Ideas for Wedding Cocktail Hour Music

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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.