Tag Archives: The Manor

Jerry Lieber – His Hits And Legacy: The DJ Remembers

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Jerry Lieber Died on August 22nd. For those who are not aware of his accomplishments; 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:

  • “There Goes My Baby” (with Ben E. King (as Benjamin Nelson), Lover Patterson, and George Treadwell)
  • “Hound Dog”
  • “Kansas City”
  • “Smokey Joe’s Cafe”
  • “Yakety Yak”
  • “Poison Ivy”
  • “Charlie Brown”
  • “Ruby Baby”
  • “Stand By Me” (with Ben E. King)
  • “Jailhouse Rock”
  • “Love Potion No. 9”
  • “Searchin'”
  • “Young Blood” (with Doc Pomus)
  • “Is That All There Is?”
  • “I’m A Woman”
  • “Lucky Lips”
  • “On Broadway” (with Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil)
  • “Spanish Harlem” (Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector)

A virtual history of Rock and Roll. Lieber and Stoller are to early R&R as Holland-Dozier-Holland were to MoTown and the future of R&B and Soul. Both are staples of the professional DJ.

 

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

 

 

A Rock Wedding Works For This DJ

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Somehow we have this 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.

 

 

It is refreshing sometimes to play music at a wedding that is made for listening and not dancing. I love to dance and even enjoy creating sets that inspire others to dance more than dancing itself sometimes. Some weddings are about friends and family having a good time; eating, drinking, sharing laughter and stories and just enjoying being together to celebrate an essential moment in the lives of two people they care about greatly.

 

As a professional DJ, I prepare for each wedding assuming dancing will be a significant aspect of the reception. The choices of music I play often represent this mindset. I notice those who are present at a wedding of Rockers that don’t enjoy dancing begin to get uncomfortable when folks aren’t dancing, as if they are doing something wrong – failing Wedding 101 if you will.  They approach me with with panic in their eyes and ask me, “How are we are going to get everybody up on the dance floor?”

 

“Why do they need to dance? Can’t they just have fun with great music and not dance?”

 

“Humm. I never really thought about it. Why not?”

 

 

This past weekend I had the opportunity to provide professional DJ music for three weddings in four days. Each couple and reception were completely different. It even feels funny to call them all weddings since they have little in common except a Bride and Groom were married and friends and family gathered to celebrate their marriage with them. One of them was a marriage of a young couple who do not enjoy dancing or dance music, in fact most of their friends feel the same way. It took some adapting on my part to let go of the expectation that I needed to facilitate dancing at their wedding.  Of course, some couples will dance to slow songs no matter what a Wedding DJ does and this wedding was no exception. Outside of those few couples, people had a great time with the music they wanted to hear and just enjoying being together to participate in the event they shared with the newlyweds.

 

 

After the wedding, I walked over to the mother of The Bride and apologized that no one danced. She laughed and put her arm on my shoulder gently with a huge smile, “Michael, you are the only person that thought any of us would dance. We didn’t hire you for us to dance. We wanted you here to play great music so we could all have fun! And we definitely did. It was a fun wedding and everybody loved it! Thanks so much, you did a great job! You were exactly what we hoped for.”

 

Shows you how much the professional Wedding DJ knows…

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Wedding DJ on The Moshulu

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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 professional Wedding 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.

 

 

A professional Wedding DJ feels nice to produce music for a small wedding every now and then. I appreciate the intimacy and opportunity to get to know the guests on a deeper level. they casually interact with the Wedding DJ without feeling like he is not available to them, which we are, or at least should be. Four young boys between the ages of six and ten gathered around and excitedly asked questions and made the Wedding DJ station their ‘home’ for the reception.  These boys like many kids at weddings wanted to know how the professional Wedding DJ mixes songs, what I would play next and when I would play their requests. They hung around till the end of the reception while I kept letting them listen to my headphones, cue songs and explore my djay software much to their delight.

 

 

It always feels good when The Bride and Groom come up after the reception and say, “This was exactly what we had in our heads! Everybody had fun and enjoyed the music. Thank you!”.

 

Your welcome.

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

DJ Mystical Michael Video

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Here is a video we worked on a while back for a project. It is a sample of one of my Wedding Party Introduction MC 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 Bridal Introduction. We added the speaking parts to fill in the missing pieces that text can’t produce with the same energy.

 

What do you think of the vest? First time I wore one since the 70’s!

 

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Requesting A Professional DJ Price Quote

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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 professional DJ Entertainers are not as succesful through the Internet.

 

 

Professional DJs and Entertainers, like all performers, require more information than is often accessible through electronic communication to provide you with an accurate quote – not all events as the same or need the same services or equipment. A larger issue is that price-shopping for performers often is a case of comparing apples and oranges, or even ripe apples instead of spoiled or not-fully-ripened yet apples. In short, A professional DJ is not just a DJ any more than a professional singer is a singer or a professional actor is an actor.  Would you hire a musician for your wedding without ever speaking to them or having any human interaction first? Is price-shopping the most effective means for determining a tutor for your children or a social worker for a friend in crisis?

 

Of course not.

 

 

Hiring a professional Wedding DJ involves getting to know them before you get involved with price and packages. Some questions need to be answered first.

Would you want them to be at your wedding?

Are they the kind of person you would feel comfortable interacting with your friends and family?

Will they listen to you and make sure your needs will be met?  Do they care?

Are they attentive to discerning the styles of music you want at your event?

Are they willing to meet with you before signing the contract?  Will they be fun?

 

 

I am fortunate that I do not have the amount of overhead many professional Wedding DJ services require to be successful. This means I can offer you a fair price and still provide you with excellent professional DJ service and performance.  I am not a bottom-feeder and do not support those that are. They hurt the industry and the professionals that have put in the time and effort to provide outstanding service and great events. Before the Internet became a primary shopping tool, we hired local professionals and were able to find out from friends and neighbors who the professionals in each business that offered fair prices, excellent service, attention to detail and high quality customer service. I am not knocking the Internet. I book most of my gigs through customers that find me online sources like Google Searches, Yelp, Wedding Wire, Facebook, etc. Unfortunately, there have been some potential customers that have not a chance to interact with me directly and hired their DJ based solely on price. I know they probably did not get as good a value as they would have by working with me. This is not arrogance, I just know what I am capable of and trust my skills, training, experience, maturity and common sense. This why I offer a professional DJ guarantee.

 

 

In the end, we all want to get excellent value for our dollar and know we will receive at least equally as high quality service.  If I can help you find that, please let me know.

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Professional DJs Know Kids Like To Move Too!

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If you do enough parties and weddings as a professional DJ , 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.

 

 

Wouldn’t It be great if we could all have this much fun on the dance floor solo?

 

 

Isn’t she absolutely adorable?

 

 

Out amongst the ladies doping his thing.

 

 

Giving The Bridesmaid a run for her money.

 

 

The bandana is great!

 

 

A fine young gentleman indeed.

 

 

OK, not really a ‘kid’ but I couldn’t help it:)

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

The First Dance: Wedding DJ

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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.

 

I met with a nice young couple last week to help prepare their wedding DJ music and coordination.  It turns out they are both Rockers who do not dance, nor enjoy it. They shared that they are trying to cram a last minute dance class before their September wedding. As someone who dances a lot but is not ‘skilled’ or ‘art in motion’, I smiled at their ambition. One or two classes may not get them much improvement, but it might offer them some confidence, which may be more essential.

It has been my experience there are only a few couples of their First Dance that leave a lasting impression beyond the moment itself. The joy and celebration of the dance sticks with most of us. Here are a few examples of First Dances.

 

 

1) The REAL dancers! The couples that either one or both are trained dancers with plenty of experience whether it be in the studio or the club. They will be remembered for their dancing as well as the experience. I think they are an overwhelming minority of Weddings I have been professional DJ.

 

 

2) The Goofballs! Every now and then I get the opportunity to provide music for a couple who can’t dance and are just out on the dance floor having a blast playing around and being goofy. This takes a large chunk of courage but is a fun experience for everyone and seems to speak loudest of the love and trust they have in each other. I am starting to see this couple as a Wedding DJ more and more and enjoy being present for the expression of creativity and playfulness.

 

 

3) The Awful dancers who are OK with it. We can all see that this is not what they do best and appreciate their willingness to give a genuine attempt, knowing in advance they will not succeed and are embracing it fully.  I sense that most of us hold this couple dearest to our hearts. Who can’t feel inspired by a couple who are willing to put themselves out there fully without any track record to fall back on? The nervous steps and Wedding Dress caught under the feet while she blushes and giggles is a moment we capture in our mental image long after the wedding or dance. It is a statement about love and faith in each other, themselves and their friends and family.

 

 

Hint #1: If you do not qualify for #1, people are less interested in your skills as dancers and just enjoying being with you during the dance. We are celebrating the moment with you and rarely notice how well you do or do not dance with the exception of the couples who actually choreograph their First Dance with skill and precision, who are the vast minority.

 

Hint #2: Have fun! Enjoy your time and attention on the dance floor.  It’s yours and no one can take it from you.

 

 

As someone who comes form the Shaquile O’Neal-Free Throw-School-Of-Dance, meaning, just because I do it a lot does not mean I am any good at it; I invite you to have fun and enjoy your partner, family and friends. The steps themselves are not the focus, it is the symbol and tradition that typically hold most significance.I know, I am a professional Wedding DJ.

Obviousoly not a First Dance or wedding photo.  I did not experience this dance in person. I am blown away by this image every time I see it. Hope you are too!

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Professional DJ Party Lights

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I have been asked several times recently by potential clients, “What kind of DJ 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 professional DJs that are out there these days. The good news is we have many options as professional DJs today for what kind of lights we want to use to add some ‘juice’ to the right gigs. Not all events will DJ party lights be a good fit.

 

Here are some of the DJ 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:

 

 

 

 

 

 

They sure make for fun wedding and parties!

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

DJ Facilitates Dance As A Community Experience

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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 professional DJ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Community building through music and dance via the DJ.

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

What Makes A Great Party?

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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 at 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!

During our conversation, it occurred to me that the music, the clothes, the food, the service and the venue all matter but none of them by themselves can make a great party. I think it is the people. Mark and Yomi have great friends and family. It was evident to me even while I was busy producing the soundtrack to their day as their Wedding DJ. Their friends and family genuinely wanted to be part of their celebration and were supportive of everything they chose. I am sure there were some disagreements along the way, but at the wedding itself it was about Mark and Yomi and having a great time.

I met with another couple later this afternoon who are in the beginning stages of planning their wedding. I still had fresh in my mind my conversation with Mark, his remarks and my thoughts on the people being the primary ingredient in a fantastic party. When speaking with them, I asked more questions then I typically do in a first meeting. I want to know about them and their guests to know how best to make certain they too have a great wedding. They are a nice couple who are taking their time to make this be what they want but recognize they need to let professionals do what they do best, trusting the experience we have. I took the time to learn more about them and their friends and family. I think I will do a better job of this from now. I look froward to the opportunity to work with them and do my part in creating a great party for them and their guests to share.

What do you think makes a great party?

 

What is the most essential ingredient?

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ