The Saxiest Songs Ever

The saxophone is one of the coolest instruments out there. Here are some of the best songs featuring the sax, a sax solo or perhaps a strong sax part in the brass section. Pick your 15 saxy favorites from the list below, and present a mix CD to that special someone on Valentine's Day! Thanks to all of my fellow friends and DJs who weighed in with their selections! Is it my imagination, or were saxophones used to excess during the 80s?

Maneater - Hall & Oates (80s)

True - Spandau Ballet (80s)

Careless Whisper - Wham! (80s)

Caribbean Queen - Billy Ocean (80s)

What You Need - INXS (80s)

Who Can It Be Now - Men at Work (80s)

Rio - Duran Duran (80s)

Only the Lonely - The Motels (80s)

I Want a New Drug - Huey Lewis & the News (80s)

Being With You - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (80s)
Mercy, Mercy Me (the Ecology) - Marvin 80 (Soul)
New York State of Mind - Billy Joel (vocalists)

Harden My Heart - Quarterflash (80s)

You Belong to the City - Glenn Frey (80s)

My Pre-Rogative - Bobby Brown (80s)

Waiting on a Friend - The Rolling Stones (rock)

Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed (rock)
Shine on Crazy Diamond - Pink Floyd (rock)
Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan (dance)
Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga w/Clarence Clemons (dance)

** The big man, Clarence Clemons, received accolades from numerous voters! **

Rosalita - Bruce Springsteen (rock)

Jungleland - Bruce Springsteen (rock)

Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen (rock)

Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen (rock)

Dancing in the Dark - Bruce Springsteen (rock)

Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty (rock)

One Step Beyond - Madness (rock)

Tender Years - John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band (rock)

Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones (rock)

Us and Them - Pink Floyd (rock)

Heart to Heart - Kenny Loggins (rock)

Gaucho - Steely Dan (rock)

Tequila - The Champs (50s rock)

The Wanderer - Dion (60s rock)

Runaround Sue - Dion (60s rock)

Show Me What You Got - Jay-Z (hip hop)

Brass Monkey - The Beastie Boys (hip hop)

Candy - Cameo (funk)

Papa's Got a Brand New Bag - James Brown (funk)

Get on the Good Foot - James Brown (funk)

Pick Up the Pieces - Average White Band (funk)

Super Freak - Rick James (funk)

Respect - Aretha Franklin (Motown)
Inner City Blues - Marvin Gaye (Motown)

Dancing in the Street - Martha & the Vandellas (Motown)

Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder (Motown)

You are the Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne (soul)

Rehab - Amy Winehouse (soul)

Soul Man - Sam & Dave (soul)

My, My, My - Johnny Gill (soul)

New York State of Mind - Billy Joel (lounge/pop)

Oh Babe What Would You Say - Hurricane Smith (70s/pop)

Yakety Sax (Theme from Benny Hill Show) (soundtracks)

Cantina Bar Theme from Star Wars (soundtracks)

Just the Two of Us - Grover Washington, Jr. (smooth jazz)

Europa - Gato Barbieri (smooth jazz)

Smooth Operator - Sade (smooth jazz)

Calabria - Enur f/Natasja (dancehall/dance)

Robi Rob's Bariqua Anthem - C & C Music Factory (90s/dance)

Sex Sax - Drop the Lime (dance)

Sax in Miami - DJ Mpulse (dance)

The Saxy Track - Rhythm Factory (house)

Songbird - Kenny G (ballads)

For the jazz cats, here's a few more selections:

Round Midnight - Sonny Rollins

Confirmation - Charlie Parker

Giant Steps - John Coltrane

On Green Dolphin Street - Eric Dolphy

The Girl from Ipanema - Stan Getz

To an extent, the saxophone seems to be going out of style in a digital world. Hope that the producers will bring it back, or even sample some saxophones!

What songs would you add to the list above?

Wedding Gig Log - Meredyth and Mike, Nassau Inn

January weddings are a rarity. However, Meredyth and Michael took the plunge, scheduling their event for Saturday January 8th. Meredyth is an attorney and Michael is a physicist of Russian heritage who currently teaches at Princeton University. The challenge identified by the bride was creating a music and entertainment program that would stimulate a brainy crowd and not result in a dull party.

The wedding reception was held at the Nassau Inn at Palmer Square in Princeton. The Nassau Inn is one of my favorite venues to work at given its location, classy Ivy league charm, professional staff and great food.

The area was hit with a nice snowstorm the day of the wedding, and it continued to snow through the afternoon. Palmer Square, with its big Christmas tree, looked magical. I am sure that Meredyth and Mike's photos came out great. Kyo Morishima, an amazing photographer who is recommended by the Nassau Inn, said that he enjoyed shooting in the snow.

The reception was held in the second floor - picture dark hardwood floors, oriental rugs, poinsettias and a cozy fire. The reception party then moved into the Palmer and Witherspoon Rooms. This is a unique space, as there are two sections. The larger section is a dining room. Adjacent to the dining room is a smaller room for dancing (and the DJ booth); there is a double doorway that connects the two rooms and is left open. The challenge of this layout is that the DJ is somewhat isolated from the guests; the benefit is that the back room is an exclusive party zone where the volume can be pumped up after dinner. Ambient DJ provides uplighting in the dancefloor area (pictured below), creating an inviting space to lure in dancers!

The grand entrance came off flawlessly. Guests packed the dancefloor area, awaiting the bridal party and newlyweds. Each bridal party member had a special song. The new Mr. and Mrs. Romalis entered to the Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling," then enjoyed their first dance to Dean Martin's "Sway" complete with a ballroom routine and dip for the grand finale! To recognize the groom's Russian heritage, a traditional champagne toast was followed by a vodka toast!

The groom came up with a very creative idea for centerpiece giveaways. Each of the eight tables, in addition to having a floral centerpiece, had a Stirling Engine (pictured below). With a heat source (such as a candle), these engines fire up! To determine the winner, I worked with Meredyth on creating multiple choice questions that would stimulate a crowd of lawyers, physicists and engineers; sprinkled with some questions about Princeton and pop culture. For example - what is Princeton's most famous ice cream establishment? What year did Einstein emigrate to the U.S.? Which Supreme Court Justice hails from Trenton, NJ? A question about Lady Gaga. The game was well-received!

The dance party kicked in hard for the final 45 minutes or so, with a non-stop mix of dance music. The reception had a good party vibe throughout. The guests had a great time (as did the DJ!). Congratulations Meredyth and Michael!

Top Ten Parties of 2010

During 2010, I was privileged to touch the turntables 135 times, entertaining guests throughout New Jersey, as well as in Pennsylvania, Manhattan and even Massachusetts. Selecting the ten best parties is no easy task. What ingredients make a top ten party? Exotic locations, interesting clients, electrified party vibes and/or hyped-up dancing crowds tend to be the most distinguishing factors. Below is 2010's top ten list, along with explanations about what made them extra special! They are listed in no particular order.

1) West Windsor-Plainsboro Prom - Camden Aquarium. As a former participant in the corporate world, I am no stranger to swimming with the sharks. This high school prom was held at the acclaimed Camden Aquarium in a dimly lit area with guest tables situated adjacent to a massive illuminated tank containing sharks, giant rays and other exotic aquamarine life. The DJ booth was situated in a giant atrium, and the students had a blast dancing to a mix of hip hop and high-energy dance music.

2) Fourth of July Wedding, Sabir & Marina, Columbia Station, Phoenixville, PA. Sabir and Marina are a super cool couple who opted to get married on the Fourth of July, which fell on a Sunday. A bi-cultural crowd of guests embraced all musical styles, and the dance floor was frenzied at times, particularly during old skool and salsa sets. Special touches included a local fireworks display, and a sparkler exit. A detailed blog entry of the celebration can be found here.

(photographs above sourced from Wren and Field Photography's blog).

3) Wedding, Eric & Ji-May, Elkins Estate - Elkins Park, PA. Myself and DJ Brian (aka DJ Extreme) provided the music and entertainment for another awesome couple, Eric and Ji-May. The Elkins Estate is the mack daddy of mansions, built on a grand, majestic scale. Memorable touches for this November "foodcentric" wedding included a breakdancing exhibition, a food-eating contest, and the groom reading his welcome speech from an i-Pad. A detailed blog entry of the celebration can be found here.

4) Corporate Gala - Bloomberg, Skillman, NJ. Each year, Bloomberg throws an employee appreciation/awards event for its Skillman campus employees. This year's theme was beach & boardwalk (following 2009's Brazilian Rainforest theme). Ambient DJ provided music in three separate zones, with DJ Spinz entertaining guest indoors, while I worked the main stage under a tent. Egils Matisse and his team from Eggsotic Events in Hampton, NJ once again transformed the campus into a magical environment with their special lighting and custom-fabricated decor.

5) Alpha I NYC - Midtown Manhattan. In 2010, through a mutual friend, I met Manhattan-based Emm Pakdee, aka DJ Emm Bangkok. Kindred spirits, Emm and I collaborated on a party series at the Alpha sushi lounges in midtown (Alpha I) and Chelsea (Alpha 2). The most successful of these parties fell on Thursday December 16th, when I spun from 11 PM to 3 AM to a group of smartly-dressed party people. The vibe of the party was off-the-charts, and I was definitely locked in a groove on the mixing board that night, playing the music that I love. These are the parties that we live for as DJs!

6) The Lohmann Weddings - Chesterfield, NJ. Holly and Julie are twin sisters. Both were married in 2010, and I had the privilege of DJ'ing both receptions. Holly was married in April at the Olde Yorke Country Club in Chesterfield, while Julie was married in September at the Inn at Fernbrook Farms - also in Chesterfield. Mr. Lohmann, their father, is a music lover and attended the planning meetings for both of his daughters, casting his votes for songs to play (and to avoid!). The Lohmanns are good people, and I enjoyed getting to know the family over a period of months. To read the full story (as well as details regarding my other set of "twins wedding" in 2010, click here).

(Above - Holly toasts her twin sister Julie at The Inn @ Fernbrook Farms).

7) Super Sweet 16, Villa Mannino -Bordentown, NJ. We brought out the big guns in our equipment arsenal, including plasma screens and intelligent lighting on a truss. I mixed high-energy dance sets, while VJ Brian manipulated snap photographs of guests on the fly. A large group of outgoing teens kept the dancefloor packed all evening in what felt like a scene from a Vega$ club. The banquet manager asked me to subdue the bass, after our rumbling sub-woofer caused a painting to fall off the wall! Good times :-)

8) Farm Wedding, Robin & Matt - Ringoes, NJ. Robin and Matt planned their reception at the Steenman Farm from out-of-state (Florida and Texas). Despite the logistical challenges, a program with many details and heartfelt moments came off seamlessly. To my delight and somewhat to my surprise (it was very hot and humid under the tent), the dance floor sprung to life later in the evening and an hour of overtime was commissioned. Memorable touches included announcing a guest to the theme from Top Gun, and a glowing note of appreciation received from the bride.

9) Waterfront Wedding, Pat & Drew - Brick, NJ. Patrice and Andrew opted for an intimate party with a smaller group of family and friends (many from New York). This extended reception featured a loose structure, and rigid formalities were replaced by ample cocktails, cigars and lobsters! I shared the entertainment card with duo "Chelsea and Ronnie." Chelsea is an amazing lounge-style singer, while Ronnie is the smoothest sax player that you will ever meet. What struck me about this reception was the mentality of the guests (particularly Patrice) who possessed a zest for life and genuinely cared about the people around them. It was a great feeling when Ronnie offered to prepare me a plate of food (I was entertaining at the time) before he had even eaten himself! The detailed blog entry of this event can be found here.

10) Corporate Party Series, Dow Jones, Plainsboro, NJ. This past June, I booked a Monday evening party for a sales group from Dow Jones, who was training at the Wyndham Conference Center. Our first evening of trivia and karaoke was such a success that they had me return two nights later for the group's final night in town. These super outgoing individuals really made the party pop!

We start 2011 with a blank slate. Will your next party make a future Top 10 list? Thank you for reading the Ambient DJ blog, and best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

Gregg Hollmann

President

Ambient DJ Service

DJ Spinz's Top 50 Dance Songs of 2010

Christopher Smith, aka DJ Spinz, checks in below with his Top 50 list, accompanied by some extended artist analysis!

"Greetings party people! 2010 was a tremendous year filled with many peaks and valleys. On the music side of the equation we had a slew of jams that kept our bodies moving to the beat! In countdown fashion here are my Top 50 dance songs of 2010! - DJ Spinz"

50) Empire State Of Mind- Jay Z ft Alicia Keys

49) All I Want Is You- Miguel ft J Cole

48) Sex On Fire- Kings Of Leon

47) Letting Go (Dutty Love)- Sean Kingston ft Nicki Minaj

46) Forget You - Cee Lo Disclaimer: "This was only used for bar and club appearances"

45) It Takes Two- Rob Base and EZ Rock

44) Bulletproof- La Roux

43) Billionaire- Travie McCoy ft Bruno Mars

42) Single Ladies (Ted Smooth RMX)- Beyonce

41) Your Love- Nicki Minaj

40) Find Your Love- Drake

39) Your Love Is My Drug- Ke$ha

38) Aston Martin Music- Rick Ross ft Drake and Chrisette Michele

37) Miss Me- Drake ft Lil Wayne

36) Ridin Solo- Jason Derulo

35) Airplanes- B.O.B ft Hayley Williams

34) One (Pharell RMX)- Swedish House Mafia ft Pharell

33) Party In The U.S.A.- Mylie Cyrus

32) Pon Di Floor- Major Lazer

31) All I Do Is Win- DJ Khaled

30) Hold Yuh (RMX)- Gyptian ft Nicki Minaj

29) How Low- Ludacris

28) Hot Tottie- Usher ft Jay Z

27) Pokerface- Lady Gaga

26) Tik Tok- Ke$ha

25) Calle Ocho- Pitbull

24) Teach Me How To Dougie- Cali Swag District

23) BMF(Blowin Money Fast)- Rick Ross

22) Bottoms Up- Trey Songz ft Nicki Minaj

21) Over- Drake

20) Deuces- Chris Brown ft Tyga

19) Just The Way You Are- Bruno Mars

18) Stereo Love- Edward Maya ft Vika Jigulina

17) The Time (Dirty Bit)- Black Eyed Peas

16) California Gurls- Katy Perry

15) Club Can't Handle Me- Flo Rida ft David Guetta

14) Cupid Shuffle- Cupid

13) Raise Your Glass- Pink

12) Just Dance- Lady Gaga

11) Hey Soul Sister- Train

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10) Say Aah- Trey Songz ft Fabolous

9) DJ's Got Us Fallin In Love- Usher ft Pitbull

8) Sexy Chick- David Guetta ft Akon

7) We No Speak Americano- Yolanda Be Cool ft D Cup

6) OMG- Usher

5) Like A G6- Far East Movement

4) I Like It- Enrique Iglesias ft Pitbull

3) Only Girl (In the World) - Rihanna

2) Taio Cruz- Dynamite

1) ** Shots- LMFAO **

Breakout artists of the Year:

5) Pitbull- riding a slew of club hits, Pitbull has maintained his status as one of the hottest collaborators in the music industry.

4) Usher- Mr. Raymond always seems his best after some sort of relationship issue. His recent divorce seems to have sparked such a creative surge, resulting in some of Usher's best music since the Confessions album.

3) Bruno Mars- Perhaps a bit sappy but nonetheless Bruno has scored some of the biggest hits this year with collaborations on Travie McCoy's mega hit Billionaire, and B.O.B's smash "Nothing on You." These hits were topped only by Bruno's solo effort Just the way you are which rocketed up the charts and is becoming a favorite amongst bride's and grooms.

2) Drake- The Canadian born rapper, singer and actor first graced us with the summer love anthem "Best I Ever Had" and carried on with smash after smash, crushing every mix tape and guest spot he appeared on. Young Money CEO Lil Wayne quickly scooped up this rap phenom and created a dream team of artists that will most likely dominate the music scene for the next decade. Drake has enjoyed wide crossover appeal due to his clever rhymes, melodic singing and dapper good looks. He has made numerous guest spots including a seemingly endless amount of songs with Nicki Minaj! Drake is poised to be hip hop's poster boy for the foreseeable future.

1) Nicki Minaj- Nicki has single-handedly changed the game with a uniqueness reminiscent of early Missy Elliot. Her clever wordplay and manic delivery is a breath of fresh air in a "me too" society. Although not all of her tracks hit the mark, "her collaborations brought Nicki superstar status seemingly overnight. Her recent album Pink Friday has garnered platinum status with 7 singles in the hot 100. Nicki's style and good looks have made her a megastar, not to mention that she is also a member of Lil Wayne's Young Money record label. Nicki is in a league of her own with no formidable competition on the horizon, so be prepared for 2011 as I predict a Pink takeover (lol)!

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Thanks DJ Spinz!

To book DJ Spinz for your next party, contact us at info@ambientdj.com or visit www.ambientdj.com for more details.

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

DJ Gregg's Top 50 Dance Floor Hits of 2010

As per annual tradition, I have listed my Top 50 dance floor hits of the year gone by. They are presented in countdown fashion. To make the list, a song needs to have been (a) frequently played or requested during the year, and (b) embraced on the dancefloors of New Jersey. Some songs were released in 2009 and came into full bloom during 2010. Others are recently released, and are just hitting their stride!

Drumroll please...................... here's the countdown:

50. Champage Life - Ne-Yo

49. Soldier of Love - Sade

48. Loca - Shakira f/Dizzee Rascal

47. I'm in the House - Steve Aoki

46. Stylo - The Gorillaz

45. Xxxo - M.I.A.

44. I Remember - DeadMau5 f/Kaskade

43. Tik Tok - Ke$ha

42. Runaway - Kanye West

41. Black and Yellow - Wiz Khalifa

40. Telephone (Mars from Metallica Mash-Up) - Lady Gaga vs. Metallica

39. OMG - Usher

38. Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)- Shakira

37. Toes - Zac Brown Band

36. Need You Now - Lady Antebellum

35. Teenage Dream - Katy Perry

34. Memories - David Guetta

33. Forget You - Cee Lo Green

32. Billionaire - Travie McCoy f/Bruno Mars

31. Lil Freak - Usher f/Nicki Minaj

30. Not Afraid - Eminem

29. Dirty Picture - Taio Cruz f/Ke$ha

28. Rad Anthem - Rad Omen

27. Nothin on You - B.o.B. f/Bruno Mars

26. Bulletproof (Dave Aude Cherry Remix)- LaRoux

25. Take Over Control - Afrojack f/Eva Simons

24. Break Your Heart - Taio Cruz

23. Drop it to the Floor - Pitbull f/T-Pain

22. Hey Soul Sister - Train

21. Only Girl in the World - Rihanna

20. Paparazzi (Moto Blanc Remix) - Lady Gaga

19. Shots - LMFAO f/Lil Jon

18. Whataya Want from Me (Fonzerelli Electro House Edit) - Adam Lambert

17. Blowin' Money Fast (B.M.F.) - Rick Ross

16. The Time (the Dirty Bit) - The Black Eyed Peas

15. One - Swedish House Mafia

14. Club Can't Handle Me - David Guetta w/Flo Rida

13. Hold You - Gyptian

12. Pon di Floor - Major Lazer

11. Carry Out - Timbaland w/Justin Timberlake

10. Rude Boy - Rihanna

9. Stereo Love - Edward Maya f/Vika Jigulina

8. Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z w/Alicia Keys

7. We No Speak Americano (Remix) - Yolanda Be Cool, D Cup and Nablidon

6. Bottoms Up - Trey Songz f/Nicki Minaj

5. Teach Me How to Dougie - Cali Swag District

4. Feel It - Three Six Mafia f/DJ Tiesto, Flo Rida and Sean Kingston

3. Like a G6 (Disco Fries Remix) - Far East Movement

2. DJ's Got Us Fallin' in Love - Usher

1. ** Dynamite ** - Taio Cruz

What songs did I miss? Two songs that are missing by design are Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair," and Justin Bieber's "Baby". Sorry kids, this is the major leagues!

For a multi-media replay of 2010's pop hits, check out DJ Earworm's 2010 mega mash-up!

Thanks for reading our blog! Comments are welcomed. Ambient DJ Service is a top-rated mobile entertainment company based in Central NJ that brings the dance party to you! Check us out on the worldwide web at http://www.ambientdj.com.

Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ambientdj or on twitter at AmbientDJs.

Ambient DJ featured in January 2011 Issue of DJ Times Magazine

I have read DJ Times for many years. It is my favorite magazine and contains a wealth of information about the mobile and club DJ scenes, along with inspiring artist interviews. Past issues of DJ Times have featured some of my favorite DJs, including Grandmaster Flash, Paul Oakenfold and DJ Dan. The cover of the January 2011 issue, in which the article "DJ Takes Stock in Wedding Market" appeared, was graced by Dutch trance DJ Ferry Corsten. Ferry is an all-time favorite, and several years ago I caught his late night closing set at Space in Miami.

To request a larger print of this article, please contact gregg@ambientdj.com.

Ambient DJ Recommends Joseph K. Brown Photography

Many thanks to Joseph Brown for providing this action photo of me from the wedding of Mike & Jen held this past July at the Salt Creek Grille in Rumson, NJ. Joe has a great eye. He and his team were shooting all afternoon, and used a unique device to capture the wedding cake in the perfect light!

Ambient DJ proudly recommends Joseph K. Brown Photography (based in Hamilton, NJ) to all of its wedding clients!

To view beautiful wedding photos on the JKB website, click here.

To become a Facebook Fan of Joseph K. Brown Photography, click here.