Technology and New Music

This past week, I spent some time learning more about digital music solutions. For example, iPods. No, I don't have one yet. Although an associate of mine described them as 'toys'. Numark has a new product out - an iPod mixer with two docking stations. I suppose that I like the idea of being able to bring an extra 3,000 songs to a party without lugging the boxes of CDs, particularly for the rarities.

I also took a look at the Traktor Digital DJ version 3 software. That seems like a great creative tool, particularly for home mixed projects. Version 3 is $279. Version 1, which seems powerful in its own right, is $60.

Then, regarding music storage, I have been updating my massive Excel spreadsheet set up as a database. I think it is time to replace this with an off-the-shelf software solution. I found a great program called CATTrax. I'm evaluating the demo version now. Version 7, the latest, is $40 - which is quite affordable (http://www.fnprg.com/catraxx/catraxx.html). The thing that I like about this program is that you can sync any CD to the global music database and instantly get the song and artist information without having to manually download it. Music Magic, an application that I saw advertised in Mobile Beat magazine, looks powerful as well, but is priced over $100 (http://www.musicmagic4u.com). It was designed by the father of a mobile DJ.

Some music purchases over the past week or two:

* Risky Business - Film Soundtrack
* Heartbeat - Ryuichi Sakamoto
* So Many Men, So Little Time - Miquel Brown
* Some Cities - The Doves
* Parliament Gold - Parliament
* Pure Funk, volume 2
* The Best of the Temptations - vol. 1, the 60s
* Fantastic Voyage (the Greatest Hits) - Coolio

DJ Sebastian Marquez, a new friend/associate who I met through Craig's List (http://www.craigslist.org) was generous enough to provide me with a compilation disc of salsa/Latin favorites so that I'll be better enabled to respond to the inevitable question from partygoers ("could you play some salsa music?"). The compilation features songs by Celia Cruz, Tony Vega, Son Boricua, Tito Nieves, Oscar De Leon, El Gran Combo and more!

2006 Schedule

It's the off-season now, but the summer calendar is starting to fill up.

February 11th: Surprise Birthday Party, Somerset, NJ
February 17th: Sweet 16, Clark, NJ
February 19th: Teen Birthday Party, East Brunswick, NJ

March 11th: Dance for the Cure, Charity Event for Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkin Lymphoma, Myeloma - Skippack, PA
March 17th: 14th Birthday Party, Carteret, NJ

April 30th: 70th Birthday Party, Morristown, NJ

May 7th: First Communion Party, Marlton, NJ
May 20th: Wedding, Philadelphia (Chinatown District)
May 21st: Wedding, Clifton, NJ

June 3rd: Wedding, Marlton, NJ
June 10th: Wedding, Hamilton, NJ
June 17th: Wedding, East Brunswick, NJ
June 24th: Wedding, Budd Lake, NJ

July 1st: Wedding, Woodbridge, NJ
July 8th: Wedding, Clifton, NJ
July 15th: Wedding, Eatontown, NJ

August 4th - 6th: Las Vegas, Zareva Wedding (non-DJ related)
August 19th: Zareva Wedding Celebration, Manasquan, NJ

September 16th: Wedding, Pt. Pleasant, NJ

October 13th: Wedding, Toms River, NJ

November 4, 2006: Wedding, Morristown, NJ
November 11, 2006: Wedding, Avenel, NJ

December 1st: Company Holiday Party, Pt. Pleasant, NJ

Winetasting / iPod Party Synopsis

This marquee event occured on a Saturday evening that began with sleet. By 8:30 or so, it had turned to snow. It snowed hard for several hours, yet the bad weather did not deter invitees from attending.

The evening began with appetizers and several classy cabarnet sauvingnons - an Italian and an Australian. On the menu:

- Cheese and cracker platter (including the port wine cheese ball)
- Baked breaded chicken strips served with honey mustard sauce
- Smoked salmon
- Fruit platter with heavy emphasis of fresh pineapple
- Delicious spring rolls
- Stir fried noodles with vegetables
- Lindt chocolates
- Italian cookies

In the living room, guests viewed Miami Vice re-runs on the big screen. Reviews for the acting and show concept were mixed!

After cracking open several more bottles of wine, including a fresh Pinot Grigio, the music presentation commenced. The lights were dimmed, and to complement the music, a Mexican Pipeline surfing movie was played on the video screen. The movie featured nasty barrels and wipeouts. Interspersed with the surf images were those of beach bunnies, fighting surfers, surfing wounds, graveyards and one of humping street dogs. A speaker sat at the front of the room and towards the back, providing a surround sound experience.

In rough order of presentation, with genre classifications as per the presentors' descriptions:

PRESENTER- JOHN V.

Song/Artist/Genre/(Comment)

TV Eye / Ewan McGregor / Rock
I Spy / Pulp / Pop (this song received high marks from the audience!)
Moldavia / Front 242 / Techno
Total Eclipse / Klaus Nomi / New Wave (Good song, but Klaus regrettably died from AIDS)

PRESENTER - CHRIS K.
Luka / Suzanne Vega / Alternative Rock
(You Are) The Weakest Link / Echobase & Rat Pack / Techno-Hip Hop
Sell Out / Reel Big Fish / Ska
Rusted Sunrise /Mike Burgess/ Folk (the audience was excited to hear this debut. Positive feedback on this breaking artist)

PRESENTER - TARA K.
Jessie's Girl/Rick Springfield/80s
Possum Kingdom/Toadies/Alternative Rock
Country Roads/John Denver/Country
Saturday Night/Bon Jovi/Rock
(the songs above were noted to represent the "Leggett's Sound")

** at this point, the video footage switched to "Shadow Dancers", which presents silhouetted dancers against colorful backdrops **

PRESENTER - JEFF J.
Paradise /David Lee Roth/80s Glam Rock (David Lee is a better musician than he is a morning radio DJ personality. Good song from Mr. Roth).
Rainbow Connection / Kermit the Frog / Inspirational Folk
Where's the Party? /Madonna/80s

** at this point, the video footage switched to the breakdancing classic "Beat Street". Some ad hoc breakdancing broke out on carboard boxes, and there were talks of secret breakdancing societies in NJ (for real!)**

The next two presenters actually interfaced their i-Pods to the mixer. You don't need an iPod through to attend or hold one of these parties.

PRESENTER - JONATHAN G.
We Want the Funk / Parliament / Funk
Common People /William Shatner / ??? (by pure coincidence, this song has been targeted by another guest!)
Rainbow Connection / Sarah McLachlan / Folk
Thank You - Sly and the Family Stone (My favorite selection of the evening)

PRESENTER - GRACIE W.
While Grace didn't provide song names, she dropped a heavy techno trance set, with selections by Lorenzo (out of Germany) and Ian Van Dahl.

** At this point, we lost some of the Jersey Shore reps as the snow continued to pound away. It was about 11:15 by now.

PRESENTER - JULIE H.
Building Spires / Tristcza / ?
Goodnight Moon / Shiraree / Dance
City of Love / Persephone's Bees / Euro Pop

PRESENTER - MIKE Z.
* during Mike's selections, he asked me to read these quiz cards, which asked would you rather do this, or do that... both choices were outrageous. For example, would you rather be videotaped going to the bathroom, or throwing a temper tantrum?

Only /Nine Inch Nails / Industrial
California Stars/Wilco/Alternative Rock
King without a Crown/Matisyahu/Reggae (this Hassidic Jew reggae star will be performing at the Starland Ballroom on Mon Feb 13th.... are you in? Tickets are $20)

PRESENTER - CHARLOTTE H.
Music (the video) / Madonna / Dance

PRESENTER - GREGG H.
Honest Mistake / The Bravery /Electro-Rock (several observers mentioned that the band sounds like New Order)
Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm /Crash Test Dummies/Folk Rock (a dark selection for late on a snowy evening)
Love on a Real Train (Risky Business) / Tangerine Dream / Electronica
Sorry guys - no hip hop for this party.

The last song was played about 12:40, and the party wound down quickly from there. All guests received a small goodies bag with numerous surprises contained therein. Reflecting on the evening, it was a night of high ideals combining two artistic fields - fines wines and music, with plenty of sentimentalizing on the 80s and 90s. I enjoyed the journey, and hope that you did too.

Thanks for letting us show you our Lawrenceville.

Chef Charlotte & Co.

Babies Enjoy iPod Parties Too

Tara and Chris

The Antics of Jeff J

The King of Funk

Secret Breakdancing Society

Time for breakdancing


Local Street Scene from Lawrenceville

CK Prepares for a Head Spin

"Would You Rather" Skit

iPod Party Favor

Jess, Char and Sister Sledge

Max, Grandma, Great Grandma

Max's First Christmas

Peas in a Pod

Gregg & Char

Hipster Vin in Kangol Cap

Heidi's Delicious Homemade German Chocolate Cake

Yummy!!!

Delicious Holiday Cookies!

Happy New Year's Message from the Chief

Goodbye 2005!

A combination of a busy schedule and end of the year sentimentality have prevented me from writing an entry for some weeks. I am blessed to have finished the year with a generous bonus from my employer that will go a long way towards meeting the financial needs of our family. I am grateful for this.

Ambient DJ Service had a record year as well. A lot of parties, with many of them good. Profitable also. The crazy Albanians pushing me to the brink, a drunken punchup in Clifton, the dance set following the Pointer Sisters, the Mongolian Genghis Khan festival, the Korean hip hop party, the Wiccan wedding ceremony, the eclectic playlists, the Club 2606 parties that met with varying degrees of success.

The new addition to our family, Maxwell, is a 15 pound version of a newborn - he has more facial expression and chirps away like R2D2, but still is not able to break his routine of feedings, sleep with just intermittent play. In 2006, this all changes, and at the end of next year Max will be running around, jousting with Zachary.

Zachary was enrolled in preschool this past fall, and now looks forward to it (even though he took an iceball in the face from some bully named Alejandro). His communication skills have come a long way, and we regularly chat about this and that. He has a mischievious sense of humor.

The holiday celebrations were excellent. Lots of delicious food, libations, and presents. I am really enjoying the Miami Vice - Season One DVD set. On the X Box front, I raked in the World Series of Poker, Spy Hunter and Return to Castle Wolfenstein games. These should keep me busy for about the next five years.

It was a year of good family health for all. We hope that this trend continues in 2006.

Themes and activities for 2006 include:

* 5 Year Wedding Anniversary with Charlotte
* Charlotte's trip back to the Philippines with Max during the summer (I will not be attending)
* The Zareva Wedding in Las Vegas, NV on August 4, 2006, plus the surrounding preparatory and post-party activities.
* CURD (Charity Unity Respect Decadence). It's time to pay props and show respect.
* More music, more i-Pod parties, more Club 2606, more fun!
* Managing two mobile toddlers
* Banking savings towards the downpayment on a house

In good time, I will post some photos of the holiday festivals.

To all of you, I wish you a happy, healthy and successful 2006!

I was able to squeeze in some relaxation over the holiday break. "Up Country", a novel by Nelson DeMille was fantastic. It's about a retired Army investigator/ Vietnam vet who returns to the country in 1997 to find a witness to a murder by a US Captain that happened during the war. It's a must read. I devoured 700 pages in 5 days during the holiday break.

"Memoirs of a Geisha", both the book by Arthur Golden and the movie (still playing!) are highly recommended. Beautiful story and cinematography. The female lead characters were all Chinese (Zang Zhiyi, Gong Li, Michelle Yeoh), but that hardly detracted. Gong Li was slender and stunning. Check it out!

On January 14th, we will be hosting a small iPod / winetasting party in Lawrenceville. It should be a good time. 10-15 participants will be joining.