in Illinois. I will not at this time add their name till I am certain the deal has gone sour.  This national DJ service recruits other DJs to work specific events for him and sends them an e-contract to sign.  The e-conctract is returned to him automatically. 
As a subcontractor, I feel ultra-responsible for producing an excellent event. This is due to the fact that I am now representing me and HIS agency when I DJ this event.

It turns out after some research, that this particular agency does not pay their DJs but they do accept full payment in advance from the client. Meaning, they get paid $400 and the DJ gets nothing without the client knowing, or the DJ, that the DJ is about to work for free while producing an event.

This is...

It was an interesting experience getting the opportunity to work with all the producers, directors and talent at the festival. I met some great folks and played some rockin' tunes. It was such a treat to see Robert Loggia win the Lifetime Achievement Award. He is such a great actor! One of my favorite pieces of his work was in the movie Wide Awake where he played Grandpa Beal, an M. Night Shyamalan film. Of course, how can we forget his performance in Big with Tom Hanks!

My favorite part of the Festival was definitely the Awards Gala. Getting to do the sound and music for each award was tricky and kept me on my toes throughout the whole night. I have a new respect for awards shows now. Deidre Lorenz received the audience appreciation Award for Santorini Blue. Check it out when it goes international! She is an amazing talent.

I can't...