New York DJ

By now most have heard the phrase “chill-out music," which describes the mellow, ethereal, and mostly electronic-based songs that often come out once the vibe of a party starts to calm. It seems that in the past decade or so an endless supply of this sound has cropped up – as evidenced by the ubiquitous Bhudda Bar compilation CDs that now are probably available at your local Duane Reade drug store.

But when it comes to music that can gradually ramp up the party as opposed to ramp it down, I’ve found there’s not nearly as much of a genre established. I’ve mostly had to cobble together my own collection to sustain this kind of buoyant, rising mood, which is especially important when DJ-ing the early parts of a corporate event, wedding reception, or during guest arrivals at a fashion show. Often I use a mix of samba, ’60s soul-jazz, and newer, electronic-infused bossa-style songs.

Since it’s not as easy to find this early-night vibe, whenever I find a new song or artist that fits into it, it’s like gold. My most recent discovery is an album by The Five Corners Quintet called “Chasin’ the Jazz Gone By.” I’m just getting into the album, and so far the song that has struck me most is called “Straight Up.” No, it’s not a avant-garde jazz interpretation of the Paula Abdul song from the late ’80s. Appropriate to the album title, the tune takes its inspiration from some of the soul-jazz and hard bop jazz sound from the ‘50s and ‘60s, which was an upbeat, uptempo-sounding jazz that was more intended for dancing than sitting still and intensely analyzing. “Straight Up” also has a subtle but noticeable samba feel in the background that adds to its bounciness and fun. And another plus is that the tune never veers into ironic, "space-age bachelor pad" kitsch like modern hipster takes on retro jazz styles often do. This is a genuine, straightforward song that sounds like a lost classic, one you could DJ alongside Ramsey Lewis, vintage samba and bossanova by Getz/Gilberto/Jobim, and, because of the catchy horn melody, even some Frank Sinatra standards.

In my experience meeting clients – whether it be for a private party, fashion show, corporate event or a wedding reception – most have some degree of what I call “DJ fear.” Who knows how this anxiety started. Maybe the apprehension began when some stoned DJ stumbled into a wedding reception in the mid ’70s wearing jeans and sunglasses and proceeded to play Iron Butterfly all night. Maybe the worries started when a DJ in the early ‘80s arrived late at his corporate event gig and then only spun lite rock hits by Air Supply and Kenny Loggins, songs you usually hear while in the dentist’s chair instead of when on the dance floor.

Whatever the case, there’s a stigma when it comes to the image of the DJ. It’s like many people think most of them out there are the music-mixing equivalent of the Adam Sandler character in the film The Wedding Singer when he becomes rude and obnoxious, and turns events into nightmares. Over the next few weeks, interspersed with other posts to this blog, I will discuss what I’ve found to be the most common negative assumptions that clients have about DJs (in no particular order of importance), and how a client can steer clear of these – and eliminate their DJ fear.

I’ll start this week with the DJ’s appearance. Many potential clients I meet don’t simply assume the DJ will actually dress in a professional manner to an event. Potential clients have asked me before, sheepishly, “Will you be wearing a suit?” I always find these low expectations to be sad, but, again, this seems to be the reality – a lot of people out there think the DJ won’t show up looking respectable unless they ask them to do. Some people have a more optimistic outlook, though they still ask this question and then apologize for asking it, explaining that they thought I would dress respectably, but that they were just making sure. Whether it’s a concern or not, it’s a great idea for a client to discuss appearance when meeting a potential DJ. But the client shouldn’t just ask what the DJ will wear, the client should tell the DJ, or at least guide him or her, to what they should wear by explaining the level of formality at the event, and that they expect the DJ to fit in with it. This way the DJ doesn’t show up underdressed or overdressed. Because either can be bad – no one wants the guy behind the mixer with jeans and a polo shirt at their wedding reception, but also, it can be just as awkward to have a guy in a tuxedo spinning songs at a casual outdoor corporate cocktail party. By giving the DJ an expectation of how he or she should look, a potential embarrassing situation is cut off right there.

There’s countless wedding venues in Manhattan, and in my years DJ-ing as part of dj nyc throughout New York City I’ve been to quite a lot of them. Many feature gorgeous indoor and outdoor spaces for a ceremony and/or a reception; some boast excellent city views; others set themselves apart due to their proximity to iconic areas of town, to make it easy for a post-reception city stroll or a late-night bar visit. And more than a few of these venues that have all of these qualities. So how does a couple choose? Well, of course, price is often at the top of the list, and it’s a good bet that a dream venue featuring all a couple wants will also cost quite a lot, which for some couples makes choices much more limited. But given the sheer amount of venues in Manhattan, both traditional and non-traditional, couples can often find a few places that they like and are able to pay their cost, so a decision still must be made.

This is where I think it may be helpful for a couple to consider another facet of a venue in their choice — the professionalism of the venue’s staff. When I’m DJ-ing at venues that have both smaller and larger staff, their professionalism is something I notice every time. I believe it’s just as important as a great-looking space, a breathtaking view, or a sexy location. By staff professionalism, I don’t only mean how everyone is dressed, or if they are prompt in bringing out the food, or are always available when requested. Sure, appearance, efficiency and attentiveness are important, but another thing I’ve found that matters greatly to the success of the party is the demeanor of a staff. This is something a couple can’t observe during a walk-through of a venue.

I’ve found that a staff headed by a maitre’d or a captain that is able to keep things moving smoothly throughout the night while also treating guests and vendors with politeness and consideration and even some humor is something truly special. It is a hard job to coordinate the flow of a wedding reception, but to do it and to remain kind and easy-going at the same time is quite impressive. This kind of demeanor is important not only to ensure the guests feel good, but also to ensure the party is able to get rockin’ a little during the moments it wants to — moments that might not have been foreseen on the night’s master schedule. I’ve found that the best maitre’d or captain is one who realizes this and are the furthest thing from “drill sergeants.” For example, he or she will treat everyone in the room with respect despite any stresses going on, or will let guests continue their conversation at the end of cocktail hour for a few minutes before telling them to sit for dinner, or will be okay with guests dancing a bit longer despite the fact that the next course is ready to be brought out. This ability to remain pleasant while under pressure and a willingness to bend a schedule so a party can be more fun often indicates not just a top-notch staff, but also people who are happy to be there with the guests.

A venue that has a beautiful space, an excellent view, and a desirable location — but also this breed of professional staff — is truly outstanding, and not found everywhere one looks. Venues like this really do have the “whole package.” Here’s five Manhattan venues that I’ve DJ-ed and found have just that:

1) Bryant Park Grill (pictured) – Bryant Park
2) Central Park Boathouse – Central Park
3) Battery Gardens – lower Manhattan
4) Union Square Ballroom – Union Square
5) The Yale Club – Midtown, near Grand Central

Now, if you want help with prices at these venues, well, there you’re on your own.

Often at events involving dancing where song recognition is key — like a wedding or a corporate event — I’ll be spinning in a particular genre and I’ll want to play a more obscure song that would go great with the song I’m playing at the moment. Sometimes, when you have a big, generous crowd, you can slip in one of these lesser-known tunes. But mostly, crowds at weddings or corporate events aren’t like those at underground dance clubs — they don’t want an auteur DJ spinning obscure tunes during the night, whatever the genre.

One relatively obscure song that I’ve loved almost since it was released in 1989 is "The Promise" by the group When in Rome. The song sounds at times like Depeche Mode, at times like ABC, and at times like Information Society. Okay, I guess it sounds like about every synthpop group that was big then, since for a few years there in the late ’80s these bands all seemed to have the same drum machines, synths, and moody vocals. I never thought the sound of the song was that original. But the melody was very catchy, the chorus pleasantly stuck in my head, the beat was as danceable as any good Depeche Mode or New Order song, and the lyrics, about a guy intensely pledging to his girl that he’d always be there for her, were sweet and romantic — in a high school prom sort of way, yes, but as far as nailing those teenagey feelings, "The Promise" is Shakespeare. While the tune was a relatively big hit shortly after it was released in ’88, it didn’t have staying power, and was soon largely forgotten, often not even making it onto the average ’80s one-hit wonder compilation.

When DJ-ing, I knew the song was a risk on the dancefloor, so I would always have to resist my urge to pull it out. But then, a few years ago, it was featured at the end of the film Napoleon Dynamite. Now, over the past several months, I’ve been playing "The Promise" and surprisingly find that many more people at events really know the song and dance to it. Even if many people still don’t know its name, and refer to it, as one guest did at a recent wedding I spun at in November, as "that one song from Napoleon Dynamite."

Hey, I’ll take it.