Tag Archives: DJ

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys Empire State of Mind

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Growing up in Jersey hearing Sinatra’s New York, New York with my parents who were big fans of Frank Sinatra, I had always this special appreciation for that song and his tribute to NYC, or “The City” as we call it here. No NYC, just “The City”.  As I got older, there was Billy Joel’s New York State of Mind. A softer more delicate recognition from a man on Long Island. I moved away form this part of the country in 1995 and whenever I visited the family would make a trip into The City because I missed it. Now, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys Empire State of Mind.

 

Coming back to this part of the world and country this year has reacquainted me with The City and all its beauty and passion. I am glad to be back here and when I heard Jay-Z and Alicia Keys Empire State of Mind upon my return, I felt like they were singing this one to me and for me. I almost tear-up every time I hear this song, not sure why but I do.  The lyrics of Jay-Z and the force and sheer beauty of Alicia Keys’ voice resonate with me in a way few songs do. The fact that it is great to dance to and fits in with most crowds the way New York, New York has is a professional DJ’s little treasure. Seeing the video just further reminds me of what I love about The City.

 

When I was providing professional DJ services recently for a wedding between a man from Scotland and a woman form South Korea, they both requested I ended the night with Jay-Z and Alicia Keys Empire State of Mind as a tribute to their new home for their families who traveled from far away. My sense is that this song will live on long from now the way Sinatra and his legacy has as well.

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys Empire State of Mind:

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Fergie Clumsy

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Fergie of Black Eyed Peas fame makes one of her own here in Fergie Clumsy. She samples one of the great lines in American Movie and music, “Girl Can’t Help It” from a 1956 comedy/musical film, starring Jayne Mansfield, Tom Ewell, and Edmond O’Brien. The song was by rocker Little Richard. The video does a nice job of referencing the time period of Mansfield and the ‘Blonde Bombshells’; Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield and Mae West to name a few.

Girl Can’t Help It movie’s influence on rock music is significant. The Girl Can’t Help It film and its music reached Liverpool, England in the early summer of 1957. The featured cameo performances of early rock ‘n’ roll stars such as Little Richard, Eddie Cochran, and Gene Vincent and His Bluecaps, fascinated a 16-year-old named John Lennon by showing him, for the first time, his “worshipped” American rock ‘n’ roll stars as living humans and thus further inspiring him to pursue his own rock and roll dream.  On July 6, 1957, 15-year-old Paul McCartney’s successful audition to join John Lennon’s earliest rock group The Quarrymen opened with Paul picking up one of the groups’ guitars and performing “Twenty Flight Rock” in the same manner as he saw it played by Eddie Cochran in The Girl Can’t Help It.

Below is the original trailer for the movie Girl Can’t Help It that Fergie Clumsy got its inspiration.

And this little clip that is what being a “blonde bombshell” is all about:

Fergie Clumsy is a great song for a professional DJ to segue from a slower music to a faster tune to get a crowd ready for more energy and dancing.

 

Fergie Clumsy:

 

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

 

Bride to Wedding DJ, “We Aren’t Dancing People” (DJ Smiles)

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Every now and then a Bride or Groom says to their Wedding DJ genuinely, “Michael, we are not dancing people and neither are our friends or family.” I smile and keep my mouth shut. I know better than to tell a Bride or Groom what they think will happen or not happen at their Wedding. Fear is a strong force and can convince of all kinds of things, one of them being that there are ‘dancing people’ and ‘not dancing people’. I do understand what they mean when they say this; “We don’t dance much and neither does our friends or family”. This makes sense to me and I did once actually DJ a Wedding that few people danced at. They had lots of fun and asked for many requests, they just don’t like to dance and enjoyed their music as part of the fun they had. I won’t lie, even though the music they chose in advance was not made for dancing, my ego could not believe I was not able to shift the energy, although a lot of Indie Rock and Alternative songs are not very danceable.

Bride and Friends on Dance Floor at Wedding with DJ Mystical Michael - Rhode Island Wedding DJ

I pride myself on being able to adapt to the crowd at any event. Weddings are special because of the importance and diversity of the group. You may have people from four generations, regions of the country/world, races, cultures and that is before we get into styles of music! An exceptional professional  Wedding DJ is ready for anybody ad everybody that approaches the DJ station for a request. This is not 1985 when we had excuses for not having the correct music for each event. An exceptional professional DJ is prepared in advance and has a musical library that reaches across age, language, culture and genre seamlessly without making the guests feel like there is something wrong with them for asking for their favorite songs.

Friends and Family Fun on Wedding Dance Floor with DJ Mystical Michael

On Saturday Night, they danced, a lot. I just received an email form The Bride thanking me for such a great job and for knowing exactly what songs to play when. I smiled broadly. This is the goal for me as a professional Wedding and Party DJ; make sure that Brides, Grooms and Party Planners have such a good time they complain that their legs hurt from dancing so much (Bride from two weeks ago). She swore to me in advance that the Groom would not dance and hates to dance. Not only did he dance, a lot, he asked me to play songs, “So I can dance with my new wife”.

Party on Wedding Dance Floor with DJ Mystical Michael

I feel fortunate that I get to perform such a wonderful service for great people and have fun doing it. There is a lot of work I do way before I get tot he Wedding or Party. That is where I am focused and diligent so there are no mistakes during your Wedding or Party. Being a professional Wedding and Event DJ means you are prepared enough that no matter what happens,nobody will no know anything changed or shifted but myself.

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ