Ambient DJ Service

Lessons for Disc Jockeys from Steve Jobs

2012-01-30T16:29:00.000-08:00

In 2011, the world lost a modern day pioneer and visionary, Steve Jobs. Jobs, the driving force behind Apple, fought cancer for a number of years but not before linking up with renowned biographer Walter Isaacson. The resulting biography of Steve Jobs is a riveting story about a creative genius who leaves behind an enduring legacy.

This book will appeal to many readers: to Apple fans, to those interested in business and personal success, and to those fascinated with Jobs’ intense personality that frequently clashed with those around him. This blog article explores takeaways from Steve Jobs relevant to Mobile Disc Jockeys. What can we learn from the life of Steve Jobs?

Make a Commitment to Excellence- Jobs was a perfectionist who paid great attention to details. He drove his staff extremely hard, taking them to levels of achievement they never could have imagined. Jobs is quoted as saying, “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” As extremely busy working DJs, it easy to get lulled into a sense of complacency and to lose the drive for improvements in customer service, performance and innovation.

Create Products that are Intuitive, Easy to Use and Fun- As a designer, Jobs was fond of the Japanese Zen minimalist style. Despite having a simple and intuitive design, Apple products were designed to be fun, not cold. For example, Jobs was integrally involved with the intuitive jog wheel for the iPod and touch screen for the iPad. As DJs, we should strive to keep our services and planning services fun and intuitive. This is particularly the case as we are in the entertainment industry!

A Commitment to Great Products - Jobs has frequently been compared to Bill Gates of Microsoft, and the two frequently clashed before making amends later in Jobs’ life. Jobs asserted that during his tenure at Apple it was all about the product, while at Microsoft it was all about profits. Jobs believed that “You always have to keep pushing to innovate.” In the case of Apple, phenomenal products resulted in breathtaking profits and growth. As Mobile DJs, by starting with a focus on the quality of our services, profits and growth can follow.

Don’t Be a Music Pirate - Apple revolutionized the music industry with the rollout of the iTunes store in 2003, allowing consumers to legally purchase high-quality digital files of their favorite songs. The iTunes store was an alternative to the illegal filesharing sites that had proliferated. Jobs stated that “If protection of intellecutal property begins to disappear, creative companies will disappear or never get started. But there’s a simpler reason: It’s wrong to steal. It hurts other people. And it hurts your character.”

Don’t Rely on Market Research, Innovate!- Jobs did not believe in conducting market research, instead opting to develop innovative products that met a need that he perceived. For example, Jobs and his design team were avid music lovers, and developed the iPod around features that they wanted to see in a new product. In the Mobile DJ industry, it is easy to adopt a follower mindset in terms of equipment and services. But what opportunities exist in your local market that are not currently being provided?

It’s OK to be a Little Prickly, But Not a Prick- Steve Jobs saw the world in binary terms - he either loved something or hated it. Jobs was brutally honest, to a fault. Isaacson concluded that “The nasty edge to his personality was not necessary. It hindered him more than it helped him.”

In the final chapter of the book “Legacy,” Isaacson writes about Jobs, “Steve Jobs thus became the greatest business executive of our era, the one most certain to be remembered a century from now. History will place him in the pantheon right next to Edison and Ford. More than anyone else of his time, he made products that were completely innovative, combining the power of poetry and processors. With a ferocity that could make working with him as unsettling as it was inspiring, he also built the world’s most creative company. And he was able to infuse into its DNA the design sensibilities, perfectionism, and imagination that make it likely to be, even decades from now, the company that thrives best at the intersection of artistry and technology.” As Disc Jockeys, we also exist at this intersection, and how well we balance artistry and technology will determine the long-term success of our businesses.

Chapter 32, “Music Man,” is a must-read for DJs, as Jobs revealed which songs are on his iPod! He was particularly fond of Bob Dylan, as well as of The Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

About Ambient DJ Service

Ambient DJ Service is a full-service mobile DJ entertainment company based in Central New Jersey. We enjoy collaborating with clients to create unforgettable family celebrations. From time to time, we also are industry innovators! For more info, visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com.

5 Tips to Avoid Spoiling a Teen Dance Party

2012-01-29T16:56:00.000-08:00

A teen dance party such as a Sweet 16 is a highly anticipated life event. Unfortunately, these parties can be spoiled by the unfortunate actions of a few. Left unchecked, these negative elements can result in a party being shut down early by the banquet staff (or police). Below, we offer five tips to ensure that your party is a stunning success!

Here are five party planning tips to ensure a smooth evening:

Tip #1- Acknowledge that teenagers are growing up fast, and that some may be experimenting with alcohol. Both the party celebrant and their parents must make it clear from the get-go that alcohol will not be tolerated at the party.

Tip #2- Regulate your guest list by quantity and quality. Often times it is the "fringe" friends, and not the inner circle, who cause trouble. That is because the inner circle realizes how special this day is, and would never ruin the evening for their friend.

Tip #3- Make it clear that no water bottles will be allowed to the party, as these are probably vodka-waters in disguise! Teenage guests should also not be allowed to leave the building until the party is over.

Tip #4 - If your banquet hall does not require you to utilize one of their security officers, consider hiring a security officer to police the event. Or, have a family member or friend serve as a vigilant chaperone. If anything, their presence may serve as a deterrent.

Tip #5 - Dance styles have evolved, and hip hop-style "bumping and grinding" is popular among some teens. Discuss in advance to what extent you will or will not allow a little bump and grind. Left unchecked, the dance floor could come to resemble a circus freak show that reflects poorly upon the family.

Keep it safe, keep it classy, and you will have an unforgettable Teen Dance Party!

About Ambient DJ Service

Ambient DJ Service is a full-service mobile DJ entertainment company based in Central New Jersey. We enjoy collaborating with clients to create unforgettable family celebrations. For more info, visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com.

25 Recommended Songs for a Video Slideshow Presentation

2012-01-19T22:27:00.000-08:00

One of our most popular upgrades is the "Video Slideshow." A slideshow of 5-7 minutes long (recommended length) is projected onto a large screen, with the audio for the presentation run through our professional sound system. To maximize the emotional impact of a slideshow, you will need to select the perfect accompanying music.

Listed below are 25 suggestions for songs to be played during a video slideshow that will emotionally move the celebrant and guests - perhaps to tears. In parentheses, we have listed what type of party the song would be best suited for. Note that songs that typically are "over the top" for general party music (think Celine Dion), are often excellent candidates for slideshows! Please comment with your own song suggestions.

1) 100 Years - Five for Fighting (weddings)
2) Marry Me - Train (weddings)
3) The Graduation Song - Vitamin C (graduations)
4) In My Daughter's Eyes - Martina McBride (coming of age, girl)
5) Daughters - John Mayer (coming of age, girl)
6) Through the Years - Kenny Rogers (milestone birthday or anniversary)
7) The Times of Your Life - Paul Anka (milestone birthday or anniversary)
8) What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong (milestone birthday or anniversary)
9) Memories - Elvis Presley (milestone birthday or anniversary)
10) Silly Love Songs - Paul McCartney (milestone anniversary)
11) As Time Goes By - Frank Sinatra (milestone anniversary)
12) My Baby You - Marc Anthony (wedding or child)
13) A Whole New World - Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle (child)
14) Secret Garden - Bruce Springsteen (multi-purpose)
15) I Will Be Here - Steven Curtis Chapman (multi-purpose)
16) Because You Loved Me - Celine Dion (multi-purpose)
17) Hero - Mariah Carey (multi-purpose)
18) Longer - Dan Fogelberg (anniversary)
19) I'll Always Love You - Taylor Dayne (anniversary)
20) Only Time - Enya (multi-purpose)
21) Forever Young - Rod Stewart/Alphaville/Jay-Z (coming of age)
22) The Best is Yet to Come - Tony Bennett (coming of age)
23) The Time of Your Life (Good Riddance) - Green Day (multi-purpose)
24) Time - Alan Parson Project (in memoriam)
25) Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton (in memoriam)

In a future episode of the Ambient DJ blog, we will offer tips for maximizing the success of your Video Slideshow.

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

Ambient DJ Service is a full-service mobile DJ entertainment company based in Central New Jersey. We enjoy collaborating with clients to create unforgettable family celebrations. For more info, visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com.

Old School Hip Hop - Playlist

2012-01-19T06:28:00.000-08:00

As per Wikipedia, "Old school hip hop (also spelled "old skool") describes the earliest commercially recorded hip hop music (approximately from 1979–1984), and the music in the period preceding it from which it was directly descended. Old school hip hop is said to end around 1983 or 1984 with the emergence of Run–D.M.C., the first new school hip hop group. However, some old school rap stations cover 1980s hip hop in general, occasionally extending even into the mid 1990s. The image, styles and sounds of the old school were exemplified by figures like Afrika Bambaataa, The Sugarhill Gang, Spoonie Gee, Treacherous Three, Funky Four Plus One, Kurtis Blow, Fab Five Freddy, Busy Bee Starski, Lovebug Starski, Doug E. Fresh, LL Cool J, The Fat Boys, The Cold Crush Brothers, Kool Kyle, and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five,and it is characterized by the simpler rapping techniques of the time and the general focus on party related subject matter."

Below we list some of our favorite "old skool" party jams (defined as 80s hip hop), but paying particular homage to the early 80s. Please leave comments with our own favorite selections!

Rapper's Delight - The Sugarhill Gang

Fat Boys - Fat Boys

Beat Street - Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five

Rockin' It - Fearless Four

Rockit - Herbie Hancock

The Message - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

That's the Joint - The Funky 4 + 1 (the first hip hop group to appear on Saturday Night Live!)

Rappin' & Rocking the House" - The Funky 4 + 1

Sucker M.C.'s - Run-D.M.C.

Roxanne - U.T.F.O.

Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force

Hard Times - Run-D.M.C.

The Breaks - Kurtis Blow

At the Dixie - Cold Crush Brothers

Paul Revere - The Beastie Boys

Warm it Up, Kane - Big Daddy Kane

The Bridge - MC Shan

The Show - Doug E. Fresh

Mona Lisa - Slick Rick

The Whodini Mega-Mix (5 Minutes of Funk/Friends/Freaks Come Out at Night) - Whodini

Larry's Dance Theme - Grandmaster Flash

One For the Treble - Davy DMX

Breakers Revenge - Arthur Baker (featured in breakdance battle from Beat Street in video below!)

Al Naafijsh - Kashim

Freedom - Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five

Adventures of Rhyme - Jimmy Spicer

Wild, Wild West - Kool Moe Dee

The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel - Grandmaster Flash

Rapture - Blondie (her rap verse payed deference to Grandmaster Flash and Francois K.!) (sure, the record doesn't fall exactly into the genre, but does capture the feeling of the time!)

I Can't Live Without My Radio - LL Cool J

White Lines (Don't Do It) - Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel

Don't Believe the Hype - Public Enemy

Basketball - Kurtis Blow

8th Wonder - The Sugarhill Gang

Brass Monkey - The Beastie Boys

It's Like That - Run-D.M.C.

Jam Master Jay - Run-D.M.C.

Iron Mike and I catch up with the Cold Crush Crew!

Catching up with the legendary Grandmaster Flash!

Ideas for Wedding Cocktail Hour Music

2012-01-18T23:33:00.000-08:00

A wedding cocktail hour is a time to set the mood. It is a transition point between the formal ceremony and the convivial wedding reception party that is to follow. Ingredients for a winning cocktail hour mix include: 1) atmospheric selections that put guests in a great mood, 2) a mix of current and classic music appropriate for guests of all ages, 3) an increasing energy level as the cocktail hour progresses (and the drinks kick in!); and 4) intelligent song selections that include re-inventions of classics and some international spice.

At Ambient DJ, we do not use stock cocktail hour mixes, but rather custom program each set to reflect the unique style of the event. The list below is organized into mini-sets by genres, that can be mixed and matched to reflect your own tastes in music. Thematically, no 'breakup songs' are allowed, but the most important factor is the "feel" of the song, so even if there are occasionally "bittersweet lyrics," these tracks are fine. This track list would also work well for the softer moments of a wedding reception while guests are eating and conversing.

Crooners
Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra
The Best is Yet to Come - Tony Bennett
You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You - Dean Martin
Quando, Quando - Michael Buble w/Nelly Furtado

Chanteuses
Peel Me a Grape - Ramsey Lewis w/Nancy Wilson
Speak Low - Cybill Shepherd with Stan Getz
Come Away With Me - Norah Jones
The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson
I Put a Spell on You - Queen Latifah
Besame Mucho - Diana Krall

80s
The Promise - When in Rome
Take My Breath Away - Berlin
Drive - The Cars
Eyes Without a Face - Billy Idol
You Get What You Give - New Radicals

R&B/Soul

My Cherie Amour - Stevie Wonder

Valerie - Amy Winehouse

P.D.A. (We Just Don't Care) - John Legend

Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars

If I Ain't Got You - Alicia Keys

Cherish the Day - Sade

Set Fire to the Rain (Moto Blanc Dance Remix) - Adele

Electronic
All I Need - Air
I Only Have Eyes for You (cover) - Jamie Cullum
Whatever Lola Wants (Verve Remixed) - Sara Vaughan
So Come Voce - Thievery Corporation
Walking on a Dream - Empire of the Sun
54B - Mudd

International
The Girl From Ipanema - Bebel Gilberto with Kenny G.
Aganju (Latin Project Remix) - Bebel Gilberto
Mas Que Nada - Sergio Mendes f/The Black Eyed Peas
Un Simple Histoire - Thievery Corporation

Classics (Oldies)
Best of My Love - The Eagles
Crazy Love - Van Morrison
Michelle - The Beatles
Love's Theme - The Love Unlimited Orchestra
Rise - Herb Alpert
Feels So Good - Chuck Mangione

Alternative Rock
Awake My Soul - Mumford & Sons
Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop - Landon Pigg
Marry Me (First Dance Mix) - Train
Baby I'm Yours - Arctic Monkeys
First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes
Such Great Heights - Iron & Wine
Thank You Too - My Morning Jacket

Rock
If I Should Fall Behind - Bruce Springsteen
Walking on the Moon - The Police
The Wind Cries Mary - Jimi Hendrix
One - U2 f/Mary J. Blige
Low Light - Pearl Jam
The Pump - Jeff Beck
Big Yellow Taxi - The Counting Crows f/Vanessa Carlton

New Age
Paint the Sky With Stars - Enya
Only Time - Enya
Bellissimo - Ilya

Reggae/Tropical
No Woman, No Cry - Bob Marley
Close to You - Maxxi Priest
Red, Red Wine - UB40
Never Ever Worry - Lord Pretender
Jump in the Line - Harry Belafonte

Country
Why Don't We Just Dance - Josh Turner
People are Crazy - Billy Currington
Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not - Thompson Square
Highway 20 Ride - Zac Brown Band
Lost in This Moment - Big & Rich

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

Ambient DJ Service is an award-winning mobile DJ service based in Central New Jersey. Our company prides itself on its deep musical knowledge and programming skills. To learn more about our wedding, corporate and private party services, visit our website at http://www.ambientdj.com

DJ Gregg Ambient's Top 25 Dance Tracks - Winter 2012

2012-01-17T20:58:00.000-08:00

A regular feature of the Ambient DJ blog is the submission of quarterly playlists. These songs reflect selections that a particular DJ is currently using in his party sets. To kick off the New Year right, Ambient DJ's head honcho "DJ Gregg Ambient" chimes in with his Top 25 favorites! They are listed in no particular order:

1) Dance (A*$) (Nicki Minaj) - Big Sean f/Nicki Minaj (hip hop)

2) T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever) - Will.I.am with J. Lo and Mick Jagger (dance)

3) I'm Sexy and I Know It - LMFAO (Dance)

4) Rack City - Tyga (Hip Hop)

5) The Motto - Drake f/Lil Wayne (Hip Hop)

6) Good Feeling - Flo Rida (dance)

7) Moves Like Jagger - Maroon Five (Pop/Dance)

8) Ladi Dadi - Steve Aoki with Wynter Gordon (electro)

9) Set Fire to the Rain (Moto Blanc Remix) - Adele (dance)

10) Lotus Flower Bomb - Wale w/Miguel (R&B)

11) Lovumba - Daddy Yankee (Reggaeton)

12) Take Over Control - Afrojack f/Eva Simons (dance)

13) Shuri Shuri (Crazy) (Bodybangers Remix) - Denis Naidanow w/Juan Nagan (Latin Dance)

14) Turn Me On - David Guetta w/Nicki Minaj (dance)

15) Give Me Everything Tonight - Pitbull w/Ne-Yo and Nayer (dance)

16) Love You Like a Love Song - Selena Gomez (dance)

17) You Da One - Rihanna (dance)

18) Lick It - Kaskade & Skrillex (dance/dubstep)

19) Levels - Avicii (dance)

20) The One That Got Away - Katy Perry (dance)

21) It Will Rain - Bruno Mars (dance)

22) Young, Wild & Free (f/Bruno Mars) - Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa (hip hop)

23) Paris - Jay-Z and Kanye West (hip hop)

24) Don't Stop (Color on the Walls) - Foster the People (alternative)

25) Una Vaina Loca - Fuego (Latin)

Throwbacks:

1) I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) - Hall & Oates (80s)

2) Don't Stop Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson (80s)

3) Just a Friend - Biz Markie (90s)

4) Heaven Scent - Bedrock (raver music)

5) Fat Boys - Fat Boys (Old Skool Hip Hop)

To book DJ Gregg Ambient for your next party, visit our new and improved website at www.ambientdj.com. One love!

What is Video Fusion Karaoke?

2012-01-17T00:29:00.000-08:00

Several years ago I coined the term "Video Fusion Karaoke" to refer to a new entertainment service being offered by Ambient DJs. Fusion refers to a melding of individual components. So what exactly is Video Fusion Karaoke?

Video Fusion Karaoke is:
   1 part Music Video party
   1 part Karaoke party
   1 part Dance Party, and
   3 parts Excitement!

The genesis of this idea was that since a karaoke DJ is already using a screen (we use high end plasmas), why not use these screens to play current and classic music videos, bringing the music and fashions to life? Video stimulates the senses and creates a true multi-media experience. Our software is also able to display custom slides and shout-out popular singers.

The second leg of the stool - karaoke, is an interactive entertainment style beloved by many Americans. Guests take the main stage and become a star! Karaoke nights are great fun, but can become dull if the quantity and quality of performances drops.

The third leg of the stool - dance party, means just that. Guests are encouraged to dance throughout the evening - during a live karaoke performance, or during one of the DJ's karaoke intermission sets where a long string of singers is broken up by playing several high-energy, current dance tunes. At my weekly residence at Brewster's Pub, guests always look forward to dancing popular line dances such as the Cupid Shuffle or Electric Slide. It is a delight to see a packed Saturday night dance floor - but on a Wednesday night!

Video Fusion Karaoke - at a Wedding!

Of course Video Fusion Karaoke is exciting... it's provocative and really gets the people going! Depending on the mix of guests on any given night, the proportion of Video, Karaoke, and Dancing can be fine-tuned to the taste of the crowd!

Video Fusion is great for bars, but it also works well for sundry events including corporate parties, Sweet 16s, Community Events and even weddings!

For those located in Central NJ, please check out my weekly Wednesday Video Fusion Karaoke party at Brewsters Pub in East Windsor. The set begins at 8 PM, with the real action starting after 10 PM and usually winding down around 1 AM. Brewsters is located at 529 Route 130 North in East Windsor, NJ - just past the Dairy Queen. For private party bookings, visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com and find out why our slogan is "The Art of the Party"!

DJ Iron Mike Wins 2011 Ambient DJ Service Quiz

2012-01-09T21:09:00.000-08:00

The Ambient DJ Service Annual Quiz is a fun, highly-anticipated event where Ambient DJ's staff members are forced to jog their memory on the year's past events and bountiful blog entries. Congratulations to DJ Iron Mike for posting the highest score this year and winning a cash prize! Congrats to Mike as well for being on the verge of celebrating his '5 Year Anniversary' as an Ambient DJ Music Mixologist (DJ). Shout-out to runner-up, DJ Austin!

DJ Iron Mike Rides to Victory in the 2011 Ambient DJ Quiz!

Here are the questions and answers that Mike successfully navigated. Perhaps you will learn a new fact or two about out company! Most of these stories were covered in the 2011 blog. As you may observe, we work very hard, but also try to have fun along the way!

1) Ambient DJ recently struck up a strategic alliance with which national brand?
  a) Red Bull
  b) Relatainment
  c) David's Bridal http://blog.ambientdj.com/2011/12/ambient-dj-service-joins-vendor.html
  d) WeddingWire

2) In the maiden installation of "The Ambies" which song took the crown for Top Dance Song of 2011?

  a) Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
  b) Give Me Everything Tonight - Pitbull http://blog.ambientdj.com/2011/12/best-music-of-2011-ambies.html
  c) I'm a Boss - Rick Ross f/Nicki Minaj
  d) Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan

3) A superlative party experience at Ambient DJ is known to have met what standard?

  a) The Schmaltz Standard
  b) The Schlitz Standard
  c) The Smauz Standard (Explanation: The Smauz wedding of years past was 'off the chain' and set the standard!)
  d) The Gold Standard

4) Ambient DJ's most financially successful month in history occurred in which month during 2011?
  a) May
  b) June
  c) October
  d) December

5) Which of the following geographic locales did Ambient DJ NOT perform in during 2011?
  a) Brooklyn
  b) Manhattan
  c) Philadelphia
  d) Cape May

6) Ambient DJs' 2011 photo shoot featured all of the below, except for:

  a) freezing temperatures
  b) a hot post-shoot lunch at Panera Bread
  c) crazy co-eds rocking "the monacle" pose
  d) Gill howling "Oh Yeah" on the Princeton campus
  e) standup comedy by Larry Sargent

Enter the Monacle!

7) Ambient DJs' 2010 holiday party featured which celebrity impersonator:

  a) Rick Ross
  b) Robert DeNiro
  c) Barack Obama
  d) Tony Soprano

8) Which of the following is a key corporate strategy for 2012?

  a) increased emphasis on internet marketing
  b) the establishment of a branch office in Short Hills
  c) a major equipment overhaul and focus on intelligent lighting
  d) the creation of a PhotoBooth segment

9) In 2011, Ambient's Bar & Nightlife segment was coronated:

  a) REG - Renaissance Entertainment Group
  b) PURE - Pure Ambience
  c) AA - Ambient Aesthetics
  d) REL - Relatini's

10) Prince William and Kate Middleton used which of the following songs for their grand entrance at the Royal Wedding?

  a) Pomp & Circumstance - Elgar
  b) Canon in D - Pachelbel
  c) The One - Sir Elton John
  d) I Was Glad - Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry http://blog.ambientdj.com/2011/05/royal-wedding-processional-song.html

11) Match the DJ with the correct fact

1. DJ Larry Sargent (f) a. owns a trailer
2. DJ Greg Nice (d) b. DJs wearing a hat.
3. DJ Iron Mike (e) c. has a fetish for the color orange
4. DJ Garrett B. (g) d. drives the same car as Horatio Cane, known for long speeches
5. DJ Spinzy (c) e. "the hardest working DJ in Central NJ"
6. DJ Jesse (a) f. "Now Dance, that's an Order!"
7. DJ Austin (b) g. blasts dubstep from his whip

12) In 2011, Ambient DJ Service was featured in all of the following publications EXCEPT FOR:

a) DJ Times Magazine
b) The College of New Jersey Alumni Magazine
c) Mobile Beat Magazine
d) NJDJN Newsletter

13) Tiebreaker - name my favorite club in New York City. Answer- Cielo for its deep house and dub courtesy of resident DJ Francois K.! http://blog.ambientdj.com/2010/01/monday-night-outing-dj-francois-k-in.html

To view the 2010 Holiday Quiz, click here.

Top 10 Reasons to Join the New Jersey Disc Jockey Network

2012-01-09T09:27:00.000-08:00

To those unfamiliar, the New Jersey Disc Jockey Network (NDJN) is a premier disc jockey organization whose membership includes professional DJs primarily from the East Coast.

In David Letterman-style, here are the top 10 reasons that you should consider joining this fine organization!

10. The NJDJN holds regular monthly in-person meetings that include a networking and educational component. Some members find the meetings so valuable that they travel from out-of-state to attend!

9. Enjoy high-quality educational content to keep your business on the cutting edge. Recent topics have included "Audio Branding" (Tony Tee Neto), "Social Media Strategies" (Hurricane Productions), "DJ Sales/Marketing Techniques" (Steve Moody), "Mitzvah Production" (Randi Rae), "SEO Strategies" (Steve Cie) and many more!

8. Resident Comedian DJ Mike Wieder is always good for a zinger or two! He also likes to showcase his latest gadgets.

7. Be part of a prestigious and fast-growing organization. President-elect Steve Cie and VP Chris Atwood have ambitious plans, continuing the tradition of excellence of outgoing President Jake Jacobsen.

6. Strike up a casual conversation and pick the brains of any one of the "heavy hitter" members of the NJDJN who run some of the top mobile DJ companies in the country.

5. Enjoy exclusive NJDJN discounts on an array of DJ gear and business services.

4. Make lifelong friends and enjoy social outings such as last year's Halloween group trip to a haunted penitentiary!

3. Earn more money by generating referrals or promoting your value-added services. While it seems counter-intuitive, DJs regularly generate income from other DJs!

2. The diner food in Edison is outstanding! Many members gather for a pre-meeting dinner at the Skylark Diner on Route 1, about five minutes away from the Crowne Plaza.

1. Invest in yourself and the future of your business! The Annual Membership Fee, currently $150, is a pittance relative to the benefits that you will derive. The NJDJN is a very inexpensive form of continuing education.

Ambient DJ Service joined the NJDJN some three years ago, inspired by the many successful individuals in the organization. It's been said that if you hang out with dogs, you get fleas. However, if you surround yourself with the "top dogs" of the NJDJN, you will be inspired to take your business to levels that you never dreamed possible!

The organization typically meets the second Tuesday evening of each month at the centrally-located Crowne Plaza in Edison, NJ. Tomorrow night's meeting (Tuesday January 10, 2011) is a Mini-Expo followed by a presentation on "Audio Branding" by Tony Tee Neto. Also, enjoy a live performance by Party Percussionist John Donovan from 6:30 PM!

To learn more about the NJDJN and view the current membership, visit its website www.njdjn.org.

Party Percussionist John Donovan - Artist Profile

2012-01-05T14:53:00.000-08:00

This is the first article in a new series for 2012 that introduces our Recommended Professionals. We are pleased to kick off the series by profiling Party Percussionist John Donovan! John is a fellow member of the New Jersey Disc Jockey Network (NJDJN). He also provided a high-energy performance at the Kick-Off Party for the 2011 DJ Times International DJ Expo held this past August at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.

An Introduction to Party Percussionists

I first experienced party percussionists in Las Vegas clubs like Studio 54. The DJ was the pilot of the dance floor, with a "Latin-style" percussionist serving as an accompanying player to the mix, drumming away on instruments such as bongos and timbales. Not only was this presentation novel, but it added a visually pleasing element to the performance.

John Donovan practices an entirely different style of drumming known as Rudimental "Corps-Style" Drumming. After pursuing traditional drum lessons from the age of 4, Donovan discovered the drum and bugle corps at age 17 and immersed himself in the world of competitive drumming. His talent and hard work culminated with his winning a Drum Corps International (DCI) World Championship. In 2007, Donovan moved to Long Island and shortly thereafter carved out a niche in the private event market, performing at high-end weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Sweet 16s and corporate events.

In recent years, Donovan has made a splash in the private event market, entertaining guests at formal events with his visually stunning presentation. Typically, Donovan performs alongside a disc jockey. John believes that he is "the only full-time, commercial, freelance, individual Multi-Tenor player in the world." What this means, is that given his high-velocity drumming, Donovan has been able to commercially express himself through the Multi-Tenor instrumentation (i.e., a set of drums that contains 5 or 6 drums), before anyone else in history. To help this description come to life, check out the video clip of Donovan in action!

I recently caught up with John, and below are highlights from the Q&A:

Q: How do your performances differ from that of a Latin-style percussionist?

JD: While Latin-Style percussionists focus on a vocabulary of conventional patterns to support the rhythm of the music, because of my regimented drum corps training, I am not just able to play the conventional patterns, but I directly support the melody and framework of the music just like someone who is composing percussion parts for an advanced percussion ensemble. Basically, I bring a high level of artistically sound intellect and physical prowess to all the events I am part of. To top it all off, because of my drum corps training, I am also able to produce visually hypnotic material, which tends to drop jaws and open eyes right on the dance floor. So while guests are dancing away enjoying the pre-recorded music which is mixed and beat matched properly by the DJ, they are also feeling the vibe of what I am contributing to the mix, AND they get an actual show at the same time. The client truly gets a one of a kind entertainment package.

Q: What is the best part of your job?

JD: I have four answers. The first is the satisfaction from watching a room full of people jump in unison, what we call, “the bounce factor,” and that tells us the team did a great job for the client. You really have to work well with a crowd, to earn their trust, and to groom them properly during the evening for this to happen, and when it does, it’s pure magic! Second, I appreciate when the client comes directly to me at the end of an event and expresses their gratitude for a job well done. Third, I LOVE when guests whom are also percussionists, as well as other types of musicians, come up to me throughout the evening and express how they are blown away by what I contributed to the music, and how I did it. That’s very humbling, each and every time it happens. Lastly, I enjoy when the event company owner expresses how they much they enjoyed working with me and that they feel further inspired to offer my services in the future.

Q: Tell me about your practice schedule.

JD: I practice for about an hour a day just to keep my hands conditioned. When I was in high school, I had zero social life because I was practicing for anywhere from 6-8 hours a day, plus the countless hours while I was in drum corps.

Q: What is your favorite song to drum to?

JD: My all-time favorite song is "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas.

Q: Why should clients add your party percussionist services to their event?

JD: Hiring an in-demand, name brand LIVE entertainer adds prestige to an event and makes it stand out. A party percussionist is the perfect option for those groups who love to dance, as the combined effect of the DJ-Party Percussionist Combo raises the energy level, and adds a dazzling visual element to the evening.

Q: Do you have any upcoming public performances that you would like to tell us about?

JD: I will be performing at the NJDJN Mini Expo next week on Tuesday January 10th at the Crowne Plaza in Edison The event runs from 6:30 PM to 10 PM and will feature the NJDJN's corporate sponsors, with deeply discounted gear, party favors, decorations, novelties, group disability insurance, credit card acceptance program, and a presentation by special guest speaker Tony Tee Neto about "Audio Imaging." The event is open to all working disc jockeys and admission is FREE! Be sure to attend this New Jersey Disc Jockey Network Event and get there in time to catch my set at 6:30!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JOHN DONOVAN, PARTY PERCUSSIONIST
To be a "World Champion" in any line of work requires superlative talent and dedication. Now you can have international star John Donovan perform at your private party right here in the NJ/NY/PA Tristate area! For booking information and to view additional demo videos, visit John on the worldwide web at www.johndonovan.biz.

His Facebook Fan Page can be accessed at http://www.facebook.com/JohnDonovanDotBiz

Winter Wedding Gig Log - Lambertville Station

2012-01-04T12:24:00.000-08:00

Winter weddings tend to be memorable. Yesterday's celebration at the Lambertville Station Restaurant was no exception. The weather was cold and blustery along the Delaware River in scenic Lambertville. While we have performed at many private parties at the Inn at Lambertville Station, yesterday was our first time to perform at its sister property, The Station Restaurant located on Bridge Street.

The Lambertville Inn Restaurant contains many zones, including a wine cellar open to the public. Anna and Sean took their vows in that wine cellar in front of a lit fireplace with some 40 close friends and family members looking on. Our DJ Gregg Ambient provided a mix of New Age prelude and processional music as per the bride's request. Anna entered the wine cellar to Enya's "Paint the Sky with Stars." Later, the couple recessed to the Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony."

Cocktail hour and dinner followed in a private dining room on the second floor. The decor table centerpieces and decor were in holly red for Christmas, and a beautiful white wedding cake was adorned with Christmas flowers. The DJ booth was located in a comfortable nook in the corner of the room that we lit tastefully with two LED par cans in red.

The following hours were spent enjoying a modern mix of international music (ranging from French to Brazilian) and lush lounge music. Sample artists included Thievery Corporation, Bebel Gilberto, Manu Chao and Joe Dassin. Sean and Anna were kind enough to treat me to dinner, and the "Maple Mustard Salmon"was the most delicious that I've ever had! The staff at the restaurant was also exceptional - friendly and attentive.

Congratulations Anna and Sean! Best wishes in your married life together and thank you for making me feel like a celebrity DJ (even though I am not!).

Scenic Lambertville, NJ on a cool day in January

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

Ambient DJ Service is an award-winning mobile DJ service based in Central New Jersey that provides customized music and entertainment services. We specialize in multi-cultural events (such as Anna and Sean's). To learn more, visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com.

The Best Music of 2011 - The "Ambies"

2011-12-28T08:31:00.000-08:00

Well, 2011 is nearly a wrap and it's time to take a walk down memory lane. If we were on the 'Board' of an artistic academy (such as for the Grammys), what artists and songs would we nominate for the 'Best of' 2011?

In lieu of an the Academy, Ambient DJs' staff members - as well as several industry friends, opined on their nominees for the "Best of 2011." Contributing DJs include DJ Iron Mike, DJ Spinz, DJ AllDay, DJ Greg Nice, DJ Brett Gash, DJ Garrett B., DJ Austin, DJ "Stav the Greek," DJ Gill "the Dream" and myself, DJ Gregg Ambient. Keep in mind that our esteemed academy is based in Central NJ, a land where dance music and hip hop reign, and country music is seldom heard.

Introducing, the categories and nominations for the first annual "Ambie" awards! Winners are announced at the bottom of the blog.

TOP DANCE SONG OF THE YEAR
1) Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
2) Give Me Everything Tonight - Pitbull f/Ne-Yo, Nayer and Afrojack
3) Paris - Jay-Z and Kanye West
4) Cinema (Skrillex Remix) - Benny Benassi
5) Barbara Streisand - Duck Sauce

BEST NEW ARTIST
1) Mumford and Sons
2) Foster the People
3) J. Cole
4) Wiz Khalifa
5) Avicii

BEST ALBUM
1) 21 - Adele
2) Watch the Throne - Jay-Z and Kanye West
3) Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites - Skrillex
4) Sorry for Party Rocking - LMFAO
5) Torches - Foster the People

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
1) Pitbull
2) Adele
3) Jay-Z and Kanye West
4) The Black Eyed Peas
5) Chris Brown

BEST HIP HOP/R&B ACT
1) Rick Ross
2) Nicki Minaj
3) Drake
4) Trey Songz
5) Miguel

TOP POP ACT
1) Lady Gaga
2) Katy Perry
3) Rihanna
4) Justin Bieber
5) Bruno Mars

TOP ELECTRONIC ACT
1) Avicii
2) Skrillex
3) David Guetta
4) DeadMau5
5) Afrojack

Based on staff consensus and the executive powers of DJ Gregg Ambient, the winners of the first annual Ambie Awards are shown below!

TOP DANCE SONG OF THE YEAR

Nearly every DJ selected either LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" or Pitbull's "Give Me Everything Tonight." In a very close call, the award goes to "Mr. Worldwide" Pitbull... this track really works crowds into a frenzy!

BEST NEW ARTIST

In a close battle against J. Cole, Mumford & Sons takes the Ambie!

BEST ALBUM

As one DJ commented, Adele's 21 has the best production, vocals and lyrics, and most of us agreed. The album of the year goes to Adele, and let's hope that her voice problems are resolved soon.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

And the Ambie goes to..... Jay-Z and Kanye West for their collaboration on "The Throne" Their music is "provocative and really gets the people going!"

BEST HIP HOP/R&B ACT

Dancefloors could just not get enough of the barks, grunts and boasts of the Teflon Don, aka Ricky Rosay, aka Big Meech - congratulations Rick Ross!

TOP POP ACT

Our DJs were most impressed by the efforts of Rihanna in 2011. Lady Gaga's latest album was good, but not ground-breaking. Bruno Mars' charisma and talent should take him far. Bieber and Perry made us yawn.

TOP ELECTRONIC ACT

As a general comment, electronic dance music made great strides in 2011, breaking through into mainstream radio. But the biggest break-through artist of them all was Skrillex, best known for his bass-heavy dubstep and electro productions.

Thanks to the Academy!

We look forward to partying with you in 2012! To learn more about our award-winning DJ services, visit us online at www.ambientdj.com.

To view DJ Gregg Ambient's Top 50 songs of 2011, click here.
To view his 25 Recommended songs for New Year's Eve, click here.

25 Songs for New Year's Eve 2011

2011-12-27T17:49:00.000-08:00

Listed below, Ambient DJs' lead music mixologist, DJ Gregg Ambient, shares 25 top song selections for New Year's Eve 2011. The list is composed of a combination of current and classic tracks:

1) New Years' Eve Countdown Tool - The Groove Junkies ("5.4.3.2.1... Happy New Year! Let's take this party to the next level.... DJ, hit me one time"). (drops)
2) Lil Jon New Years Countdown Party Pack - Lil Jon (available to DJs on www.crooklynclan.net) (drops)
3) Auld Lang Syne - Guy Lombardo (classic)
4) New Years Eve Party Medley - Bobby Morganstein Productions (a medley of upbeat marches to welcome the New Year!) (novelty)
5) A Night to Remember - Shalamar (disco)
6) 1999 - Prince (90s)
7) Love Come Down - Evelyn "Champagne" King (disco)
8) Got to Be Real - Cheryl Lynn (disco)
9) High Energy - Evelyn Thomas (disco)
10) Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond (party classics)
11) Give Me Everything Tonight - Pitbull f/Ne-Yo, Nayer and Afrojack (dance)
12) Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan (dance)
13) Favorite DJ (Disco Fries Remix) - Clinton Sparks f/Jermaine Dupri (dance)
14) I'm Still Hot - Luciana (dance)
15) What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas - DJ Chuckie (electro)
16) The Cupid Shuffle - Cupid (line dance)
17) Wanna Be Startin' Something - Michael Jackson (dance)
18) New Years Day - U2 (80s rock)
19) Set It Off - Strafe (early 80s dance jam)
20) Paris - Jay-Z and Kanye West (hip hop)
21) Love in this Club - Usher f/Young Jeezy (hip hop/R&B)
22) Cut the Lights - Chris Reeder and DJ Skribble (dance)
23) Levels - Avicii (electro)
24) Resurrection - PPK (trance)
25) You Make Me Feel Brand New - The Stylistics (R&B)

7 "Chill" Tracks For the Afterparty

1) Rapture (Avicii New Generation mix) - Nadia Ali (electronic)
2) Carbonated - Mt. Kimbie (dubstep)
3) Purple Rain - Prince (80s)
4) Becoming X - Sneaker Pimps (downtempo)
5) Gold for the Price of Silver - Kings of Convenience (Chillout)
6) Dirty Laundry (Tom Middleton's Balearic Mix) - Bitter:Sweet (Chillout)
7) Lick It (Kaskade's Ice Mix) - Kaskade and Skrillex (downtempo)

Happy New Year everybody! Dance up a storm, party safe, and see you in 2012!

Musically yours,

DJ Gregg Ambient

For more ideas, view my top 50 dance tracks of 2011 that can be viewed by clicking here.

Twitter - The Best of 2011

2011-12-27T17:10:00.000-08:00

To tweet or not to tweet, that is the question!

Ambient DJ Service (Twitter Handle @AmbientDJs) tweeted heavily in 2011. We fired off some 4,000 tweets (messages) during the year. Many of these messages were links to blog entries while others were shout-outs to our favorite Twitter users. Our most popular days to Tweet were on #MusicMonday and #WeddingWednesday.

I confess that when learning about Twitter a couple of years ago, I though that the concept was stupid. How much information could be shared in the 140 character limit? Did I really want to read drivel from the likes of Paris Hilton tweeting "Poppin' bottles at Pure with the Kardashians..." Well, after giving Twitter a try, I came to love its rhythm, which is very different from Facebook or email. Limited to 140 characters, the author of a tweet must distill a message to its very essence.

During the year, I purchased goods and services from businesses discovered via Twitter. Similarly, Ambient DJ Service booked more than a few private events and weddings from those who got to know us on Twitter. Importantly, Twitter helps to promote "top of mind awareness."

Listed below are 50 of our favorite Twitter Users of 2011. To make the list, users had to exhibit some combination of the following characteristics:

1) Presence - did they Tweet often enough for us to notice?

2) Content - were their Tweets interesting, informative or creative?

3) Interactive - did they take the time to respond to our Tweets or re-tweet our content?

In drumroll fashion, here is the Best of Twitter 2011 list! We have listed the Twitter handle followed by a category, and a quick summary.

@JerseyGoods (New Jersey) - Knowledgeable on wide range of NJ topics, great re-tweeter!

@AndrewDarlow (Photography) - Posts great technical tips, and shares awesome content.

@WedOnWheels (Weddings) - South Jersey-based wedding officiant with prolific Tweet action.

@FavorsByDorinda (Weddings) - Well-connected wedding favor pro who is quick to re-tweet (RT). Also check out Dorinda's daughter Alyssa's Twitter account @Thx4Noticing Me (Social Media).

@njwedding (Weddings) - Erik Kent, head of njwedding.com, has his finger on the pulse of the New Jersey wedding industry, shares great information, and will RT quality content.

@WeddingWireEdu (Weddings) - Great source of business tips for wedding pros.

@Al_Ojeda_Photo (Weddings) - Al and Ida are great wedding photographers who love social media.

@CardBoxDiva (Weddings) - Marni Gold designs creative card boxes & loves to Tweet and RT.

@MondayFlowers (Weddings/Floral) - Georgianne V. frequently tweets about weddings & Princeton.

@NassauInn (Weddings/Hotels/Princeton) - loves to Tweet on Princeton history, weddings and food.

@SheratonNJShore (Weddings/Hotels) - one of the most engaging banquet hall Tweeps.

@CruiseDivaNJ (Travel/Princeton) - Stacey K. posts great travel tips.

@LisaPhoto2_0 (Weddings/Social Media) - Lisa provides more shout-outs than a DJ!

@WeddingQuestion (Weddings) - learn the ins and outs of wedding etiquette.

@njwedofficiant (Weddings) - Celia Milton never forgets her Wedding Wednesday shout-outs!
@WeddingMusicPro (Weddings) - Gloria and Barbara are great resources for wedding music.

@PRforSmallBiz (Public Relations/Business) - Karina Alvela offers great tips for small business.

@JonMoore (Music Promotion) - Super Promoter Jon Moore helps DJs stay on the cutting edge.

@WehringerandCo (Social Media) - Tracy W. is generous to share tips and give RTs and +ks.

@PhillyCyberGeek (Social Media) - His geekery will improve your results from Social Media.

@RuhaniRabin (Social Media) - Celebrity Tweeter with great lists and tips.

@ScreaminLunatic (Weddings/Social Media) - An edgy and prolific Tweep who makes you think.

@MrsMoNJ (Public Relations/Princeton) - Well-connected Princeton-area Hilary Morris.

@SocialSavvyGeek (Social Media) - Informative articles on timely social media topics.

@kdevito (Social Media/Princeton) - Well-connected Princeton-area Katie DeVito.

@PREXMusic (Record Stores/Princeton) - The Princeton Record Exchange tweets about music.

@PrincetonAds (Princeton) - Interesting posts, frequent re-tweeter, and great website for free local classified ads.

@DJTimesMag (DJs) - The world's best DJ magazine.

@RollingStone (Music) - Read the stories behind the music. Great lists!

@AmazonMP3 (Music) - Watch their Tweets for mind-bending bargains.

@KarlDetkenProDJ (DJs) - His Twitter graphic alone is worth the price of admission. Great info on digital DJing.

@DJSkribble (DJs) - A DJ celebrity who is not afraid to interact with his fans. Respect!

@DJShiftee (DJ/turntablism/dubstep) - Shiftee shares free mixes and informative blogs. Get it.

@Nigel611 (DJs/Philadelphia/Real Estate) - Nigel knows techno, and Nigel knows Philly.

@DJCassidy (Celebrity DJ) - See which celebrity DJ Cassidy is rubbing elbows with this weekend.

@PhillyGG (Philadelphia/Music/Current Events). A witty Tweeter with personality-plus.

@cmcandela (TV/Pop Culture) - prolific & fascinating Tweep who even Tweeted from her own wedding!

@80sMusicGirl (Music) - If 80s music is your guilty pleasure, then follow.

@BalloonsByRenee (Parties/Inspiration) - This fast-paced Manhattan Tweep always has your back.

@SorayaAgency (Bellydancing) - Soraya is not only a professional dancer, but a super-courteous Tweep!

@GSLDJs (DJs) - Get inside the mind of DJ Greg Nice with his rapid-fire, late night Tweets!

@DJChrisAtwood (DJs) - Follow the adventures of DJ Chris Atwood on Twitter #tigerblood

@TonyTeeNeto (DJs) - Voice-over artist, wedding DJ, business guru and quick to RT quality content.

@JasonJani (DJs/Social Media) - Follow the moves of the head honcho of SCE Event Group.

@HurricaneDJs (DJs/Social Media) - Pioneers of the "new school" DJ movement in performance and marketing

@Manta (Business) - Posts frequent short, inspirational blogs to super-charge your business.

@8pmWarrior (Business) - Thought-provoking tweets on leadership, business, social media.

@Gitomer (Sales) - The King of Sales shares his success secrets.

@Humblebrag (Comedy) - profiles mostly celebrities who disguise boasts in a humble manner.

@BestWorstAdvice (Comedy) - outrageous posts that will make you laugh (or cry).

To follow any of these great Twitter personalities, type in www.twitter.com/ACCOUNTNAME. For example, www.twitter.com/DJTimesMag. Please follow Ambient DJ Service on Twitter by clicking here, and follow us on Facebook by clicking here.

Happy Holidays from DJ Gregg Ambient

2011-12-16T12:52:00.000-08:00

Each year I enjoy recording a holiday compilation (unmixed) of favorite tracks. This year's project is called "Switch the Style Up" which is a double-entendre. First, this phrase is popular in hip hop parlance. Second, the compilation features a wide range of styles as seen below. If you are interested in receiving a free copy of the compilation, please send an email to info@ambientdj.com. For those friends and wedding vendors who have been good boys and girls this year, keep an eye on your mailboxes!

TRACK LIST AND LINER NOTES

It would have been easy to throw together the hottest dance songs on the radio and call it a day. Instead, I selected tracks from many different genres - old and new - most of these songs have, or will stand the test of time due to their quality. The compilation starts on a mellow note, with the energy building up throughout. Enjoy!

Marooned - Pink Floyd (Psychedelic Rock). A mysterious start to any holiday listener.

Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop - Landon Pigg (Acoustic Rock). A mellow, romantic track used for a Brooklyn hipster wedding in the DUMBO neighborhood.

Pumped Kicks - Foster the People (Alternative Rock). Enjoy this catchy track by a break-through artist.

Rolling in the Deep - Adele (Retro Soul). Adele’s voice is huge and soulful.

I Can’t Help It - Michael Jackson (R&B) - Written by Stevie Wonder and Susaye Green of the Supremes, this little known track from the Off the Wall album is wonderful.

Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - Marvin Gaye (Soul). While a protest song, Gaye still makes the song sound beautiful, and I love the sax solo.

Body & Soul - Tony Bennett with Amy Winehouse (Crooners & Chanteuses). Sadly this was the last song that Winehouse recorded before her untimely death. Notice that when Tony & Amy harmonize, Amy takes the lower notes with her sultry voice.

Feeling Good - Michael Buble (Crooners) - Michael Buble was blessed with a perfect voice and is also a great entertainer. Check out the Youtube video where at a concert Buble is heckled by a mother who wants her son to sing onstage. Buble plays along, cues up this song, and the results may surprise you!

Bossa Nova U.S.A. - Dave Brubeck (Jazz). Brubeck, now in his early 90s, is one of my favorite jazz pianists.

Spring - Ursula Rucker (electronica) - Philadelphia-based Rucker, best known for her poetry and political activism, showcases her vocal abilities in this moody electronic soundscape.

Dirty Laundry (Tom Middleton’s Balearic Mix) - Bitter:Sweet (Downtempo/Electronica). The classically-trained DJ/producer Tom Middleton is an all-time favorite, producing lush electronic soundscapes such as this.

Waiting in Vain - Bob Marley (reggae). One of Marley’s lesser known tracks, it is among his best.

Come See About Me - Diana Ross & the Supremes (Motown). Fun Motown track.

You Make My Dreams - Hall & Oates (80s). Hall & Oates are perhaps my favorite 80s act, and this track is a great party starter!

La Vida Es Un Carnaval - Celia Cruz (Salsa). The Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz, was a major talent. Coincidentally, I performed at a party this past year where the client was the doctor who treated Celia Cruz in her final years here in the U.S.

Audio Drop - Luciana. Thank you to LA-Based “Super Promoter Extraordinaire Jon Moore” for having Luciana record this drop for me!

I’m Still Hot - Luciana (dance) - “I’ll rock your world... like a DJ”.. thanks Luciana for shouting-out the DJ!

Walking on a Dream - Empire of the Sun (dance). This catchy song was featured in the movie “Hall Pass”

We Found Love - Rihanna f/Calvin Harris (dance). Euphoric peak hour jam with Rihanna’s high-def vocals.

Sayonara - Ryuichi Sakamoto (international). Sayonara of course is the Japanese word for “goodbye”... so goodbye until we meet again in 2012!

To check out DJ Gregg Ambient's Top 50 Dance Tracks of 2011, click here.

Musically yours,

Gregg Hollmann, aka DJ Gregg Ambient
Ambient DJ Service
www.ambientdj.com

DJ Gregg Ambient's Top 50 Dance Songs of 2011

2011-12-14T09:34:00.000-08:00

Greetings party people! From a musical perspective, 2011 was an interesting year. Electronic styles became increasingly popular at the expense of hip hop. Artists like David Guetta fused the two, using R&B vocalists (like Usher) or rap artists (like Nicki Minaj) over his high energy Euro-beats. Here are the Top 50 tracks that kept my dancefloors movin' and groovin' throughout the year.

In countdown fashion, drumroll please....

50. The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie - Red Hot Chili Peppers (rock)
49. Under the Cover of Darkness - The Strokes (alternative)
48. The Show Goes On - Lupe Fiasco (hip hop)
47. Sugar Sweet (Shiftee Remix) - Aurora Young (electronic)
46. Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win - The Beastie Boys w/Santigold (hip hop)
45. Lotus Flower - Radiohead (alternative)
44. Animals - Neon Trees (rock)
43. Sofi Needs a Ladder - DeadMau5 (techno) Featured in the Hangover 2.
42. Where Them Girls At - David Guetta w/Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj (dance)
41. Raise Your Glass - Pink (pop)
40. S&M - Rihanna (dance)
39. When a Woman Loves - R. Kelly (R&B)
38. Okay (Rum & Red Bull) - Beenie Man (reggae)
37. John - Lil Wayne w/Rick Ross (hip hop)... Ross' grunts and chirps prevailed in 2011!
36. Coma Cat - Tensnake (disco house)
35. Blow - Ke$ha (pop)
34. Take Over Control - Afrojack w/Eva Simons (electro)
33. Levels - Avicii (electro)
32. We Found Love - Rihanna f/Calvin Harris (dance)
31. Don't Wanna Go Home - Jason DeRulo (dance)
30. Teach Me How to Dougie - Cali Swag District (hip hop)
29. Loca - Shakira f/Dizzee Rascal (Latin)
28. Tonight Tonight - Hot Chelle Rae (pop)
27. Barbara Streisand - Duck Sauce (dance)
26. You Make Me Feel - Cobra Starship f/Sabi (dance)
25. Yeah (3x) - Chris Brown (dance)
24. Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People (alternative)
23. Forget You - Cee Lo Green (party jam)
22. We No Speak Americano - Yolanda f/D-Cup (dance)
21. Hello - Martin Solveig f/Dragonette (dance)
20. Turbulence - Steve Aoki f/Lil Jon and Laidback Luke (electro)
19. Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 w/Christina Aguilera (pop)
18. Someone to Love Me (Naked) - Mary J. Blige w/Diddy and Lil Wayne (R&B)
17. Monster - Jay-Z, Kanye West, Rick Ross & Nicki Minaj (hip hop)
16. Beautiful People (Disco Fries Remix) - Chris Brown (dance)
15. Stereo Love - Edward Maya f/Vika Jigulina (dance)
14. Teenage Dream - Katy Perry (pop)
13. The Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga (dance) (rest in peace Clarence Clemons)
12. On the Floor - Jennifer Lopez f/Pitbull (dance)
11. Favorite DJ (Disco Fries Remix) - Clinton Sparks w/Jermaine Dupri (dance)
10. Time (the Dirty Bit) - The Black Eyed Peas (dance)
9. Cinema (Skrillex Remix) - Benny Benassi (dubstep)
8. Down on Me - Jeremih f/50 Cent (R&B)
7. No Hands - Waka Flocka Flame (hip hop)
6. Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan (dance)
5. Danza Kuduro - Don Omar (Latin)
4. Paris - Jay-Z and Kanye West (hip hop)
3. Rolling in the Deep - Adele (Retro Soul)
2. Give Me Everything Tonight - Pitbull f/Ne-Yo, Nayer and Afrojack (dance)
1. Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO (heavily requested throughout the year. The group's "I'm Sexy and I Know It" has huge potential to chart in the Top 10 for 2012.

ABOUT DJ GREGG AMBIENT

Gregg is the President of Ambient DJ Service, an award-winning mobile DJ company based in Central New Jersey. He enjoys performing at a variety of events ranging from Sweet 16s, to weddings, to bar/club engagments... and likes his dance floors HOT. He also spins music videos. To review DJ Gregg Ambient's top 50 dance songs of 2010, click here.

To review his top hits of the 1990s, click here.
To review his top picks of the 1980s, click here.
To review his top Motown dance picks, click here.
To review his favorite Old Skool hip hop tracks, click here.

To learn more about Ambient DJ Service, please visit our website at www.ambientdj.com

To view Gregg's bio, as well as the other Ambient DJ music mixologists, click here.

Invitation to Ryan's Quest "Black & White" Dinner Dance Fundraiser

2011-12-13T05:09:00.000-08:00

Ticket sales are now underway for the Ryan's Quest in "Black & White" Semi-Formal Dinner/Dance scheduled for Saturday February 11, 2012 at The Westin in the Princeton Forrestal Village. Guests will enjoy a Land/Sea Duet Dinner, 5 Hour Open Bar, Photo Booth, Live Music (DJ and band) and Silent Auction.

This year's event also includes an exciting contest called "Ryan's Quest Most Loved Cake of 2012." Guests, and esteemed food critics alike, will determine the winner from among the 20 entries! Vincent Buzzetta, aka "Vinny," from the reality show "Staten Island Cakes" on WE TV, will be among the judges!

Tickets can be purchased online through the Ryan's Quest website at www.ryansquest.org (click on 'Upcoming Events') for $125 per person. There are a limited number of remaining tickets available. Falling close to Valentine's Day, this event is a great way to enjoy a night out on the town with somebody special!

Ambient DJ Service is proud to be among a list of providers donating their services for this important cause. Net proceeds from the event will go towards finding a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). DMD is the most common genetic disorder found in children, afflicts only boys, and currently has a 100% fatality rate. David and Maria Schultz founded Ryan's Quest in the hope of raising funds to find a cure for their son Ryan and the thousands of other boys diagnosed with Duchenne who find themselves in a race against the clock.

To learn more about Ryan and the quest to save his life from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), click here. We hope that you can join us for this very fun evening that also benefits a wonderful cause! For those of you who cannot attend the event, please consider joining the mailing list to learn about future events or to make a donation. Thank you!

Ambient DJ Service Joins Vendor Partnership Program with David's Bridal, Lawrenceville

2011-12-12T18:52:00.000-08:00

Ambient DJ Service is pleased to announce that it has joined the Vendor Partnership Program at the just-opened David's Bridal store located in Lawrenceville, NJ. This beautiful new store is strategically located on Route 1 South, directly across from Quakerbridge Mall. Ambient DJ is honored to have been invited to participate in this program, and during the term of the licensing agreement will be the exclusive DJ entertainment company promoting its services at the Lawrenceville store.

David's Bridal, Inc. is a privately-held retail chain specializing in in bridal gowns. Based in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, David's Bridal offers a wide range of bridal gowns and wedding party dresses which are high on fashion and aesthetic designs. Founded in 1950 as a small bridal salon in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, David's Bridal has evolved as one of the preferred shopping destination for brides-to be in America with over 300 stores located across the US and in Puerto Rico. David's Bridal carries an exciting line of bridal fashions, including lines by Vera Wang and Oleg Cassini.

Ambient DJs' President Gregg Hollmann stated, "We are excited to align our company with one of the top brands in the wedding industry. With a 38% national market share, many brides-to-be will visit a David's Bridal store early in their research process, affording us a great opportunity to introduce them to the Ambient DJ brand. The icing on the cake is that we will have the opportunity to market our services in the store on a regular basis. In effect, this program has characteristics of a year-round bridal show. The store offers a convenient, top-notch location in a shopping center with roadside frontage on the very well-traveled Route 1. We look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with David's Bridal and the staff at the Lawrenceville store."

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

Ambient DJ Service is a boutique-style mobile DJ company that provides customized music and entertainment throughout New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and New York City. Ambient DJ Service is a consecutive year winner of the WeddingWire Bride's Choice Award and has been featured in DJ Times Magazine. To learn more about our services, visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com.

Let Us Entertain You!

READY, SET, SHOP!

For those brides ready to begin the search for their perfect dress, here is the information for the new store:

3321 Brunswick Pike (Route 1 South)

Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

Store: 609-216-7323, Alteration: 609-681-2165

Regular Store Hours:

M-F: 11:00AM - 9:00PM

Sat: 10:00AM - 7:00PM

Sun: 12:00PM - 6:00PM

Book Review "If your website was an employee would you fire it?"

2011-12-05T09:30:00.001-08:00

At last month's meeting of the New Jersey Disc Jockey Network (NJDJN), I had the pleasure of hearing Alan Berg give a presentation about providing great customer service in the wedding industry. Afterwards I purchased a copy of Alan's recent book "If your website was an employee would you fire it? 5 things you wish you knew before you made your website... and how to fix them."

For those of you unfamiliar with Alan Berg, he is a highly-regarded sales and marketing consultant specializing in the small business space, and the wedding industry in particular. A great consultant makes you think. In any profession, there is a tendency to get bogged down in daily operations and to lose sight of the forest for the trees. Berg's book, at a concise 128 pages, is like a powerful dose of smelling salts, to get a business owner re-focused on what makes an effective website.

The five questions explore by the author are:

1) Who is Your Site's Audience?

2) How Will You Get People to Your Website?

3) What Do Your Customers Want to See and Do on Your Website?

4) What Do You Want Your Customers to See and Do on Your Website, and

5) How Often Will They, or Should They, Return to Your Site?

Berg does a great job in cutting to the chase, and providing real-life case studies, both in the wedding industry in the world of Fortune 500 companies (e.g., Best Buy). A few great lessons learned from the book include:

A website should speak directly to its target audience. To do this, a business owner should define a detailed customer "persona" or perhaps multiple personas if servicing different segments. When multiple personas prevail, you should market to each segment separately and consider using landing pages (or separate websites) to get the visitor to the most relevant content. In other words, avoid trying to be all things to all people.

Give your Site Visitors Something to Aspire to. Berg writes that "Most advertising is aspirational: It makes us aspire to be like the people we see in the ads who are using a particular product or brand." This discussion was thought-provoking and really got me thinking about what specific images should be incorporated into our website. Who is the "typical" Ambient DJ bride? Berg also addresses the question about whether a business owner should include photos of him or herself on a website, and the answer may surprise you!

In evaluating prospective advertising programs, revenue per click is a far more relevant metric than cost per click. As Berg reminds us "Advertising is not about costs; it's about the return on your investment." High profile/cost advertising programs are not necessarily bad, nor are inexpensive advertising programs necessarily good.

Talk To Your Audience About Them, Not About You. Disc jockeys in particular love to talk about themselves! Berg once again pulls out the smelling salts and reminds us that the website is about them (the customer) and not about you (the service provider!). Does the copy on your website follow this common sense principle?

Incorporate More Calls to Action. Each page on your website should have a call to action. This can be done with variety and in good taste. These calls to action can increase the probability that a customer will contact you and not leave your site (to a competitor's).

Overall, we would highly recommend this book to any small business owner looking to run a diagnostic test on their existing website. From our perspective, it was a timely read as our company is poised to launch www.ambientdj.com (version 3.0) later this month. There are many actionable ideas from the book that we are planning to incorporate. If we gain just one additional client from these ideas, then we will have earned a stratospheric ROI from this book purchase! For those of you interested in purchasing a copy (also available in digital version for Kindle), you can visit www.AlanBerg.com.

The Best First Dance Songs for a Wedding

2011-11-29T13:01:00.001-08:00

Congratulations on your engagement! One of the key decisions of the wedding reception will be the song for your traditional first dance together as husband and wife. For some couples, the decision will decision will be easy, as this will be a song that has a special meaning in your relationship. For example, the song that was on the radio during your first kiss; or the song that was playing when you proposed at the Pearl Jam concert. When the choice is not so obvious, you will need to conduct research to find a song with the perfect mood, lyrics and tempo for that magical moment.

Your Special Moment (Photo Courtesy of Al Ojeda Photography)

Browsing the internet, there are many contrived lists of suggested special songs for weddings that were clearly not compiled by wedding professionals. These lists may feature songs that are hard to dance to; or worse, contain inappropriate lyrics (e.g., a song about a bittersweet romance). Below are listed 50 danceable songs with uplifting lyrics to consider for a bride and groom's first dance. These tracks span various genres; and importantly, have been used at real weddings!

The first 25 tracks are Modern or Alternative Tracks, while the second 25 are traditional and timeless selections!

25 Modern or Alternative First Dance Songs

You Are the Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne
Crash Into Me - Dave Matthews Band
In a Little While - U2
Marry Me - Train
I’m Yours - Jason Mraz
I Do - Colbie Caillat
Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars
Desire - Ryan Adams
Do You Realize - The Flaming Lips
Fade Into You - Mazzy Star
I Only Have Eyes for You - Jamie Cullum
First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes
Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop - Landon Pigg
Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron & Wine (from the movie Twilight)
The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson
True Companion - Marc Cohn
Angel - Robin Thicke (don’t let the fact that Kim Kardashian used the song discourage you!)
By Your Side - Sade
Stay With You - John Legend
Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not - Thompson Square
All That You’ll Be - Emma Bunton
Slave to Love - Bryan Ferry
Lovesong - The Cure, 311 or Adele
Come Away With Me - Norah Jones
Make a Memory - Bon Jovi

25 Traditional and Timeless First Dance Songs

When a Man Loves a Woman - Percy Sledge
You Make Me Feel Brand New - The Stylistics
These Arms of Mine - Otis Redding
It Had To Be You - Harry Connick, Jr.
The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett
At Last - Etta James
Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers
We Have All the Time in the World - Louis Armstrong
Can’t Help Falling In Love (With You) - Elvis Presley
I Will - The Beatles
Bless the Broken Road - Rascal Flatts
Amazed - Lonestar
From This Moment - Shania Twain w/Bryan White
It’s Your Love - Tim McGraw and Faith Fill
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Marcia Griffiths
Saving All My Love For You - Whitney Houston
Heaven - Bryan Adams
Don't Want To Miss a Thing - Aerosmith
Always and Forever - Heatwave
How Deep is Your Love - The Bee-Gees
Through the Fire - Chaka Khan
My Cherie Amour - Stevie Wonder
Beautiful in My Eyes - Joshua Kadison
Crazy for You - Madonna
Someone Like You - Van Morrison

What songs would you add to these lists? (Please comment below, and check out my comment with reader suggestions from social media responders!).

Should You Be Bound by Lyrics?

There is divided thought on this topic, but what should you do if you love the mood and general sentiments of a song, but there are several lyrics that do not apply to your love story, or may be bittersweet? Our thought is to let the mood of the song prevail, and be permissive with lyrics. For example, Adele's "Make You Feel My Love" contains a lyric about rejection, but otherwise is overwhelmingly about the power of love. We say 'yes.' Of course, her "Someone Like You" would be wildly inappropriate, as it is a breakup song. One final scenario is those couples who traveled a long and winding road to the wedding altar - where a song such as Rascal Flatts' "Bless the Broken Road" would be a great selection.

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

Ambient DJ Service is an award-winning mobile DJ entertainment company based in Central NJ and specializing in weddings. To learn more about our services, visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com. We look forward to seeing you on the dancefloor!

Gig Log - WWPHS 10 Year Class Reunion - Nassau Inn

2011-11-27T22:36:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving weekend is a great time to throw a class reunion as guests are in full party mode with the long weekend. This past Friday, Ambient DJ Service had the pleasure of performing at the West Windsor Plainsboro High School Class of 2001- 10 Year Reunion party held at the Nassau Inn in Princeton, NJ. We were retained by Princeton-based event planner Dharmi Shah of Evenings of Elegance.

The party was held from 8 PM - 11 PM in the elegant Prince William Room located on the ground level. Coincidentally, the party coincided with the lighting of the tree in Palmer Square, located directly in front of the Nassau Inn. The area was abuzz with activity, and it was a wise decision to arrive very early for load-in and set-up.

For the event, Ambient DJ uplit the room in blue. In addition, we also provided a 42 inch plasma television to display a video slideshow set on a loop. DJ Gregg Ambient presided on the wheels of steel, spinning a variety of 90s hip hop and current dance music. Class reunions do not necessarily feature dancing, since classmates are often engrossed in conversation. Fortunately, the WWPHS Class of 2001 was in a festive mood and hit the dancefloor in the final hour!

Photo Courtesy of Michael Gonzalez (aka Memphis VK)

Rounding out the entertainment, Boardwalk Photo Booth provided a cool photo booth service with a fun prop bin, that became increasingly popular through the evening. Photographer Michael Gonzalez worked the room, providing many candid photos.

Ironically, this particular class was the first to enjoy their junior prom at the Camden Aquarium, an event that I have been performing at for the past two years. Perhaps I will have the opportunity to DJ for these graduates in the years to come!

Congratulations to the organizers for what apparently was the best-ever attended WWPHS reunion! We've said it before and we'll say it again - the Nassau Inn is the top venue in Princeton for weddings and events, and truly captures the downtown Princeton-feel. In an industry plagued by turnover, the Nassau Inn has a great continuity of staff and it great to see the same faces year after year. To read our list of the top 15 wedding venues in New Jersey, click here.

Guest DJ Dharmi Shah of Evenings of Elegance!

Photo Courtesy of Michael Gonzalez (Memphis VK)

Gig Log - Amanda & Ryan - Water's Edge in Sea Bright, NJ

2011-11-27T21:36:00.001-08:00

On November 19th, Ambient DJ Service had the pleasure of providing music and entertainment for Amanda and Ryan's wedding reception at Water's Edge in Sea Bright, NJ. We were introduced to this great couple through Joseph K. Brown of Joseph K. Brown Photography. Joe is one of our recommended vendors and also did the Ambient DJ 2011 corporate photo shoot!

Amanda and Ryan were seeking a cheese-free, high energy dance party among family and friends. Specifically, we provided music for the onsite ceremony, cocktail hour and reception party. Water's Edge has a distinctive ballroom, with the sweetheart table located in front of large circular window with an oceanfront view. We uplit this alcove in red, complementing the black and white color scheme and red flowers. We also backlit our DJ facade in red. One wall of the dancefloor was mirrored, reminiscent of the climactic scene of Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon."

What really stood out about Amanda & Ryan's wedding reception was the consistent dancefloor action that began during appetizers, and grew into a frenzied scene in the final hour. At the bride's request, we dimmed the lights and pumped up the volume. What an awesome group of party people - this wedding reception will surely rank in our annual Top Ten Best Parties list!

Thank you to assistant Garrett Bargiacchi for a job well done in easing the demanding logistics of the setup. Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Granato!

Key Tracks:
Give Me Everything Tonight - Pitbull f/Ne-Yo and Nayer (Grand Entrance of Bridal Party)
Let Me Clear My Throat - DJ Kool (Grand Entrance of Bride & Groom)
It's Your Love - Tim McGraw (First Dance)
I Wanna Grow Old With You - Adam Sandler (Cakecutting)
Pretty Girl Rock - Kerri Hilson (bouquet toss)
Bring Em' Out - T.I. (garter toss)
Ole - Bouncing Souls
Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan
Shots Through the Heart (mashup) - Bon Jovi versus LMFAO
The Black Velvet Band - The Irish Rovers
Duke of Earl - Gene Chandler
We Belong Together - Los Lobos
Time of Your Life - Green Day (closing song)

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

How DJs Should Use Craigslist

2011-11-27T10:52:00.001-08:00

Craigslist (www.craigslist.org) is a centralized network of online communities featuring free online classified advertisements, with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, résumés, and discussion forums. It was launched in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1995 by Craig Newmark.

The early years of Craigslist - before hitting the mainstream consciousness - featured a network of cool, artistic types. Most East Coast DJs were still unaware of CraigsList, and if somebody posted "DJ Wanted," there was a good chance that you could score the job and be compensated at your customary rates. Weddings and corporate events were all possible through CraigsList!

However, the site eventually devolved into a tacky online flea market of bargain-hunters and a horde of discount DJs happy to oblige this new clientele. As an example, a user on CraigsList would post something like "Experienced DJ Needed for Anniversary Party. Must have references and provide demo CD. Compensation - $0. Free drinks and food!" We have not browsed the CraigsList classified in years, but from what we hear, the number of quality jobs posted is few, with competition fierce for these scarce leads.

An alternative CraigsList strategy adopted by some DJs has been to post "DJ For Hire" in the classified section. Particularly if posted repetitively (at no cost), this could result in brand awareness among CraigsList shoppers. The bigger question however is, "Are CraigsList shoppers your target market?" In the case of Ambient DJ Service, the answer is a resounding 'no'.

How DJs Should Use CraigsList

CraigsList is a great tool for recruiting and networking with fellow DJs. In 2007, our company added its second system, taking the step from single-operator to multi-system operator. That hire, discovered through a CraigsList ad, DJ Iron Mike, has proven to be a smashing success. Through Mike, I was introduced to his friend Christopher Smith (DJ Spinz) who also proved to be highly successful in the Ambient DJ roster. DJ Gary G, another CraigsList contact, became a friend and enlightened us on profitable internet marketing strategies - also becoming a great referral source. Gary introduced us to his mentor DJ Brett Gash, "the Godfather of East Windsor DJs" who has become a great friend and source of referrals.

Fast-forwarding to 2011, we now periodically post in the Jobs Section for entry level disc jockeys. The ads always produce a large and qualified group of respondents who we can weed out in search of our next great DJ! Best of all, there is no charge to place a classified ad.

The moral of the story is that CraigsList, if used properly by a mobile DJ company, can produce extraordinary profits. But it will not be via responding to "DJ Wanted" ads. In the case of Ambient DJ Service, CraigsList helped us to find the right staff, opened doors, and set us on a course of "one thing leads to another." For that, we dedicate this next song to CraigsList and thank you!

Postlude: And as DJ Iron Mike just reminded me, two of our cast members, DJ Extreme and Larry Sargent, also were discovered by the Craigslist relationship ripple effect!

Motown Dance Party - Our Favorite Songs

2011-11-11T11:55:00.001-08:00

In my mind, "Motown" has always been a genre of music - one associated with the 1960s, Detroit and artists like Stevie Wonder, the Temptations and The Four Tops. Of course, Motown is actually a record label that was founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. in 1960. The "Motown Sound" is a style of soul music with a distinct pop influence.

Motown is excellent party music and often works well in uniting guests of various ages on the dancefloor. Danceable, joyous and not too fast, the Motown Sound is a great way to jump start a dance party!

The Four Tops

Listed below are 30 of our favorite danceable Motown tracks, organized in chronological order. To be included on the list, the song must have been recorded on the Motown record label, or one of its affiliated labels such as Tamla Records or Gordy Records.

1) Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes (1961)
2) Do You Love Me - The Contours (1962)
3) Heatwave - Martha & The Vandellas (1963)
4) Baby I Need Your Loving - The Four Tops (1964)
5) Come See About Me - The Supremes (1964)
6) My Guy - Mary Wells (1964)
7) I Can't Help Myself (Sugarpie, Honeybunch) - The Four Tops (1965)
8) My Girl - The Temptations (1965)
9) Stop! In The Name of Love - The Supremes (1965)
10) Ain't Too Proud to Beg - The Temptations (1966)
11) Get Ready - The Temptations (1966)
12) Reach Out (I'll Be There) - The Four Tops (1966)
13) Uptight (Everything's Alright) - Stevie Wonder (1966)
14) You Can't Hurry Love - The Supremes (1966)
15) Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (1967)
16) For Once in My Life - Stevie Wonder (1968)
17) I Want You Back - The Jackson 5 (1969)
18) ABC - The Jackson 5 (1970)
19) Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Stevie Wonder (1970)
20) What's Going On - Marvin Gaye (1971)
21) Superstition - Stevie Wonder (1972)
22) Brick House - The Commodores (1977)
23) Got To Give It Up (Pt. I) - Marvin Gaye (1977)
24) Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder (1977)
25) Super Freak - Rick James (1981)
26) I Need Your Lovin' - Teena Marie (1981)
27) Let it Whip - The Dazz Band (1981)
28) All Night Long - Lionel Richie (1983)
29) Rhythm of the Night - DeBarge (1985)
30) Motown Philly - Boyz II Men (1991)

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

Ambient DJ Service is an award-winning mobile DJ entertainment company based in Central New Jersey. We enjoying spinning danceable music from all genres, and delighting our guests. To learn more about our services, please visit us online at www.ambientdj.com.

DJ Gregg Ambient's Playlist - November 2011

2011-11-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

Happy November! Found below is a countdown list of 30 hot tracks currently being featured in my sets around around the state of New Jersey. In past countdowns, I have separately broken out "throwbacks," but for this month decided to merge them into a single list. Myself, and other DJs, have noted the increasing popularity of dance music at the expense of hip hop, and the top ten hits reflect this trend. Dubstep has also hit the local palette, with entries by Skrillex at #20 and #17.

We welcome your comments and suggestions for other high-octane dance floor selections!

30) Malo - Avicii (electro)
29) Diet Original Don - Major Lazer (dancehall)
28) Sofi Needs a Ladder - DeadMau5 (electronic)
27) Perfume (Calvi y Neill Bouquet Remix) - BajoFondo Tango (international lounge)
26) Landing Boots - DJ Shiftee (downtempo lounge)
25) Dirty Laundry (Tom Middleton's Balearic Mix) - Bitter:Sweet (downtempo lounge)
24) Natural (Kaskade Roots Remix) - Afro-Mystik (house)
23) Aston Martin Music - Rick Ross f/Drake & Chrisette Michele (hip hop/R&B)
22) You Rock My World - Michael Jackson (throwback)
21) Insane in the Brain - Cypress Hill (throwback)
20) Lick It - Kaskade & Skrillex (dubstep)
19) I'm Still Hot - Luciana (dance)
18) The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie - Red Hot Chili Peppers (rock)
17) Cinema (Skrillex Remix) - Benny Benassi (dubstep)
16) Wobble - V.I.C. (hip hop)
15) Down on Me (Disco Fries RMX) - Jeremih (electro)
14) Come See About Me - The Supremes (Motown)
13) Rolling in the Deep - Adele (Retro-Soul)
12) You Make Me Feel - Cobra Starship f/Sabi (dance)
11) Danza Kuduro - Don Omar (Latin)
10) Now That We Found Love - Heavy D and the Boyz (throwback)
9) Give Me Everything Tonight - Pitbull f/Afrojack and Nayer (dance)
8) Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO (dance)
7) Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga (pop)
6) Turn Me On - David Guetta f/Nicki Minaj (dance)
5) Paris - Jay-Z and Kanye West (why? because it's provocative and gets the people going!) (hip hop)
4) Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 f/Christina Aguilera (dance)
3) Sexy and I Know It - LMFAO (dance)
2) Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan /(dance)
1) We Found Love - Rihanna f/Calvin Harris (dance)

To view DJ Gregg Ambient's Top Tracks of Early Fall 2011, click here.

To view DJ Gregg Ambient's Top 50 tracks of 2010, click here.

To see his favorite songs of the 1980s, click here. To view his favorite dance tracks of the 1990s, click here.

About DJ Gregg Ambient

Ambient DJs’ Founder and Owner, Gregg Hollmann, is known for his creative mixing and chameleon-like ability to play in different musical styles. His musical knowledge allows him to excel in environments ranging from elegant wedding receptions to convivial dance parties. A multi-faceted performer, Gregg also mixes music videos.

A graduate of the College of New Jersey, he holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration and has lived and worked abroad in Japan and the Philippines. He enjoys working with clients and personalizing events to their tastes. Gregg was the subject of a feature article in the January 2011 issue of DJ Times magazine titled 'DJ Takes Stock in Niche Wedding Market.'

To book DJ Gregg Ambient for your next party, visit the Ambient DJ Service website at www.ambientdj.com.

Tribute to Heavy D with 20 Favorite Heavy D Tracks

2011-11-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

In this article, DJ Iron Mike reflects on the untimely passing of Heavy D and lists 20 essential tracks by this talented artist. His final Tweet, posted just 21 hours ago, read "BE INSPIRED!"

Today, Hip-Hop lost one of its most legendary and charismatic performers. Dwight "Heavy D" Myers brought a fun, honest and energetic approach to rap music while maintaining street credibility and most importantly, being himself. I believe it was fellow golden age rapper MC Lyte who said that one of the best things about Heavy D was that you could listen to him in front of your parents and your parents would even began to like his music. No doubt influencing future rap heavyweights The Notorious B.I.G. and Big Punisher, Heavy D didn't poke fun at his size as did the also legendary Fat Boys, but glorified it in a way that could attract the ladies.

He leaves behind a memorable catalog of Hip-Hop classics and dance floor mainstays including the 1991 smash with his group Heavy D & The Boyz: "Now That We Found Love" which was immortalized in the popular Will Smith film "Hitch" as well as two versions of the theme to the wildly popular sketch comedy show "In Living Color." Flexing his diversity, Heavy also built a solid acting resume appearing in such films as Life and New Jersey Drive as well as prime time TV shows Living Single, Bones and Law & Order: SVU. Without further ado, here are my Top 20 Favorite tracks either by, or featuring Heavy D solo or with The Boyz. Pay homage, but most importantly, have fun. Heavy would've wanted it that way.

20. Jam w/ Michael Jackson (1991)
19. Next Stop Uptown w/ Various (1993)
18. My Love (Remix) w/ Mary J. Blige (1993)
17. I Miss You w/ Monifah (1995)
16. Is It Good To You (1991)
15. Keep It Comin' (1997)
14. If You Want it w/ The Lost Boyz & Soul 4 Real (1997)
13. Jam Session w/ Notorious B.I.G. & Troo Kulla (1993)
12. We Got Our Own Thang (1989)
11. Gyrlz They Love Me (1989)
10. Black Coffee (1994)
9. Now That We Found Love w/ Aaron Hall (1991)
8. Let's Get It On w/ Eddie F, 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G. & Grand Puba (1994)
7. Candy Rain w/ Soul 4 Real (Track Masters Remix) (1994)
6. Big Daddy (1997)
5. The Overweight Lover's In The House (1987)
4. Don't Curse w/ Big Daddy Kane, Q-Tip, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, Grand Puba & Kool G Rap (1991)
3.Mr. Big Stuff (Remix) (1987)
2.You Can't See What I Can See (1992)
1.Nuthin' But Love (1994)

For further information on the life and music of Heavy D, visit his Facebook Fan Page at http://www.facebook.com/officialheavyd

Ambient DJ Performs at Gala at Trenton War Memorial

2011-11-04T02:38:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday night, the eve of the unexpected October 29th snowstorm, DJ Gregg Ambient provided the musical backdrop for a Gala Fundraiser at the War Memorial / Patriots Theater in Trenton, NJ. Funds raised benefited the Children's Specialized Hospital Foundation. The Children's Specialized Hospital is the best and largest pediatric rehabilitation hospital in the United States, with nine locations in New Jersey.

The event, themed "Oh What a Night!" was structured into three segments: from 6 PM - 8 PM, guests enjoyed food and cocktails in an authentic Jersey Shore environment. The centerpiece of the room was a bar with a large replica of the distinctive Trenton Bridge built above it. The depth and attention to detail in the food and decor was truly impressive. From 8 PM - 10 PM, guests left the George Washington Ballroom to be entertained by a musical performance of the Midtown Men (with four of the original cast members of "Jersey Boys", the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons) in the Patriots Theater. After the show, guests enjoyed coffee and dessert back in the themed environment and learned the highest bidders in the Silent Auction.

View from the DJ booth

I was situated on the second floor of the George Washington Ballroom, with a bird's eye view of the themed room for the first and third segments of the evening. Musically, the goal was to compliment the decor and theme early on, and then keep guests energized later on playing a mix of styles. Unlike many fundraising events with abundant announcements, in this case announcements were minimal and guests were left to enjoy the evening. The other key factor was keeping the volume at an appropriate level. The acoustics of the room were good, with a sub-woofer utilized to fill up the low end of the spectrum.

Listed below are ten sample tracks selected to fit the theme:

Wildwood Days - Bobby Rydell

Sea Cruise - Johnny Rivers

Havin' a Party - Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes

Beggin' - Frankie Vallie & the Four Seasons

Walk Like a Man - Frankie Vallie & the Four Seasons

Working My Way Back to You - Frankie Vallie & the Four Seasons

This Magic Moment - Jay & the Americans

Under the Boardwalk - The Drifters

Jersey Girl (live version) - Bruce Springsteen

This Little Girl - Gary U.S. Bonds

Special thank you to Mary Harris Events for retaining our services for this event. Other top notch vendors at this successful fundraiser included Feastivities Catering, SnapShotz Photobooths and David Kelly Crow (photography and video).

Replica of the Trenton Bridge Built Over the Bar

Ursula Rucker - Where Poetry Meets Electronica

2011-10-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

I have long been fascinated with the Philadelphia electronica scene and its talented artist pool including names like Josh Wink, King Britt and Nigel Richards. I first became exposed to a talented Philadelphia artist of the spoken word, Ursula Rucker, in 2004 when listening to a smooth house track by Josh Wink called "Sixth Sense" off the album "The Ovum Fall Collection." Not only did this track feature an ultra-cool vibraphone, it had Ursula Rucker delivering poetic lines over the house beats, and I loved it!

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Rucker wrote poetry through her adolescence, but did not make her public debut until 1994. According to Wikipedia, "Rucker garnered a reputation for unique poetry techniques and stage presence which were described as "strong, vulnerable, wounded and raging". King Britt gave Rucker recognition and invited her to create her first spoken word recording, the 1994 club hit, "Supernatural". Dance music fans and DJ's quickly appreciated Rucker’s vocals and rhythm, which was described as "mystical.""

Rucker went on to collaborate with numerous recording artists and producers, most notably, The Roots. While I am not a huge poetry fan, I have always enjoyed Rucker's performances, particularly when delivered over the perfect electronic backdrop. This past week I have been enjoying a collection of her greatest hits covering a variety of styles and themes including love, hate, hypocrisy, politics, AIDS, secrets, erotica and humanity's darkest side (Song for Billy). I look forward to catching a live performance of Miss Rucker sometime in the not too distant future!

To preview and purchase the works of Ursula Rucker, visit this link on the iTunes music store http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ursula-rucker/id2933411

Sixth Sense (Booty in the Butta Mix) - Josh Wink ft. Ursula Rucker

Millenium Sanhedrin - A Guy Called Gerald ft. Ursula Rucker

Spring - Ursula Rucker

Guest Blogger "Bella Beatz" Picks 7 Soulful House Tracks

2011-10-27T14:31:00.000-07:00

Today we welcome guest blogger "Bella Beatz" to the Ambient DJ blog. Who is Bella Beatz you might ask? Well, Bella Beatz is a smart, sassy, music-loving party person. She also happens to be the fiancee of DJ Iron Mike, one of our company's music mixologists. Could we have a future DJ in our midst? I sure hope so!

7 Soulful House Selections
by Bella Beatz

Ms. Bella Beatz

Most people mistake house music to be solely the sound of something 'trance-like' or associate it with Jersey Shore. Furthermore, there are so many styles of 'house' music, making it very easy to get lost in the shuffle of what is what. To give a little background on why house music started, let's take a trip back to the 1980s.

House music originated in Chicago in the early 1980s and was initially geared towards the Latino and African-American communities. The base of this music was deeply tribal due to the elements of deep percussion and the ever-present African drums. House music is centered around a "four on the floor" rhythmic structure and is upbeat dance music, typically in the range of 117 to 130 beats per minute. Other features of house music may include a synthesized bassline, vocal samples, and effects such as reverbs, delays and filters. House music spread from Chicago to other major metropolitan areas of North America, before eventually crossing the pond to Europe, where it exploded in popularity and morphed into new genres of house music such as progressive, tribal, electro and deep house (to see a graphic visualization of the branches of electronic dance music, visit Ishkur's Guide to Electronic Dance Music here).

So what exactly is "soulful house music?" Well, it is just that. A touch of a little R&B voice, some funk, some soul and letting the bass kick and lock you into a groove. It is upbeat party music, very easy to dance to, with an 'old school' feel. House music is the perfect choice for those who love to dance but are looking for an alternative to hip-hop or pop music. I suggest that you check out a few examples of songs below. Of course, allow time for all of the elements of the song to develop and lock you into a groove!

Hugs & Kisses,

Bella XO

1. Pirahnahead feat. Eric King - Keep Lifting Me (Pirahnahead's Main Vocal)

2. Green Velvet ft. Russoul- Millie Vanillie

3. Beaten Soul feat. Selina Campbell - I'm Not Ashamed (Distant People Rmx)

4. DJ Garphie and Diviniti - Could You Be MIne (Pirahnahead Deep Soul Mix)

5. Black Motion Ft Xoli - Set me free (Deeper Mix)

6. Nastee Nev Feat. Donald Sheffey - I'm So Hung Up On You (0808 Sweet Soul Mix)

7. Liquideep - Angel (Vocal Mix)

Montgomery High School Homecoming Dance

2011-10-23T07:46:00.000-07:00

Ambient DJ Service was pleased to be invited back to Skillman, NJ to perform at Montgomery High School's Homecoming Dance this past Saturday night. The 350 or so students in attendance were in fine spirits with the Cougars' Friday night football victory! The cavernous Commons area was well-decorated by the students in a Candy Land theme.

Our package this year included an enhanced sound system (with sub-woofer), a deluxe lighting show and music video mixing on an 84 inch screen. For those clients who opt for our VJ package, we typically create custom title slides that can be shown on the big screen from time to time.

Within the high school music scene, there are three primary styles of music that tend to be requested:

a) pop rock - Katy Perry, Ke$ha, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, etc.

b) hip hop - Lil Wayne, Wacka Flocka Flame, 50 Cent, etc.; and
c) techno/electro/dubstep - Skrillex, Avicii, DeadMau5 and so forth (for those unfamiliar with dubstep, see our blog entry, "What is Dubstep?"

Most high school groups are primarily drawn to pop rock and hip hop, but there has clearly been in an increase in the techno/electro/dubstep category in the past year. Also, the Princeton/West Windsor/Skillman area in particular seems to have a penchant for the harder electronic styles.

This was a full-on dance party with few announcements, just one "line dance" and a packed dance floor from start to finish. Three or four ballads were sprinkled in throughout the evening to allow for slow dancing. Working solo, I had my hands full fielding a barrage of guest requests and working the audio/visuals.

Listed below are 10 Key Tracks for a Princeton-area Homecoming Dance:

1) I'm Sexy and I Know It - LMFAO (dance)
2) Cinema - Benny Benassi (Skrillex Remix) (dubstep)
3) Turbulence - Steve Aoki, Laidback Luke, Lil Jon (electro)
4) We Found Love - Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris (dance)
5) Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan (dance)
6) Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO (dance)
7) Flightless Bird, American Mouth (ballad) (from the movie Twilight)
8) Vanilla Twilight - Owl City (ballad)
9) Levels - Avicii (electro)
10) Look at Me Now - Chris Brown, feat. Busta Rhymes & Lil Wayne (hip hop)

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

Ambient DJ Service is a Central NJ-based mobile DJ entertainment company that provides sensational dance parties for events such as high school formals, Sweet 16s, weddings and corporate events. We always customize our music selections and presentations for your specific group. Visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/AmbientDJs

25 Songs for Your Halloween Dance Party

2011-10-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

Boo! There are just two weeks left until Halloween. For those planning Halloween parties and building playlists for your iPod, here are 25 creepy selections to create the perfect backdrop for your celebration. For added suspense, periodically play sound effects such as a creaking door, howling wind, roaring saw or a scream!

The tracks are listed in suggested order, from slow and creepy; then escalating to horrific and intense.

1. Toccata & Fugue - J.S. Bach (classical)
2. Tubular Bells - Mike Oldfield (soundtracks - from The Exorcist)
3. The Principles of Lust - Enigma (electronic/soundtracks - from Boxing Helena)
4. Wolfman is Everywhere - Tino (Dub)

5. Ghost Town - The Specials (ska)

6. Werewolves of London - Warren Zevon (party favorite)

7. Monster Mash - Manheim Steamroller (preferred artist) (party favorite)

8. Ghostbusters - Ray Parker, Jr. (80s/soundtracks)

9. The Freaks Come Out at Night - Whodini (80s)

10. Thriller - Michael Jackson (80s)
11. Bela Lugosi's Dead - Bauhaus (rock)
12. Change (in the House of Flies) - The Deftones (metal)
13. Enter Sandman - Metallica (metal)
14. Killer - The Disco Fries feat. Clinton Sparks (see attached video below)
15. Dragula - Rob Zombie (metal)
16. Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare All) - Type O Negative (metal)
17. Don't Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult (rock)
18. Monster - Kanye West, Rick Ross, Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj (hip hop)
19. Cowbell - DJ Shiftee (dubstep)
20. Rad Anthem - Rad Omen (electronica)
21. Don't Laugh - Josh Wink (techno)
22. Ghosts n' Stuff - DeadMau5 f/Rob Swire (techno)
23. Nightmare - Brainbug (techno)
24. Zombie Nation - Kernkraft 400 (techno)
25. Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites - Skrillex (dubstep)

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

Ambient DJ Service is an award-winning mobile DJ service based in Central New Jersey and providing service to eastern PA and Manhattan. For those of you who don't own iPods, or prefer to hire a professional DJ service, please visit us at www.ambientdj.com. We promise to get your adrenaline racing faster than a walk through a house of horrors!

Gig Log - Wedding at Barley Sheaf Farm - Holicong, PA

2011-10-17T09:36:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, I performed at Christina and Jeremiah's wedding reception at the rustic Barley Sheaf Farm in Holicong, PA - not far from New Hope, PA. An autumn wedding in this area can by idyllic, and this celebration lived up to that expectation with a gorgeous, comfortably cool early autumn day.

Barley Sheaf Farm is a charming compound that contains an Inn, a barn and other amenities. The Inn at Barley Sheaf Farm has been featured in prestigious publications such as The New Yorker, National Geographic Traveler, and The Robb Report. The Inn was formerly the home of Pulitzer Prize winning playwright George Kaufman. Colorful mums brightened the landscape.

Christina - from New Jersey, met Jeremiah while studying for her doctorate in the Chapel Hill, North Carolina area. Planning a wedding from out-of-state can be a challenge, but I met with the couple at Barley Sheaf earlier in the summer to review the logistics of their partially tented wedding (some tables were located inside the Inn while others were located on the patio underneath a tent).

I was located underneath the tent and kept the volume low through a gourmet dinner. The dance party kicked in hard for the final hours, and despite the falling temperatures, guests kept warm with a campfire in the backyard and a hot dance mix!

There were many special moments throughout the reception - a wonderful welcome toast by Mr. Dorio, and well-delivered, heartfelt toasts by the Maid of Honor Jen and the Best Man John later on. Special thanks to Joe from Joe Craig Photo and Fred from Barley Sheaf who were great professionals to work with in making this event a huge success.

Key Tracks -

At Last (I Found a Love) - Taj Mahal (Grand Entrance of the Bride and Groom)

I Was a Fool - Roman Dance (First Dance) (Roman Candle is a band from the Chapel Hill area)

Jump Jive and Wail - Brian Setzer Orchestra (an advanced swing dancing couple amazed guests)

Firecracker - Josh Turner (Cakecutting Song)

Hallelujah, I Love Her So - Ray Charles (Cocktail Hour)

Make You Feel My Love - Adele (Slow Dance)

Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley (Open Dancing)

Ignition (Remix) - R. Kelly (Open Dancing)

I Wanna Go - Britney Spears (Open Dancing)

Your Man - Josh Turner (final dance)

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

Ambient DJ Service is a boutique-style mobile DJ company that provides customized music and entertainment throughout New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and New York City. Ambient DJ Service is a consecutive year winner of the WeddingWire Bride's Choice Award and has been featured in DJ Times Magazine. To learn more about our services, visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com or our WeddingWire portal at www.weddingwire.com/ambientweddingdj

Tips for Making a Great Wedding Toast

2011-10-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

As Wedding Disc Jockeys, we have observed many wedding toasts. Unfortunately, many are haphazardly prepared and poorly delivered. Below we offer seven tips to maximize the success of your toast!

1) Make Your Toast an Appropriate Length - we recommend a toast of approximately 3 to 5 minutes. If multiple individuals are delivering toasts, then you might want to opt for the lower end of the range; if you are the only person toasting, then feel free to go a bit longer. Extremely short speeches show a lack of preparation and caring; extremely long toasts are often self-indulgent and inconsiderate to the guests/kitchen. Remember the quote from William Shakespeare's Hamlet that "Brevity is the Soul of Wit."

One of the most horrific toasts that we observed was delivered by a Maid of Honor and lasted for over 15 minutes, with guests eventually grumbling and tapping their glasses. The chef was livid, as his hot appetizer course grew cold in the kitchen.

2) It's a Toast, Not a Roast - While it's OK to poke some fun at the bride or groom, it should be done in a light-hearted way. The most embarrassing stories should be re-lived at the bachelor/bachelorette parties, not at the wedding reception in front of parents, grandparents and perhaps children.

3) Break the Ice With Humor - Put your audience - and yourself - at ease with a great opening story or joke. Then get into the meat of your toast.

While you certainly don't need to use props, one of the most memorable wedding toasts ever was of a Best Man (Brother of the Groom) who pulled out a pair of toddler's overalls, stating that he found his brother's pants while cleaning the house. Then, in each pocket, he pretended to accidentally find an item that reflected an interesting character trait of his brother - for example, an air freshener to reflect his obsession with housecleaning. It was extremely funny, and I still remember this toast many years later!

4) Prepare and Practice - start with an outline with the following suggested sections: (a) Intro - who you are and your relationship to the Bride and Groom, (b) opening anecdote/joke, (c) comments directed at the Groom (for Best Man) or to the Bride (for Maid of Honor), followed by remarks directed at their spouse, (d) talk about how their relationship together is greater than the sum of the individual parts, and perhaps offer advice/wisdom, and (e) ask guests to raise their glass, offering a short toast such as "May your love be modern enough to survive the times and old-fashioned enough to last forever... Salut!"

With outline in hand, build content around these sections, and then practice your toast. Revise as necessary, and then be fully prepared to deliver a polished finish-product the day of the wedding! Whether you choose to do your speech with note cards, paper in hand, or from your mental outline - be sincere and speak from the heart, and your toast will be a success!

5) Hold the Microphone Properly - most wireless microphones used at wedding receptions are Cardioid Unidirectional Microphones, meaning that they are sensitive to sounds from only one direction (i.e., your mouth). Hold the microphone towards your mouth (but not touching it), about an inch away. Speak in a clear, firm tone, and the microphone will do the rest. DO NOT hold the microphone down by your navel or shout into the microphone. The DJ will boost the volume of your voice for those who are naturally soft-spoken.

6) Don't Forget to Have Your Glass Nearby - When you ask your guests to raise their glasses for the toast, you should be raising your own glass as well. When the Emcee announces you to make your toast, you should bring your champagne flute with you to the sweetheart table where you will deliver the toast. If you can't handle the wireless mic and your notes, you may need to place the glass on a table nearby or let the Emcee or Maitre'd hold it for you.

7) Don't Be Afraid to Think Outside of the Box - Most guests are expecting a standard wedding toast. Why not surprise and delight them with something different? For example, at one wedding, the co-Maids of Honor opted to rap their Wedding Toast over the theme song from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. And it worked!

Are there any other tips that you recommend for delivering the perfect Wedding Toast? Please share with your comments below.

By Gregg Hollmann
President, Ambient DJ Service
2011, All Rights Reserved

Excuses People Make to Justify Music Filesharing

2011-10-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

One of my longstanding pet peeves is illegal filesharing. Filesharing refers to those individuals who enjoy music, but opt not to purchase it legally by purchasing a physical CD or downloading the song on sites such as Amazon.com, i-Tunes or Beatport.com; or for professional DJs, purchasing a subscription to services such as Promo Only or DJCity.com.

Here is a list of the most popular excuses:

Top Five Excuses People Use to Justify Filesharing

1) The artists are rich already and don't need my money.

2) I spent a bundle of money on music in the past, and have earned the right for freebies.

3) Money is tight and I really can't afford to pay for it.

4) Everybody is doing it, and I'll never get caught.

5) (For DJs) - By playing out an artist's songs at my performances, I am actually doing them a service by promoting their work, and thus am entitled to a freebie.

Not surprisingly, with these prevailing attitudes, music sales have plunged in the past decade. According to Forrester Research, total revenue from U.S. music sales and licensing plunged to $6.3 billion in 2009 from $14.6 billion a decade earlier. Of course, the gap is attributable to illegal filesharing! In terms of digital downloads, unauthorized downloads continue to represent about 90% of the market according to online download tracker BigChampagne Media Measurement.

Rather than lecturing on the logical fallacies on the five excuses listed above, I wanted to make the case for why you SHOULD purchase your music legally.

Throughout the ages, artists (such as musicians) have been cherished members of society. As citizens, we toil every day to meet our basic needs. We take no pleasure in paying an electric bill or the mortgage, but these are overheads which must be met. What most people truly yearn for is to have disposable income to enjoy the finer things in life such as music, sports and travel. As a society, we have no problem rewarding professional athletes with multi-million salaries for the enjoyment that they provide, so why should musicians be different?

Every time that you steal (for lack of a better word) an artist's work, you are making a choice to penalize the arts. Perhaps these musical acts are not "starving artists" but you are making it harder for them to make an honest living. For every band that makes it big, there are countless others who fail, quite possibly frustrated by financial difficulties in pursuing their passion. Think about it, $8 billion that used to be paid to musical artists no longer is. Think about all of the livelihoods affected by $8 billion. Is it possible that the supply of quality music will drop in future years, since it is no longer economically viable for artists to make it their full-time profession?

Is a DJ a performance artist? I would argue 'yes'. Thus, we should be even more sensitive to support our fellow brothers and sisters in the arts. Sadly, there are some unscrupulous disc jockeys who do not purchase their music, entirely relying on illegal filesharing. This is the equivalent of an electrician who performs his work using a stolen work van and stolen tools! It is no wonder that there are so many new disc jockey companies, as startup costs are low when the cost to acquire a music library is zero. To learn about how illegal filesharing affects DJ pricing, click here.

For those who do rely on illegal filesharing sites, they can expect to face challenges like poor-sounding audio files with low bit rate MP3s, mislabeled files and possibly computer viruses.

The Best Wedding Venues in New Jersey

2011-10-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

Through the years, we have had the opportunity to work in many of the finer banquet halls located throughout the state of New Jersey. While our company is based in the Princeton area in central New Jersey, we perform across the state, from Cape May to Bergen County. That said, our selected 'best venues' are skewed towards Central NJ and the Jersey Shore.

WHAT MAKES AN EXCEPTIONAL VENUE?

Factors that impress us:

* Natural beauty and ambience (how does the venue look both inside and out?);

* Friendly and service-oriented staff (preferably with long-term staff retention);

* Delicious food (DJs are typically provided a meal at wedding receptions and are qualified to review it!);

* Venues that strive to deliver a personalized wedding experience for the bride and groom, and are not 'wedding factories.';

* Well-maintained facilities - are the lobby, bathroom and parking lot clean and well-maintained? If a facility doesn't care about its appearance, will it care about your once-in-a-lifetime celebration?

A bonus factor is a venue whose staff treats the DJ as a valued member of the 'wedding team' and not as an unwelcomed intruder!

Pick the Perfect Wedding Venue and You'll Be All Smiles!

TIPS TO ENGAGED COUPLES IN SELECTING A VENUE

* Research your venue on WeddingWire (www.weddingwire.com) and see how other real-life couples found their experience on the factors of: 1) Quality of Service, 2) Responsiveness, 3) Professionalism, 4) Value, and 5) Flexibility. If a bride spent $25,000 on her reception and the service was not up to par, she is going to speak out in reviewing the facility;

* Don't underestimate the factor of service; look beyond the room and the food;

* Ask your wedding planner, DJ company or other wedding vendors for recommendations.

THE TOP 15 LIST

In countdown fashion, here is a list of our 15 favorite wedding venues in the state of New Jersey. Next to each venue, we have listed a description about what makes it special and a link to the venue's website. The ultimate question was - which New Jersey venues would we consider for our own weddings?

15. Surf City Yacht Club - Long Beach Island. This summer beach club fronting Barnegat Bay is the perfect location for a Jersey Shore wedding. The management goes above and beyond in attending to its guests. (www.scyc-nj.org).

14.Tim McCloone's Supper Club - Asbury Park. Located on the newly renovated boardwalk in Asbury Park, this modern, Manhattan-style dinner club is the perfect choice for an intimate gathering with a live jazz trio or other musical act onstage. (www.timmcloonessupperclub.com) McLoone's Pier House in Long Branch also deserves an honorable mention, with the ability to stream fresh sea air into the party room.

13. The Inn at Lambertville Station - Lambertville. The Lambertville-New Hope area is historic and charming, particularly in the Fall. The Inn at Lambertville Station has a high-ceiinged banquet room with large windows overlooking the Delaware River http://www.lambertvillestation.com

12. The Carriage House - Galloway Township. The Carriage House is relatively new, having opened its doors about five years ago. The property is spacious inside and out, and beautifully designed as what is best described as a modern, opulent southern plantation. The Savannah Grand Ballroom is magnificent and somewhat reminiscent of an opera house. Professional staff, great food, and very reasonably priced. www.the-carriagehouse.com

11. The Mill at Spring Lake Heights - Spring Lake. I am particularly fond of this venue having worked there through high school and college when it was formerly the Old Mill Inn and owned by restauranteur Joel Amiel. Amiel ran a tight ship and knew how to produce a superior food and service experience that has carried over to this day. Have your ceremony outdoors on the lake with the beautiful swans swimming nearby (www.themillnj.com).

10. Renault Winery - Egg Harbor City. Have a Napa Valley-style wedding right here in South Jersey! We recommend the wine-cellar "Burgundy Room" for cocktail hour, followed by a reception in the intimate "Vintage Room." Friendly staff and delicious food. www.renaultwinery.com/weddings_renault.asp

9. The Windsor Ballroom - East Windsor. The thing that stands out the Windsor Ballroom is its friendly, smiling staff - many of who have worked there for numerous years. With our company based in East Windsor, we always enjoy working at the Windsor Ballroom! (www.windsorballroom.com)

8. The Smithville Inn - Galloway Township. Located close to Atlantic City, the Smithville Inn has a rustic, country feel - with white brick walls, dark hardwood floors and wooden beams. The view from the dining room is of a picturesque lake, and don't be surprised if you cross paths with an exotic mallard strolling about. A perfect venue for an intimate gathering among your closest friends and family (www.smithvilleinn.com).

7. The Prallsville Mill - Stockton. Prallsville Mill began in the 1790s and has a Revolutionary War-era charm where you can have your reception in a rustic stone house. Stroll the paths nearby to catch a view of the Delaware River, and stay at the Woolverton Inn bed & breakfast directly across the road. http://stockton.frenchtowner.com/virtual-tour/weddings-parties/

6. Lake Valhalla Club - Montville. The Lake Valhalla Club is a building of Tudor-style architecture, rich in character with a dark, classical interior. It is the antidote to large, impersonal banquet halls. Great food and service. (www.lakevalhallaclub.com)

5. The Grounds for Sculpture - Hamilton. The Grounds for Sculpture seem like an anomaly - located in a suburb of Trenton, the sculpture grounds transport you to Paris! We highly recommend that couples have their ceremony onsite at the "Nine Muses" sculpture site, a surreal and mystical backdrop to exchange vows. Afterwards, stroll the grounds, perhaps crossing paths with a peacock, before celebrating at the Seward Johnson Center for the Arts, a contemporary party space. www.groundsforsculpture.org

4. The Liberty House - Jersey City. With a jaw-dropping view of the lower Manhattan skyline directly across the river and the most delicious Chilean Sea Bass ever, the Liberty House shines. Just check the website link immediately below to view a photo of the backdrop to your special day! www.libertyhouserestaurant.com

3. The Stone House at Stirling Ridge. The architecture and design of the Stone House stand out. As per their website, "this space is designed with classic, clean lines, patterned wood and stone floors, a neutral color pallet and an appreciation for the scenic beauty that is part of this secluded location." The food is exceptional, utilizing vegetables and herbs grown on a local communal farm! www.stonehouseatstirlingridge.com

2. Nassau Inn - Princeton, NJ. Our company is based in the Princeton area, and the Nassau Inn, located in Palmer Square, has always been a favorite of ours, capturing the history of this great town. The Inn offers several classy, prestigious party rooms to choose from. In an industry where rapid staff turnover and transient workers are the norm, it is refreshing to see many of the same waitstaff and banquet managers year after year at the Nassau Inn. www.nassauinn.com

1. Clarks Landing Yacht Club - Pt. Pleasant, NJ. With a new luxurious ballroom with high ceilings and panoramic windows fronting the water, a top notch management team and delicious food, Clarks Landing is our standout selection. An added plus is that DJs plug their board into an in-house sound system with speakers built into the ceiling above the dancefloor. The result is that dancers enjoy louder music, while those dining on the perimeter are not blasted out of the room. Regarding the management, we were once setting up while the staff had its prep meeting - its attention to perfection was impressive! (www.clarkslandingcaterers.com).

Comments are welcomed, and please let us know what venues would be on your list!

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

After selecting the perfect venue to celebrate your wedding reception, start your research for the perfect music and entertainment to compliment your venue at Ambient DJ Service (www.ambientdj.com). Ambient DJ Service is an award-winning mobile DJ entertainment company that specializes in weddings, and enjoys customizing music and entertainment for cool couples.

DJ Iron Mike - Playlist, Fall 2011

2011-10-11T21:25:00.000-07:00

DJ Iron Mike, the DJ world's equivalent of a prizefighter, weighs in below with his Top 25 dance floor bangers. In addition to delivering extreme heat in a club or Sweet 16 party environment, Mike excels in a range of parties, from weddings to corporate events. Also, congratulations to Mike for recently celebrating his milestone 30th birthday. Hard to believe that he has been DJing for some 15 years!

In countdown fashion - drumroll, please.........

25. Sexy and I Know It - LMFAO (Editor Note: Watch this track!)
24. The Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga
23. I'm a Boss- Meek Mill feat. Rick Ross
22. Work Out - J. Cole
21. She Will- Lil' Wayne feat. Drake
20. Take Over Control- Eva Simons feat. Afrojack
19. Took My Love- Pitbull feat. David Rush and Red Foo of LMFAO
18. Cheers (Drink to that) - Rihanna
17. I Wanna Go- Britney Spears
16. Marvin & Chardonnay - Big Sean feat. Kanye West & Roscoe Dash
15. Alores on Danse (remix)- Stromae feat. Kanye West & Gilbere Forte
14. Where Dem Girls At- David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj & Flo-Rida
13. Party Rock Anthem- LMFAO
12. You Make Me Feel - Cobra Starship feat. Sabi
11. Countdown- Beyonce
10. Party- Beyonce feat. Kanye West & Andre 3000
9. Pumped Up Kicks- Foster The People
8. My Last - Big Sean feat. Chris Brown
7. Danza Kuduro- Don Omar
6. Give Me Everything - Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo & Nayer
5. Wobble - V.I.C. (HOT - most requested song of the month!)
4. Moves Like Jagger - Maroon Five feat. Christina Aguilera
3. In The Dark- Dev feat. Flo-Rida
2. Mr. Saxobeat- Alexandra Stan
1. Paris - Jay-Z & Kanye West (Editor Note: Be Sure to Use the Edited Version outside of the Club)

DJ Iron Mike

To book DJ Iron Mike for your next soiree, contact Ambient DJ Service (www.ambientdj.com) at info@ambientdj.com or 609.672.1270.

To view DJ Iron Mike's Top Hip Hop Party Jams of All-Time, click here.

To view DJ Spinz's Top Party Hits of Fall 2011, click here.

To view DJ Gregg Ambient's Top Party Hits of Fall 2011, click here.

We also welcome your comments and would love to hear about your current favorite tracks.

Wedding Reception at the Renault Winery - Egg Harbor City

2011-10-11T07:08:00.000-07:00

Ambient DJ Service had the pleasure of performing at Mindi and Peter's recent wedding reception at the Renault Winery in Egg Harbor City. What a perfect day for a wedding - sunny and warm with a hint of fall crispness in the evening. The couple learned of Ambient DJ Service from one of our preferred vendors, the Shrewsbury Strings, who performed the onsite ceremony music and referred our services. Thank you Tony!

The Renault Winery offers a unique and intimate setting for a wedding reception. Guests enjoyed cocktail hour in a wine cellar known as the Burgundy Room, walking through a wine casket to get there. The wedding reception was held in the Vintage Room, an old-world style room that includes wine caskets. The service was friendly, and the food delicious.

Ambient DJ setup in the Vintage Room

Wine Casket entrance to the Burgundy Room

Mindi and Peter love good music. There was to be no line dancing, no Kool & the Gang's Celebration or any other "cliche" wedding DJ fare. With such great natural character in the room, we opted to use very sparing dance floor lighting, opting for a clean setup with a white facade backlit in yellow to match the flowers.

Key tracks for the evening included:

Run This Town - Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West (Grand Entrance)

Theme from Superman - John William (Grand Entrance of Bride and Groom)

As Time Goes By - Frank Sinatra (First Dance)

Somewhere Over the Rainbow - "Iz" (Father-Daughter Dance)

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Robert Flack (Mother-Son Dance)

First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes (cocktail/dinner)

Here Comes My Baby - Cat Stevens (cocktail/dinner)

We're Going to Be Friends - The White Stripes (cocktail/dinner)

Everyday - Buddy Holly (cocktail/dinner)

Just One Thing - My Morning Jacket (cocktail/dinner)

Let's Go Crazy - Prince (Kick-off song for Open Dancing)

Life is a Highway - Rascal Flatts (dedication to Jack!)

You are the Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne (late night ballad)

The Seed (2.0) - The Roots f/Cody Chestnutt (open dancing)

The Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga (open dancing)

No One's Gonna Love You - Band of Horses (cakecutting song)

Bro Hymn - Pennywise (grand finale)

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Strahlendorf!

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

Wedding Gig Log - Dancing Under the Stars at Nassau Inn

2011-10-10T21:53:00.000-07:00

On Sunday October 9th, Ambient DJ Service returned to the Nassau Inn for the wedding reception of Steve and Julianne. The couple booked us relatively late after learning about our services at R. Mario Fine Clothing in the Princeton Forrestal Village (R. Mario is the only menswear/tuxedo shop that we recommend!).

After providing music services at the offsite ceremony in Princeton, the reception party commenced in the evening on the second floor of the Nassau Inn in what is known as the Palmer and Witherspoon Rooms. The Palmer Room is a cozy dining room, and the Witherspoon room is a connected room with a space for the DJ and dancing.

DJ Gregg Ambient and DJ Spinz provided a tag team effort for this celebration. For lightscaping, we provided blue uplighting via Chauvet Color Strips, and staying in a similar color scheme, projected moving clouds and twinkling green laser stars onto the ceiling using an effect known as the Bliss Lighting Effect or "Dancing Under the Stars".

Experience the Ambience!

Sunday evening weddings can sometimes be duds, as guests are tired or else focused on returning home to get ready for work on Monday morning. In the case of Steve and Julianne, despite being Sunday - and despite the fact that we were somewhat disconnected from the guests, the dancefloor action was excellent all night long! During dinner, guests enjoyed a slideshow of Steve and Julianne's professional photo shoot.

Congrats to the new Mr. and Mrs. Chen!

Key tracks for the evening included:

Life in Technicolor - Coldplay (Grand Entrance)

Imperial March (from Star Wars) (Grand Entrance)

Star Wars Theme Song (Grand Entrance of Bride & Groom)

First Dance #1 - Flightless Bird - Iron & Wine

First Dance #2 - Let's Stay Together - Al Green

100 Years - Five for Fighting (video slideshow)

Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton (Steve serenades Julieanne)

Falling in Love With You - Elvis Presley (slow dance)

Jasmine - Min Huifen (classical Chinese music, dinner)

New York, New York - Frank Sinatra (group dance)

Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan (open dancing)

Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO (open dancing)

Can You Celebrate? - Namie Amuro (final song)

Thank you Steve and Julieanne for entrusting us with your special day! Special thanks to photographer Dariusz Kobajlo from JDKProPhoto who provided photography on a very special day in his own life... his 40th birthday - what dedication! (the photo immediately below is courtesy of Dariusz).

DJ Gregg Ambient poses with Julianne and Steve!

DJ Spinz & DJ Gregg Ambient is always a winning Combo!

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

Ambient DJ Service is mobile DJ entertainment company based in the Princeton, NJ area that provided customized, unforgettable wedding DJ services for its clients. Please visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com.

To read about another one of our unique Nassau Inn wedding receptions, visit this link.

Wedding Reception in Brooklyn (DUMBO)

2011-10-10T20:07:00.000-07:00

This Saturday I had the pleasure of performing at the wedding reception of Mike & Kelly in Brooklyn's "DUMBO" neighborhood. DUMBO stands for "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass." The ceremony was held on Pebble Beach, with the reception following at the Water Street Restaurant. Ambient DJ Service, with electric generator in tow, provided a sound system for the ceremony.

On this warm, sunny early October afternoon, DUMBO was buzzing with activity. The ceremony was held in a public area and in the midst of a cacophony of sounds (jet skis, dump trucks crossing the bridge and trains!).

Mike and Kelly are long-time friends of mine. This artistic and quiet couple, originally from the same suburbs of New Jersey as me, embraced the lifestyle of New York City which they now call home. They reside in a nearby suburb of Brooklyn with their cat "Lord Byron." Like me, Mike enjoys alternative music. He is also an enthusiastic fan of karaoke - and requested that Ambient DJ Service offer karaoke at the wedding reception.

The wedding reception began with a cool cocktail hour of alternative music, 80s and punk rock. Thereafter, Mike and Kelly enjoyed their first dance to Iron & Wine's version of "Such Great Heights" followed by Kelly dancing with her dad to "Cinderella" - Steven Curtis Chapman; and Mike with his mom to "Song For My Son" - Mikki Viereck.

For dinner music, I worked off a list of alternative, acoustic rock tracks provided by the groom. Dancing kicked in hard after dinner to a mix of disco, 90s and current dance music. A flamboyant guest who called himself "Burge" initiated the karaoke with a soulful performance of Gregory Abbott's "Shake You Down." The karaoke performances became increasingly outrageous, with many excellent singers in attendance. With spirits running high, an hour of overtime was commissioned, allowing the party to hit a new peak!

Special thanks to DJ Emm Bangkok for assisting, to Mike Z. and Chris K. for helping with logistics, and to photographer Tanveer Badal (check out Tanveer for NYC-based creative and affordable photography at www.tanveerbadal.com).

Key Tracks:
Such Great Heights - Iron & Wine (First Dance)
First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes (Dinner)
Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop - Landon Pigg (Dinner)
Baby I'm Yours - Arctic Monkeys (Dinner)
There is a Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths (Dinner)
Islands- the XX (Dinner)
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - Arcade Fire (Dinner)
Brand New Colony - The Postal Service (Dinner)
No Sleep Til Brooklyn - Beastie Boys (DJ Choice)
Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan (Karaoke Performance)
Don't Stop Me Now - Queen (Karaoke Performance)
The Summer Wind - Frank Sinatra (ballad)
Creep - Radiohead (Karaoke Performance)
Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve (dinner)
Fumble - Architecture in Helsinki (dinner)
It Take Two - Rob Base & DJ EZ-Rock (dance)
She Don't Use Jelly - The Flaming Lips (karaoke performance)

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

Ambient DJ Service is a boutique-style mobile DJ entertainment company that enjoys customizing entertainment options to cool couples like Mike and Kelly! Please visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com.

Album Review - "Tony Bennett - Duets II"

2011-10-03T21:10:00.000-07:00

Tony Bennett is an all-time favorite vocalist of ours. He is cool, classy and still singing well at the age of 84! Another plus, Bennett also is an avid tennis player and a fixture in the crowd each year at the U.S. Open in New York City.

In September, Bennett released his much anticipated follow-up album "Duets II" featuring performances with superstars including Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Amy Winehouse, John Mayer and even Lady Gaga.

Bennett's voice and jazz stylings are still strong and pleasant, despite his age. Yet, when paired with younger artists at the top of their game like Buble and Groban, Bennett's voice sounds a bit thin. The duets on the album offer fresh interpretations of American classics. In duet form, Bennett trades licks with his fellow vocalists, followed by exciting harmonizations on choruses.

The most moving track on the album is the duet with Amy Winehouse on "Body and Soul." Sadly, this was Winehouse's last recording before her untimely passing in July. Winehouse's voice is huge, and the harmonies thrilling as her sultry voice takes the lower notes on the thrilling harmonizations. Goosebumps!

Other standout tracks include:

The Lady is a Tramp - w/ Lady Gaga (Lady Gaga would make a wonderful cabaret singer, and her talent cannot be underestimated!)

Don't Get Around Much Anymore - w/ Michael Buble

Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Loves Me) - w/ Queen Latifah

Speak Low - w/Norah Jones

This is All I Ask - w/ Josh Groban

One For My Baby (and One More for the Road) - w/ John Mayer

While many of these songs would be disqualified from a wedding playlist based on their bittersweet lyrics, the entire album would be fabulous for a dinner party or romantic evening at home with somebody special. We love Tony Bennett and Duets II!

Three key Bennett tracks for a wedding include:

1) I Left My Heart in San Francisco

2) The Best is Yet to Come

3) The Way You Look Tonight (downtempo and more romantic than Sinatra's performance)

To view the full tracklisting or purchase the album on Amazon, click here. To read Ambient DJs' tribute to Amy Winehouse, click here.

Ambient DJ to Appear at Bridal Show at the Skylands at Randolph

2011-09-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

Attention brides located in northern New Jersey and New York City, Ambient DJ is scheduled to appear this Sunday October 9, 2011 at "A Four Seasons Bridal Showcase Experience" at the beautiful Skylands at Randolph. This event, thematically developed around the four seasons, has been organized by our friends at The Bling Event. Bling's mission is to provide a luxury event experience for its clientele. At the Four Seasons Show, brides will be able to walk through rooms and have an opportunity to imagine what their wedding day can look like in each of the four seasons - with inspired decor, entertainment, delectable tastings, bridal fashions, and exceptional service.

All of the event details are shown on the flyer below. Amenities include a free honeymoon giveaway to Cabo St. Lucas and a presentation by Sharon Naylor, an expert who has authored over 30 wedding planning books!

Ambient DJ Service will have a table in the exhibits area, and also provide a showcase presentation in the Coral Ballroom somewhere between 3:00 and 3:30 PM. Please stop by to say hello and meet our marquee DJs! We're sure to have some special surprises up our sleeves as well!

Myra's Marvelous 65th Birthday Party in Margate City

2011-09-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, September 17th, I had the pleasure of providing DJ entertainment at Myra's Marvelous 65th birthday party held at Ventura's Greenhouse Restaurant in Margate City. Myra learned about Ambient DJ Service while attending a Sweet 16 earlier this year with our DJ Iron Mike. Mike was unavailable, so DJ Gregg Ambient stepped in.

Margate City is located along the ocean about ten miles south of Atlantic City. Ventura's is located on the ocean, and immediately across the street from the restaurant (to the south) is this exciting landmark, "Lucy the Elephant."

Lucy the Elephant - Margate City, NJ

Lucy is a very unique piece of architectural history from the Victorian era. At times, she served as a hotel, tavern, and now a national landmark. She was the brainchild of James Lafferty, a real estate speculator, who commisioned the 65 foot pachyderm to be built. He had hoped it would lure people to the properties he hoped to sell along the coast. Construction was done in 1881 by a Philadelphia contractor for the sum of $25,000.

Myra is an energetic lady who loves to dance! While we did not meet until the night of the party, after having some great phone conversations, it felt like I was meeting an old friend. Myra wanted plenty of good fifties and sixties music, as well popular beach music of the era. Late in the evening, I also played an extended set of current dance music that was well-received!

To help create a fiesta atmosphere, Myra added various party favors to her package, which we sourced from our preferred supplier, Sherman Specialty! We enjoy using Sherman Specialty for their high-quality products, great selection, reasonable prices and outstanding customer service. Specific party favors used for Myra's birthday bash included silk flower leis, strobing glow rings, blinking long stem red roses and Blue Brothers style sunglasses.

After enjoying delicious culinary delights served by the friendly staff at Ventura's (the white pizza was outstanding with a garlicky finish), the dance floor kicked in to a variety of musical styles. The younger guests enjoyed competing in a hula hoop competition and limbo exhibition. What a great party! Thank you Myra for trusting Ambient DJ for your celebration, and we wish you many more years of good health and fun.

Myra gives her grandson a tip during the limbo contest!

Key Tracks

Wildwood Days - Bobby Rydell

Sea Cruise - Johnny Rivers

The Twist - Chubby Checker

The Rubberband Man - The Spinners

Be My Baby - The Ronettes

You Got It - Roy Orbison

Midnight Confessions - The Grass Roots

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - The Beatles (DJ Choice, dedicated to Lucy the Elephant!)

Higher Love - Steve Winwood

Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan

Be My Lover (House Mix) - La Bouche

The Summer Wind - Frank Sinatra (closer)

About Ambient DJ Service

Ambient DJ Service is an award-winning mobile DJ company that provides customized, family-friendly music and entertainment for all of the milestone celebrations in life! Visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com.

The Top Hip Hop Party Jams of All Time

2011-09-20T02:25:00.000-07:00

In association with his 30th birthday celebration this past weekend, Ambient DJs' resident hip hop expert, DJ Iron Mike, compiled a list of his top 130 hip hop party jams of all time! These top 130 songs were selected with danceability and actual dance floor results in mind. They span from the old skool to the present, but there is a scarcity of recent tracks to reflect their lack of perceived staying power. Please comment with your own favorite hip hop party jams of all-time!

Listed in countdown fashion, let's get a drumroll please!

130. Feel Good Inc. - The Gorillaz feat. De La Soul (2005)
129. Roc The Mic - Beanie Sigel feat. Freeway (2001)
128. Dreams - The Notorious B.I.G. (1994)
127. Paper Planes - M.I.A. (2008)
126. California Love - 2Pac feat. Dr. Dre & Roget Troutman (1995)
125. Baby Got Back - Sir Mix-A Lot (1992)
124. You Can Do It - Ice Cube feat. Mack 10 & Ms. Toi (1999)
123. Do This My Way - Kid N' Play (1988)
122. Grindin' - The Clipse (2002)
121. Wait (The Whisper Song) - Ying Yang Twins (2005)
120. Protect Ya Neck- Wu-Tang Clan (1993)
119. Luchini (This is It) - Camp Lo (1997)
118. Freedom - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five (1981)
117. De'ja Vu (Uptown Baby) - Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz (1997)
116. Hey Ladies - Beastie Boys (1989)
115. The Way You Move - Outkast (2004)
114. Stronger - Kanye West (2007)
113. Passin' Me By - The Pharcyde (1992)
112. If I Ruled The World - Nas feat. Lauryn Hill (1996)
111. The Bridge - MC Shan (1987)
110. Wild Out - The Lox (1999)
109. Eric B. Is President - Eric B. & Rakim (1986)
108. Zulu War Chant - Afrika Bambaataa (1993)
107. Ain't No N---a - Jay-Z feat. Foxy Brown (1996)
106. Me, Myself & I - De La Soul (1989)
105. Can't Deny It - Fabolous feat. Nate Dogg (2001)
104. Set Adrift a Memory Bliss of You - PM Dawn (1991)
103. Get Your Freak On - Missy Elliot (2000)
102. Slam - Onyx (1993)
101. Doo Wop (That Thing) - Lauryn Hill (1998)
100. Fancy - Drake feat. T.I. (2010)
99. The Bridge is Over - Boogie Down Productions (1988)
98. Check The Rhime - A Tribe Called Quest (1991)
97. Time 4 Sum Aksion - Redman (1992)
96. Pump It Up - Joe Budden (2003)
95. So What'cha Sayin' - EPMD (1989)
94. Lights, Camera, Action - Mr. Cheeks (2001)
93. Get It Together - Beastie Boys feat. Q-Tip (1994)
92. I Got 5 On It - The Luniz (1995)
91. Make The Music With Your Mouth - Biz Markie (1987)
90. Fu-Gee-La - The Fugees (1996)
89. Touch It - Busta Rhymes (2006)
88. Ante Up - M.O.P. (2000)
87. Ain't No Fun - Snoop Dog feat. Tha Dogg Pound, Warren G & Nate Dogg (1993)
86. Shook Ones Pt. II - Mobb Deep (1995)
85. Bust a Move- Young MC (1989)
84. Friends - Whodini (1983)
83. 100% - Big Pun feat. Tony Sunshine (2000)
82. I Got It Made- Special Ed (1989)
81. Southern Hospitality - Ludacris (2000)
80. Down Bottom - Drag-On feat. Juvenile (1999)
79. Whoa! - Black Rob (1999)
78. Around The Way Girl - LL Cool J (1990)
77. Drop It Like It's Hot - Snoop Dog (2005)
76. Paper Thin - MC Lyte (1988)
75. Oh Boy! - Cam'ron feat. Juelez Santana (2002)
74. It's all About the Benjamins (rmx) - Puff Daddy feat. The Lox, Lil' Kim, & The Notorious B.I.G. ( 1997)
73. They Want EFX - Das Efx (1992)
72. Shoop - Salt N' Pepa (1993)
71. Shimmy Shimmy Ya - Ol' Dirty Bastard (1995)
70. Funky Cold Medina - Tone Loc (1989)
69. Children's Story - Slick Rick (1988)
68. Who Am I? (What's My Name) - Snoop Dog (1993)
67. Brooklyn's Finest - Jay-Z feat. The Notorious B.I.G. (1996)
66. Jingling Baby (rmx) - LL Cool J (1989)
65. Ha - Juvenile (1998)
64. Vivrant Thing - Q-Tip (1999)
63. Rock The Bells - LL Cool J (1986)
62. Apache - Sugarhill Gang (1981)
61. Go DJ- Lil' Wayne (2004)
60. Nothin' - Noreaga (2002)
59. Hip-Hop Hooray - Naughty by Nature (1993)
58. Big Mama Thang- Lil' Kim feat. Jay-Z (1996)
57. Hip-Hop Junkies - Nice & Smooth (1992)
56. Off the Books - The Beatnuts feat. Big Pun & Cuban Link (1997)
55. Quiet Storm (rmx) - Mobb Deep feat. Lil' Kim (1999)
54. Party Up - DMX (1999)
53. Flava In ya Ear- Craig Mack (1994)
52. Good Life - Kanye West feat. T-Pain (2007)
51. Jeeps, Coupes, Beemas & Benz - The Lost Boyz (1995)
50. Juicy - The Notorious B.I.G. (1994)
49. Treat 'em Right - Chubb Rock (1990)
48. Peter Piper - Run DMC (1986)
47. The 900 Number - Mark The 45 King (1989)
46. Buddy (Remix) - De La Soul feat. A Tribe Called Quest, The Jungle Brothers, Monie Love & Queen Latifah (1989)
45. DWYCK - Gangstarr feat. Nice & Smooth (1992)
44. Brass Monkey - Beastie Boys (1986)
43. Rosa Parks - Outkast (1998)
42. Gin & Juice - Snoop Dog (1993)
41. I Know You Got Soul - Eric B. & Rakim (1986)
40. Lean Back - Terror Squad (2004)
39. Puerto Rico - Frankie Cutlass (1994)
38. Warm It Up Kane - Big Daddy Kane (1989)
37. Work It - Missy Elliot (2002)
36. The Breaks - Kurtis Blow (1980)
35. Girl, I'll House You - Jungle Brothers (1988)
34. Superthug - Noreaga feat. Pharell & Kelis (1998)
33. Summertime - DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (1991)
32. Doin' It - LL Cool J feat. Leshaun (1995)
31. Jump Around - House of Pain (1992)
30. Just a Friend- Biz Markie (1990)
29. Da Rockwilder - Method Man & Redman (1999)
28. Get Money - Junior Mafia feat. The Notorious B.I.G. (1995)
27. Back Dat Azz Up - Juvenile feat. Mannie Fresh & Lil' Wayne (1999)
26. Ruff Ryders Anthem - DMX (1998)
25. I Get Around - 2Pac feat. Shock G & Money B of Digital Underground (1993)
24. Scenario - A Tribe Called Quest feat. Leaders of the New School (1991)
23. Nuthin' But a G Thang - Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dog (1992)
22. Hot In Herre - Nelly (2002)
21. Public Service Announcement - Jay-Z (2003)
20. The Message (Tied w/) White Lines (Don't Do It) - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five (1983)
19. Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See- Busta Rhymes (1997)
18. Top Billin' - Audio Two (1988)
17. The Humpty Dance - Digital Underground (1990)
16. The Next Episode - Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dog, Kurupt & Nate Dogg (1999)
15. O.P.P. - Naughty by Nature (1991)
14. Still Not a Player- Big Pun feat. Joe (1998)
13. Be Faithful - Fatman Scoop (1998)
12. The Choice is Yours (Revisited) - Black Sheep (1992)
11. Push It - Salt N' Pepa (1986)
10. Mona Lisa - Slick Rick (1988)
9. Rapper's Delight - Sugar Hill Gang (1979)
8. Get Low - Lil' Jon & The Eastside Boyz feat. The Ying Yang Twinz (2003)
7. Hypnotize- Notorious B.I.G. (1997)
6. The Show tie / La Di Da Di - Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew (1985)
5. In Da Club - 50 Cent (2002)
4. It's Tricky -Run DMC (1986)
3. Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force (1982)
2. Give It To Me (I Just Wanna Love Ya) - Jay-Z (2000)
1. It Takes Two- Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock (1988)

DJ Iron Mike and Afrika Bambaataa (#3, #108)

ABOUT DJ IRON MIKE

Mike began DJing in 1996 while attending West Windsor-Plainsboro High School. His passion for DJing grew while spinning monthly Firehouse Teen Nights over 1997-2000. Thereafter, he spun live sets on stations such WPRB 103.3 FM and WMCC 107.7, also serving as Station Manager at WMCC 107.7.

DJ Iron Mike is a well-rounded performer with a deep passion for the music that he plays. His portfolio of past events including weddings, high school dances, corporate parties, family parties and frequent nightclub appearances. His musical specialties are hip hop, R&B and reggae. His deep music collection also includes liberal doses of pop, classic rock, Motown and soul. Mike is Ambient's Sweet 16 and Teen Dance specialist, bringing a night club environment to these special celebrations.

For those preferring an “old skool” party atmosphere, Mike is the perfect choice, performing on the legendary Technics 1200 turntables.

To book Mike for your next party, please contact us at info@ambientdj.com or 609.672.1270.

Iron Mike, celebrating his 30th Birthday Party on the Wheels of Steel!

DJ Spinz's Top 30 Dance Playlist of Fall 2011

2011-09-19T10:05:00.000-07:00

Happy Fall!

The marvelous Christopher Smith, aka DJ Spinz, reveals his top dance tracks currently burning up dancefloors across the Tri-State area. Spinzy is a Triple Threat, with polished Emcee skills, heavy mixing chops and a strong business savvy. To book him for your next party, contact Ambient DJ today at info@ambientdj.com or 609.672.1270.

For this installment, Spinzy has not listed his top picks in any particular order:

30) Tonight Tonight- Hot Chelle Rae (pop)
29) Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO (dance)
28) Pumped Up Kicks- Foster the People (alternative)
27) Add SUV (Armand Van Helden Vocal Mix) - Uffie f/Pharell Williams (dance)
26) How To Love- Lil Wayne (R&B)
25) Cheers (Drink To That)- Rihanna (dance)
24) In The Dark- Dev (dance)
23) Mr. Saxobeat- Alexandra Stan (dance)
22) You Make Me Feel- Cobra Starship (dance)
21) Otis- Kanyes West & Jay-Z (hip hop)
20) Headlines- Drake (R&B)
19) Moves Like Jagger- Maroon 5 (pop)
18) Tonight- Nicola Fasano ft Steve Forest (dance)
17) Take Over Control- Afrojack ft Eva Simons (dance)
16) It Girl- Jason Derulo (pop)
15) Sure Thing- Miguel (R&B)
14) Give Me Everything (Tonight)- Pitbull ft Ne-Yo, Nayer (dance)
13) My Last- Big Sean ft Chris Brown (hip hop)
12) Catch Me- Nicki Minaj ft Swizz Beatz (hip hop)
11) I'm A Boss- Meek Mills ft Rick Ross (hip hop)
10) On the Floor- Jennifer Lopez ft Pitbull (dance)
  9) Till the End Of Time- Beyonce ft Ester Dean (dance)
  8) Marvin's Room- Drake (R&B)
  7) Don't Wanna Go Home- Jason Derulo (dance)
  6) Good Life- Onerepublic (pop)
  5) Levels- Avicii (electro)
  4) Out Of My Head- Lupe Fiasco ft Trey Songz (hip hop/R&B)
  3) She Will- Lil Wayne ft Drake (hip hop)
  2) Cinema(Skrillex Remix)- Benny Benassi (dubstep)
  1) Marvin Gaye and Chardonnay- Big Sean (R&B)

To view Spinzy's Top 50 Awesome Tracks for your Sweet 16, click here.

To view Spinzy's Top 50 Dance Tracks of 2010, click here.

To view DJ Gregg Ambient's Top 25 Tracks of Fall 2011, click here.

Ambient DJ Service Featured in Article About Alumni Entrepreneurs

2011-09-19T09:12:00.000-07:00

We are honored to have been one of the success stories profiled in the September 2011 issue of TCNJ Magazine, a publication for alumni at the The College of New Jersey. The story, written by Tony Marchetti, is re-printed below.

Gregg Hollmann ’93

Company: Ambient DJ Service (www.ambientdj.com)

Gregg Hollman was an equity analyst in Manila when 1997’s Asian financial crisis sent world markets reeling and landed him back in the U.S., unemployed. He caught on with a business valuation firm, but while the pay was great he found the work unfulfilling. “There’s some creativity involved with picking stocks. Business valuation is very quantitative; creativity is frowned upon,” he said.

Looking for a new creative outlet, he rediscovered his passion for music. A lifelong music lover—he had turned down a music scholarship to study finance—Hollmann had amassed an extensive, eclectic music collection over the years. He started DJing parties on the side. “Performing for a room full of strangers every weekend was a great outlet for that other side of my personality.” A few years later he cashed in $15,000 in stocks, bought professional DJ equipment, and officially launched his business.

Since the industry is largely referral based, Hollmann said his initial strategy for attracting clients was pricing below market rate. He also made a conscious decision early on not to follow the “old school way” of building a DJ business (appearing at bridal shows), concentrating instead on Internet marketing. He paid a professional to overhaul his website, then drove traffic there by dedicating a percentage of profits to advertising on wedding portals. Weddings now make up about half of the company’s sales dollars, with the rest coming from corporate and private parties, community events, and dances.

When he started earning more money DJing than from his first job, Hollmann quit the valuation firm and dedicated himself to the business. He now has six DJs working for him and is training two new employees. “We’re seeing an acceleration in business” he said, noting sales were up 32 percent over last year.

His workweek is a little different. “My peak time is Friday through Sunday,” he said. “Mondays are my so-called weekends. Tuesdays through Thursdays I’m prepping for upcoming events, selling new jobs, and training DJs.” Despite the odd hours, he’s enjoying it. “It doesn’t feel like work.”

Asked what he’d tell someone considering starting a business, Hollmann advised to follow your passion—but proceed cautiously. “I wouldn’t recommend anyone blindly jump into something on a whim. I followed my passion, but did it part time at first to validate that I could make money. Thus far, it’s working out well.”

Our Halloween Mix CD 2011

2011-09-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

It's an annual tradition at Ambient DJ Service to record a Halloween-themed "Mix CD." 2011 will mark about the eight installment of the series, so we are well beyond the Halloween party anthems such as "Thriller" and the "Monster Mash."

Rather, the mix CD is a dark and psychedelic journey, with a focus on genres such as electronica, alternative, dub, hard rock, metal, goth rock, 80s/New Wave, hip hop, sound effects and eerie drops. We are now accepting nominations for tracks that you feel would make great additions to the 2011 Halloween Mix CD. As evidenced by the playlist below, the songs do not necessarily have to be Halloween-themed, but more fit into the feel of an underground party held on a spooky night in October. All of those who suggest songs will receive a FREE copy of the mix CD, mailed to their home courtesy of Ambient DJ Service.

Ambient DJs is now accepting bookings for Halloween weekend 2011! Please visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com.

As a sample, here is the cover art and track list for 2009's Mix CD.

Track List:

1) Toccata and Fugue - Bach (Classical)
2) Wolfman is Coming - DJ Tino (Dub)
3) Ghost Town - The Specials (Ska)
4)The Principles of Lust - Enigma (Electronic)
5) Landing, Dubby Style - Peter Munch (Dub)
6) Mushrooms (Justin Martin RMX) - Marshall Jefferson vs. Noosa Heads (electronic)
7) Ghosts n' Stuff - DeadMau5 f/Rob Swire (techno)
8) I See You, Baby - Groove Armada (dance)
9) I'm a Hustler - Simian Mobile Disco (dance)
10) I'm in Miami - LFMAO (dance)
11) La Musica (Tribal Mix) - Alexdoparis (tribal)
12) Nightmare - Brainbug (trance)
13) Zombie Nation - Kernkraft 400 (trance)
14) Blood is Pumpin - Voodoo and Serano (trance)
15) Thriller (DJ Jagged Edit) - Michael Jackson (party classic)
16) Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z with Alicia Keys (party jam)

The Sandler System and Wedding Sales

2011-09-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

Last night I attended a meeting of the ISES Northern New Jersey chapter at the beautiful Green Brook Country Club in North Caldwell, NJ. ISES, standing for the International Special Events Society, is a professional organization comprised of leading event planners and related industry professionals.

An hour of networking accompanied by delicious culinary offerings was followed by a formal presentation by Danny Wood, an executive sales trainer from Sandler Training. Danny's presentation was "Don't Sell the Steak, Sell the Sizzle - Selling in a Recession Economy." With the U.S. unemployment rate stuck above 9% and many families hurting, this was quite a timely topic.

Danny Wood in a Parody, describes the Features and Benefits of Rubber Chickens!

For small business owners such as myself, there is no dedicated sales department. This function is picked up by the owner. Selling wedding and corporate services can be challenging, frustrating and rewarding.

Wood explained how in the typical sales system, clients are pre-qualified, then given a features and benefit presentation (see rubber chicken photo above), followed by an attempted close (sometimes a hard close), followed by a persistent follow-up process. Prospects, justifiably so, are guarded in these sales presentations and probably carry many negative impressions of salespeople going into the meeting. As a result, there can be a song and dance with neither party - prospect or salesperson - being completely honest with one another. Also, neither party is very happy with the process.

Wood suggested a new paradigm comprised of interrupting typical sales patterns and using a personal approach and "real talk" to lead to faster decisions and a compressed sales cycle. For example, what if you were to start off a sales meeting with the statement.... "I'm a wedding DJ who loves to perform and don't really enjoy making sales presentations." How might that affect the tone of the meeting? Or, at the end of the meeting when the bride says, "thanks for the information; I'm going to be meeting with a few more DJs... we'll get back to you," what if you were to collect additional information about their decision process and feedback on where you stand?

A good portion of Wood's presentation focused on big picture concepts that are essential for successful sales - such as the willingness for us to change and to move outside of our comfort zone, to carry a positive self-image, and to view life positively. For example, if we were to accept the statement, "every bride is a price-shopper," then we may doom ourselves to that result.

Thanks to ISES for organizing this informative and thought-provoking presentation. Danny Wood was an excellent speaker!

Miss Universe Pageant 2011 & Brazilian Music

2011-09-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

Last night, the Miss Universe pageant was held at the Credicard Hall in São Paulo, Brazil. Congratulations to Miss Universe 2011, Leila Lopes of Angola, who inherits the crown from last years's winner, Ximena Navarrete of Mexico. Contestants from 89 countries and territories participated in this year's pageant.

Congratulations to Miss Universe 2011, Leila Lopes of Angola!

Despite never having visited Brazil, I have always had a love for its music and culture. Whether it's the Samba (a symbol of the Brazilian national identity and soundtrack to Carnival), the relaxing sounds of Bossa Nova or even Brazilian 'Baile Funk' (a groovy dance music popular in the slums), the music of Brazil reflects its beautiful landscapes and love of the fiesta! Remixers have had great success in taking a beautiful Brazilian melody and then giving it a lush electronic wrapper. These Brazilian remixes are perfect for cocktail hours, including wedding cocktail hours. Brazilian music is also interesting in that it is a fusion of various cultures, including African (great percussion!), European and Amerindian.

In the 2011 Miss Universe pageant, three prominent musical pieces of the evening were:

Opening: Mas que Nada - Sergio Mendes f/The Black Eyed Peas

Swimsuit Competition: Locomotion - Claudia Leitte (live performance), and

Evening Gown Competition: Close Your Eyes - Bebel Gilberto (live performance)

Listed below are fifteen favorite tracks for your next Brazilian-themed party:

1) Aganju (Latin Project Remix) - Bebel Gilberto

2) Ceu Distante (DJ Spinna Remix) - Bebel Gilberto

3) The Girl from Ipanema - Stan Getz

4) Corcovado - Stan Getz, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto, Joao Gilberto

5) Look to the Rainbow - Astrud Gilberto

6) 70s Samba - Wagon Cookin'

7) Sambodromo - Bobby Brazil

8) Wave - Antonio Carlos Jobim

9) Desafinado - George Michael w/Astrud Gilberto

10) Brahma vs. Antarctica - Bobby Brazil

11) Bossa Pre Due - Nicola Conte

12) Baile Funk Medley - Funk On Lata & Ivan Meirelles

13) Lambada - Kaoma

14) Mas Que Nada - Sergio Mendes

15) Trem da Central - Claudio Jorge

Finally, check out these three recommended albums below. Pop any of these CDs into your player, and create a magical atmosphere for your next cocktail party!

About Ambient DJ Service

Ambient DJ Service is an award-winning mobile DJ company based in Central NJ that prides itself on a broad, international palette of party-friendly music. To learn more, visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com

Kaskade - America's Best DJ 2011

2011-09-12T22:47:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the winner of the 2011 winner of the "America's Best DJ" competition, Kaskade! This annual contest, sponsored by Pioneer DJ, allows the public at large to cast vote for their favorite DJs from a list of 100 top DJs nominated by DJ Times Magazine. Notably, Kaskade vaulted from 35th place in the 2010 contest to the top of the charts in 2011! The final standings for 2011 were:

1. Kaskade

2. Skrillex

3. Z-Trip

4. BT

5. Steve Aoki

Who did you vote for and why?

Congratulations to 2011's "America's Best DJ," Kaskade

Who is Kaskade?

Ryan Raddon, aka DJ Kaskade, grew up in Illinois, and later honed his DJ skills while attending college in Utah. His DJ name originated when Raddon viewed a picture of a waterfall in a nature book. In 2000, Kaskade moved to San Francisco where he worked for Om Records. He released his first single, "What I Say" in 2001 (see the video immediately below):

In 2006, Kaskade signed with electronic dance label powerhouse Ultra Records and stepped up his production efforts. His style is best described as house, deep house and electro. In recent years, Kaskade has achieved greater prominence in collaborations with EDM giants DeadMau5 and Tiesto. He has also remixed countless headline acts, ranging from Empire of the Sun to Outkast to Nelly Furtado to Mark Farina. In the case of Kaskade, his well-known sound and production chops have expanded his audience as a performance DJ.

Perhaps my favorite Kaskade production is his collaboration with DeadMau5, "I Remember."

Another favorite of mine is Kaskade's groovealicious "Roots Remix" of Afro Mystik's "Natural":

Free Kaskade Mix

To access a free exclusive Kaskade mix, become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/kaskade

You can also follow Kaskade on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/kaskade

Gig Log - Wedding at the English Manor

2011-09-11T20:55:00.000-07:00

September 10, 2011, or 9-10-11 proved to be a remarkably popular date for weddings. We were fortunate to work with an energized group of party people for David and Stephanie's ceremony and reception party at the English Manor in Ocean Township, NJ.

Earlier this year, the English Manor recently revamped its grounds - the outdoors ceremony area is very spacious, and the landscaping beautiful. Despite some concerns about rain, the weather remained pleasant throughout the afternoon. Stephanie and David exchanged personalized vows in a heartfelt ceremony officiated by our friend Celia Milton.

For the reception, Ambient DJ provided a two person DJ/Emcee combo - call it "Team Gregg," with myself, Gregg H. on the mixing board, and our energetic DJ Gregory Lambiase (aka DJ Greg Nice) on the microphone as Emcee. We also uplit the reception room and foyer in a lavender shade, adding some modern ambience to this classic banquet hall.

David and Stephanie have similar tastes in music as myself, and provided a very long leash in terms of musical programming. Songs used for the grand entrance were Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia) - Us3, Beautiful People - Chris Brown, and Now That We Found Love - Heavy D. & the Boyz. The newlyweds shared their first dance to "Stay With You" by John Legend, and parent dances followed with Songbird - Fleetwood Mac (Father-Daughter) and Memories - Elvis (Mother -Son).

After the salad course, we were able to pack the dancefloor and enjoy a high energy dance-set before dinner. The dance floor action only got hotter after dinner, with a high-energy dance mix and 90s throwbacks at the fore.

A couple of unique features of the wedding: First, for the bouquet toss, ALL ladies (married or unmarried) were called to the floor, and Stephanie's bouquet splintered into mini-bouquets so that there could be many winners. Second, as is often the case when the bride is of Chinese heritage, Stephanie had a wardrobe change later in the reception, changing into a beautiful red, silk Chinese dress.

Congratulations to Stephanie and David! We enjoyed collaborating with a very competent and cool group of professionals: Debbie from the English Manor, Carla and Tara from Blooming Studios (photography) and Art from Villanovisions Video (videography).

KEY SONGS:

Halo (cover) - Aston (Bride's Ceremony Processional)

For Once in My Life - Stevie Wonder (Ceremony Recessional)

Stay With You - John Legend (First Dance)

What You Won't Do For Love - Bobby Caldwell

The Light - Common

P.Y.T. - Michael Jackson

Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan

Motown Philly - Boyz II Men

Ladies Night - Kool and the Gang (Bouquet Toss)

The Last Dance - Frank Sinatra (last dance)

Thank You - Jay-Z (postlude)

Harmonic Mixing and Mixed In Key Software

2011-09-06T22:02:00.000-07:00

Particularly in the realm of electronic dance music, many top DJs primarily program their sets based on harmonic mixing. In other words, records should be in compatible keys, and sound harmonious. Some of my favorite DJs such as Sandra Collins, Hernan Cattaneo, Paul Oakenfold, Steve Lawler and Dubfire rely primarily on harmonic mixing. In the world of high-energy trance music, not only are successive records programmed in compatible keys, but they tend to be steps up the musical scale, contributing to an effect of increased energy, as the DJ works his dancefloor towards a euphoric peak.

Mixed in Key is a software product that has been developed to determine the key of a particular song. Then, using the Camelot Wheel pictured below, a DJ can pick harmonically compatible songs. Please, do not confuse the Camelot Wheel with Pat Sajak's Wheel of Fortune!

Using Mixed in Key, select an MP3 to be analyzed, and in about 30 seconds, the software program will reveal a code corresponding to a particular key. For example, "Mr. Saxobeat" by Alexandra Stan was tagged as 10A, or the key of B Minor (see 10 o'clock). According to the theory of the Camelot Wheel, compatible keys would be another song in B Minor (10A), one step up to F-Sharp Minor (11A), or one step down to E Minor (9A). The "A" codes refer to minor keys; the "B" codes refer to major keys. According to Mixed in Key, "You can also mix between inner and outer wheels if you stay in the same 'hour.' For example, try mixing from 8A to 8B, and notice the change in melody as you go from Minor to Major."

Back to Saxobeat (10A, B Minor), some potential songs in a similar beats per minute (BPM) and style that could be compatible under the Camelot Wheel include My Feelings for You - Avicii (11A, F-Sharp Minor) or Down on Me (Disco Fries Remix) - Jeremih (9A, E Minor).

One popular mix among mobile DJs is the Michael Jackson "Bille Jean" into Justin Timberlake's "Sexyback." According to the Camelot Wheel, these records, although while both in minor keys, are not really compatible, at 6A and 2A, respectively. However, Dev's "Dancing in the Dark" at 6A, would be a harmonically good match for Bille Jean.

For a sample of a harmonically mixed set, visit this page on the Mixed in Key site here, and look on the right side of the page for the blue audio wave forms that say "Audio Demo of Harmonic Mixing." Can you tell the difference?

As mobile DJs, we are often expected to bang out the hits of a strict playlist and may not have the flexibility to mix harmonically. However, when given free reign to mix, as DJs we should strive to keep our dancers locked into a groove with a harmonically sound mix. To truly achieve a seamless mix, listeners should not discern any changes in the incoming record that could be detected due to a jarring key change!

DJ Hernan Cattaneo - His harmonic mixes are seamless!

A word of caution - just as it would be unwise to solely program a set based on beats per minute, so too would it be foolish to pick records solely on the Camelot Wheel. Rather, it is just another tool for a DJ to pick the perfect record for the perfect moment, and tell a story!

DJ Gregg Ambient - Top 25 Songs

2011-09-05T22:16:00.000-07:00

On a periodic basis, Ambient DJs' music mixologists reveal the hottest tracks in their crates. In this installment, head honcho DJ "Gregg Ambient" reveals 25 dance floor winners, plus twelve "classics in rotation." The songs are listed in Countdown Fashion. Drumroll, please......

25) Rolling in the Deep - Adele
24) Under the Cover of Darkness - The Strokes
23) Bright Lights, Bigger City - Cee Lo Green f/Wiz Khalifa
22) Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 w/Christine Aguilera
21) Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People
20) No Church in the Wild - Jay-Z & Kanye West, w/Frank Ocean
19) I'm on One - DJ Khaled w/Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne
18) Always Changing (Giuseppe D.'s Midnight Club Mix) (f/Sophia Cruz) - DJ Zilos
17) Super Bass - Nicki Minaj
16) In the Dark - Dev
15) Sofi Needs a Ladder - DeadMau5 (featured in the summer hit movie The Hangover 2)
14) The Show Goes On - Lupe Fiasco
13) See the New Hong Kong (Love Rush U.K. Club Mix) - Josie Cotton
12) Grove Street Party - Wacka Flocka Flame
11) Down on Me (Kidd Spin vs. Scene Remix) - 50 Cent & Jeremih
10) My Feelings for You - Avicii & Sebastien Drums
9) Turbulence - Steve Aoki w/Laidback Luke and Lil' Jon
8) Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga
7) You Make Me Feel - Cobra Starship f/Sabi
6) Don't Wanna Go Home - Jason Derulo
5) Cinema (Skrillex Remix) - Benny Bennassi
4) Rain Over Me - Pitbull f/Marc Anthony
3) Favorite DJ (Disco Fries Remix) - Clinton Sparks w/Jermaine Dupri
2) Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO (heavily requested!)
1) Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan (this song could become the new Calabria!)

Classics in Rotation

Hot Mess - Chromeo
Party in de Ghetto - Crystal Waters
Wishing on a Sucker M.C. (mash-up) - Rose Royce vs. Run-DMC w/Jim Jones
Closer to Me (12 inch mix) - Chab
Off the Wall - Michael Jackson
Escape (the Pina Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes
Waiting on a Friend - The Rolling Stones
Native New Yorker (12 inch mix) - Oydssey
Love Come Down - Evelyn "Champagne" King
Return of the Mack - Mark Morrison
Mr. Wendal - Arrested Development
Set it Off - Strafe

To view DJ Gregg Ambient's Top 50 tracks of 2010, click here.

To see his favorite songs of the 1980s, click here. To view his favorite dance tracks of the 1990s, click here.

About DJ Gregg Ambient

To book DJ Gregg Ambient for your next party, visit the Ambient DJ Service website at www.ambientdj.com.

DJ Gregg Ambient

Does Blogging Work?

2011-09-05T11:14:00.000-07:00

Recently, I viewed statistics from Blogger (Google) who hosts our blog. On December 24, 2009, the Ambient DJ Blog at was born, with a New Year's resolution to deliver quality content in the future. In 2010, we published 77 blog entries, getting into a regular routine of putting the pen to paper. After reading Gary Vaynerchuk's outstanding book "Crush It!" we were sufficiently inspired to accelerate our creation of high-quality content. In year-to-date 2011, we have published 89 entries.

According to the statistics, our Blog has received a lifetime 22,223 page views. This equates to an average of 132 readers per blog entry - far more than I would have expected. We primarily blog about our passions for music, parties and wedding planning - with occasional forays into pop culture and business issues. Many readers learn of our content as we distribute it over Facebook, Twitter and Linked-In; but many also find it organically through searches on Google.

A blog has the power to drive prospective consumers to a company's website - a surprisingly high 8% of visitors to our corporate site at www.ambientdj.com originate from the Ambient DJ blog!

Our Top Five Most Popular Blog Entries

1) What is Dubstep? (554 Pageviews)

2) DJ Spinz's Top 50 Dance Songs of 2010 (550 Pageviews)

3) The Royal Wedding Processional Song (438 Pageviews)

4) 100 Suggested Songs for New Year's Eve (231 Pageviews)

5) How to Plan a Successful Sweet 16 (203 Pageviews)

Also, please check out our latest blog entry, a profile of DJ Cassidy, the DJ of choice for celebrities like Jay-Z, Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian and Barack Obama. Click here > Who is DJ Cassidy?

For those interested succeeding in Social Media, check out this book!

Thank you to all of our current readers, and if there is a topic that you'd ever like covered, please don't hesitate to contact Ambient DJ Service at www.ambientdj.com!

Who is DJ Cassidy?

2011-09-04T11:52:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week while discussing business and life between riding waves in Spring Lake, the topic of the Kim Kardashian wedding came up. My friend and colleague DJ Greg Nice mentioned that it was DJ Cassidy who performed at the Kardashian wedding. Greg proceeded to provide a brief dossier of this celebrity DJ. Curious to learn more, I sought to answer the questions, "Who is DJ Cassidy?" and "what lessons can be drawn from his success?"

Cassidy Durango Milton Willy Podell grew up on the Upper East Side in Manhattan where he continues to reside. In 1991, he asked his parents to buy him turntables and a mixer for his tenth birthday, and DJ Cassidy was born! DJ Cassidy's resume is awe-inspiring. His clientele includes Jay-Z, Diddy, J. Lo, Kanye West, Naomi Campbell, Oprah Winfrey, Alicia Keys, Russell Simmons, Mary J. Blige, Tommy Hilfiger, Louis Vuitton and Victoria's Secret. In 2009, DJ Cassidy was hired by Barack Obama to perform at the President's Inaugural Ball. Jay-Z, perhaps the sharpest mind in modern music, recently told the media that "DJ Cassidy is my favorite deejay" (accordingly, he spun at Beyonce and Jay-Z's wedding reception).

Other interesting facts about DJ Cassidy - he is a huge fan of Michael Jackson, and a very sharp dresser having been featured in print ads for Tommy Hilfiger, Fila and Rockport. To see Cassidy's 20 favorite Michael Jackson tracks of all-time, click here.

Below are several video clips starring DJ Cassidy. Following are five takeaways - contributing factors towards Cassidy's success, some of which can be applied to our own careers as mobile DJs. Of course, it is unlikely that Diddy will be calling us anytime soon to DJ his next party in the Hamptons, but small changes can yield big results towards our success! Interestingly, DJ Cassidy cut his teeth on the mobile DJ circuit prior to making it big in the corporate, celebrity and club scenes. Watch him flex his emcee chops on the Barack Obama inauguration video clip!

5 Takeaways for Success from DJ Cassidy

1) Have a passion for the music that you play! Your audiences will feel the difference. In the case of DJ Cassidy, he is so passionate about collecting music memorabilia that he uses valuable kitchen cabinet space to store some of these items!

2) Position Yourself in an Active/Affluent Market. As I understand it, DJ Cassidy was discovered while performing in affluent New York City. For those DJs domiciled in suburban markets with a limited nightlife, it may make sense to re-locate or consider marketing your services in more active and cosmopolitan areas. A small piece of a big pie may be better than a big slice of a tiny pie.

3) How You Dress and Carry Yourself is Important. While most of us lack the naturally good looks of DJ Cassidy, we can all make an effort to dress better, show some style and accessorize! Technical skills are important, but one of the distinguishing factors between a regular DJ and a celebrity DJ is image!

4) Make the Music Your Own. While DJ Cassidy draws from a wide musical range, I was surprised to learn that many of his selections are similar to the tracks that the working mobile DJs of the New York Tri-State regularly use in rocking parties. However, as demonstrated in the Barack Obama inauguration video, DJ Cassidy takes these classic jams and stamps them with his own personality.

5) Success Attracts More Success. From a mobile DJ to New York party DJ to international club DJ to celebrity DJ to fashion model to an endorsement from Coca-Cola. Cassidy has clearly parlayed his successes in a relatively short period of time. For those of us whose careers may be stuck in a rut, it's important to remember that we are always just one party away from getting our big break that could set off a positive chain reaction of events. Of course, the harder and smarter one works, the better the chances for this opportunity to emerge!

Links

Website: http://www.djcassidy.com/ (the music section contains some of Cassiday's favorite songs and download links).

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DJCassidy (his preferred social media platform)

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/djcassidy

Blog: http://www.djcassidy.com/blog/

Fun Photo Shoot at Jenkinson's - Pt. Pleasant Beach

2011-09-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

Late this afternoon, I was in Pt. Pleasant Beach at Jenkinson's Amusement Park... as a civilian! However, when this bridal party started posing in the amusement park, I just had to get involved with the action. It was a beautiful late afternoon - warm and sunny with a gentle breeze... the Jersey Shore wedding that every bride dreams of! Music is my expertise and not fashion - that said, I liked the color choices for the bridesmaids, groomsmen and the floral bouquets. The guys were all wearing matching Margartaville loafers! According to a groomsman, the reception would later be held at Clark's Landing. In our humble opinion, Clark's is the top wedding reception venue on the Jersey Shore! Beyond the delicious food, the stunning views and the QSC speakers installed in the ceiling above the dancefloor (so that guests at surrounding tables enjoy quieter conditions) - the huge standout factor for Clark's is its professional and well-trained staff.

Congratulations to these newlyweds, and they are so fortunate to have avoided Hurricane Irene's wrath! Shout-out to Jenkinson's for maintaining a family-fun environment for so many years - the Jenkinson's that I enjoyed as a child, my own children now get to enjoy!

Rise - Herb Alpert

2011-09-02T11:34:00.000-07:00

Ambient DJs' last blog entry dealt with Michael Jackson, and particularly our love of his 1979 album "Off the Wall." In that spirit, here is another favorite from that era, "Rise" by Herb Alpert, the title track of his 1979 album. This song, with Alpert playing the lead part with a muted trumpet, has a great groove, and is a favorite of ours for a jazzy cocktail hour. At over seven minutes long, it's also a great song for a DJ to step out of the booth for a bathroom break or to line up a bridal party.

Do you know what well-known 90s hip hop song sampled Herb Alpert's "Rise"? The answer, of course, is the Notorious B.I.G.'s "Hypnotize," whose video is shown below. Both songs remain alive and well many years later and could easily be "mashed up" by a crafty disc jockey!

Here's hoping that you "Rise" to the occasion this Labor Day weekend!

Remembering Michael Jackson

2011-08-30T07:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, August 29th, Michael Jackson would have celebrated his 53rd birthday. It has been over two years since the "King of Pop" passed away on June 25, 2009.

My favorite memories of the music of Michael Jackson are from my childhood years of the early 1980s. Wall Township, NJ, my hometown, had a roller-skating rink called the "Rollerdrome." A cool guy named Mike with dark, bushy hair ran the place, served as both DJ and referee! Some of my favorite tunes to skate to were from Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall" album, released in 1979. In particular, the tracks "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough," "Rock With You," and "Off the Wall." While Thriller (1982) is Michael Jackson's most successful album, Off the Wall will always be my sentimental favorite.

I strongly recommend the Special Edition of Off the Wall that contains bonus footage with interviews with Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton, and the wonderful original demo version of "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" with its driving rhythm section complete with a cowbell and glass bottles.

A lesser known, but one of my favorite tracks from Off the Wall is "I Can't Help It" (written by Stevie Wonder and Susaye Green of the Supremes):

Enjoy these tracks as you remember the King of Pop on his birthday!

Review of 2011 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs)

2011-08-28T23:28:00.000-07:00

The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) show is typically a highly entertaining production. With its carnival atmosphere, there is always a level of unpredictability. What will Lady Gaga wear? Will Kanye West "act out"?

My favorite moments of 2011's show:

1) Bruno Mar's performance of "Valerie" in the Amy Winehouse tribute. Mars delivered an upbeat, energetic and moving performance. Click on this link to see the performance!

2) Video footage of Amy Winehouse's last recording with Tony Bennett of "Body and Soul"- Amy looked and sounded great! The track will be featured on the September release of Bennett's album "Duets II."

3) Adele's soulful performance of "Someone Like You" in a no-frills performance with just her and a pianist.

4) Beyonce and Jay-Z revealing that they are pregnant! I have always been impressed by both Jay and Beyonce's longevity and success in the entertainment business.

Lady Gaga's shock value ploy was to cross-dress as a character named "Joe Calderone." I remained unsettled by her appearance throughout the show! She looked like a demonic version of Ralph Macchio or perhaps Al Pacino.

Lady Gaga in character as "Joe Calderone"

My least favorite moment of the show was Tyler the Creator's profanity-laced acceptance speech for "Best New Artist".... his award-winning music video "Yonkers" features Tyler sitting in a chair with a giant cockroach crawling on his hand over a tattoo that says "Kill." Not a fan!

Below are some of the Award Categories with my picks, followed by the actual winner. My picks considered both the quality of the song and the music video:

BEST VIDEO OF THE YEAR

"Firework" - Katy Perry was my pick, and also the winner. This video has an inspirational message, showing a child cancer patient rise above a tough situation like a firework.

BEST NEW ARTIST

Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" was my favorite, but unfortunately the crass Tyler the Creator won for "Yonkers"

BEST FEMALE VIDEO

"Rolling in the Deep" by Adele is an artistic and wonderful song and music video. Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" took the prize. While I am a Lady Gaga fan, I'm not so fond of this song, as it sounds like a blatant rip off of Madonna's "Express Yourself."

BEST MALE VIDEO

I would have liked to see Bruno Mars win for "Grenade," but unfortunately Justin Bieber won for "U Smile." Bieber looked like a skinny version of Sir Elton John! While I respect Bieber's talent, "U Smile" is a disposable pop song that will never stand the test of time.

BEST HIP HOP VIDEO

My pick was Lupe Fiasco's "The Show Goes On." Nicki Minaj, an original in her own right, took the prize for "Super Bass." Super Bass, while a cute pink-themed video, progresses into a soft pornographic film with Minaj clones grinding out lap dances.

The Art of the Video Disc Jockey (VJ)

I currently have a Wednesday night residency at Brewsters Pub in East Windsor (529 Route 130 North, East Windsor), spinning music videos spanning from the 70s to the present. I am also available to VJ private events - bring your party to life with the additional sensory element of video! To learn more about our disc jockey services, visit us on the web at http://www.ambientdj.com.

Wedding Reception at Brooklake Country Club

2011-08-28T17:04:00.000-07:00

On August 19, 2011, Ambient DJ had the pleasure of performing at the wedding reception of Stephanie and Sebastian held at the Brooklake Country Club in Florham Park, NJ. Stephanie and Sebastian were introduced to Ambient DJ Service at the wedding reception of their good friends Eric and Ji-May last November.

The Brooklake Country Club features beautiful views of a golf course. While setting up, the skies darkened, and a spectacular lightning storm ensued. The power went out momentarily, but then kicked back in with the venue's backup generator. My laptop computer and CD players were acting strangely after the power issue, but fortunately there would be no technical issues this evening.

Our DJ package included a two person DJ-MC team, fourteen uplights, and presentation of two video slideshows on a large screen. The first slideshow, running on a loop as guests entered the ballroom, was of Stephanie and Sebastian's engagement photo shoot - a grueling nine hour shoot with many wardrobe changes that was held in Taiwan. The second slideshow was set to music and featured childhood photos and images from the couple's travels around the world.

Engagement Photo Shoot in Taiwan

Each table was named with a male and female name... such as "Lucy and Ricky" or "Adrienne and Rocky," based off a popular movie or television show. The groom designed a table game played after dinner where tables had about 3 minutes to guess the show for each table name. With the reception filled with brainiacs, there were numerous perfect scores, and a tiebreaker question was asked. Guests at the winning table all took home gift cards. The game was fast-paced, interactive and fun!

Lightscaping at the Brooklake Country Club

Stephanie and Sebastian have an inner circle of friends who know each other well and have a great time celebrating. They love to dance and party! After clearing the hurdles of the various formalities, the reception transitioned into a high-energy dance club environment. Perhaps one of the greatest compliments to a DJ is when guests opt to continue dancing when the dessert is served. The dance floor action was outstanding and this party is a shoe-in for Ambient DJs' annual list of "Top Ten Parties of the Year"!

Key songs for the evening included:

Back to the Future Theme - Entrance of Grandparents

Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance) - C&C Music Factory (entrance of parents of bride)

I Like it Like That - Tito Nieves (entrance of parents of the groom)

Izzo/In the End - Jay-Z versus Linkin Park (bridal party entrance)

Fancy Footwork - Chromeo (entrance of bride and groom)

You are the Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne (First Dance)

Suavemente - Elvis Crespo (party starter)

Daddy's Angel - T. Carter (Father-Daughter Dance)

You're the Inspiration - Chicago (Mother-Son Dance)

Fooling Mode (from Naruto) - Cakecutting

Shots Through the Heart - Bon Jovi vs. LMFAO

Together Forever - Rick Astley (closing song)

Thanks Stephanie and Sebastian for entrusting us to perform at your special day!

For more information about Ambient DJ Service and its award-winning wedding DJ services, please visit us on the web at http://www.ambientdj.com