Reviews
More reviews can be found on my Wedding Wire and The Knot pages. Personal references are available upon request.
Ian & Jes:
“As a music industry professional, the pressure to get the music just right for the wedding was incredibly important for our wedding - especially for a 250-person party 3 hours from NYC in Coxsackie, NY. Not only did James provide the best curation and sound quality we (and our guests) have ever experienced at a wedding, but his thoughtful and calm demeanor provided us the experience we could’ve asked for. He Is truly special.
From a curation standpoint, he worked with us to develop the overall sound and feel that fit our tastes but also those of our diverse audience, without relying on the line dances and “wedding hits” that so many other DJs lazily rely on. What felt like a hopeless endeavor because tangible with James’ help, and ultimately very successful. Friends and family, old and young, couldn’t believe how great the music was! I mean this with all sincerity: I’ve never seen a dance floor so packed with so much energy. Shirts being ripped off, ties being connected for a limbo line, songs being sung like anthems. Everything we wanted and more.
There were a few potential pitfalls with the audio for our wedding. The ceremony was outside next to the Hudson River, which frequents many motorboats and jet skis that could make our service inaudible. Also, the reception hall was large and not necessary built with acoustics in mind. James went the extra mile to make sure ensure the sound quality would be audible for everyone. He arrived early to run 100+ feet of audio cable between the main space and atrium, set up satellite speakers for background level on the sides of the room, used bigger speakers for the ceremony, and even bought extra gear. These pitfalls never became a factor, even with a parade of boats driving by during the ceremony.
Most importantly, James personable and calm demeanor eliminated any worries we had. He MC’d the important moments, chatted with friends and family, and came over to see if we were having a good time. His personality is the reason we picked him in the first place, but he exceeded our lofty expectations.
I wish you a fantastic wedding, and if you’re looking for stellar music and an even better experience then James needs to be your DJ. ”
Paul & Becca:
"James was a huge reason the party was a success. Both my wife and I are musicians and music lovers and having fun, engaging music was really important to us. We discussed a loose song list with James, but also gave him the freedom to bring what he thought would work well, and help get people dancing.
There were multiple generations at our wedding (as there often are) and what I loved is that James was clearly watching the crowd and coaxing people out with songs and genres they recognized. Because he's experienced, he understands how to continue w/ themes when they were successful, and then move on when the time is right. On a personal level, he truly wants the night to go well, and understands how important the day is for you. He played one song that I'd only mentioned once in passing during one of the set list conversations we'd had.
There honestly isn't anything I'd ask him to do differently, in retrospect. I would definitely hire him again. He's conscious of the mood, fun, funny, ego less and well mannered. He'll make you look good."
Linda & Anton:
"I honestly can't say enough good things about James. He's professional and prepared, which is something I picked up on our first meeting to discuss our event. He has a lot of experience tailoring unique experiences to the couples he works with, and helped us create a wedding vibe that was truly our own.
Since we sat down and went over the music play list prior to the event, I knew more or less what to expect. However, he was invaluable in helping to achieve the optimal flow of our ceremony and reception, and was able to read the crowd well, keeping the floor lively and fully packed. He had to mix Russian songs and old Euro pop with tango and 80s tunes, and 90s alt rock, not easy to keep a crowd going on such diverse tracks!
Everybody I spoke to after the wedding made special mention of our DJ and how great the music and dancing was. He was unobtrusive but truly instrumental to the success of the evening. I can't recommend him enough."
Alvina & Tsi:
"James was amazing for our wedding! He's such a good crowd reader - he really was able to sense the energy and vibe from the crowd and got my reception going! We even threw in a few surprise curve-balls for him that evening - we decided the night before to add a lion dancing troupe to our reception entrance, and he tastefully introduced the troupe and our wedding party. I love his style - it is very tasteful, definitely not the over the top and in your face type that would detract from the main focus. My friends who attended the wedding have asked for him for their upcoming weddings because they had such a blast dancing at our event."
Like what you’ve read above, and want to discuss my services further? Get in touch!
More reviews can be found on my Wedding Wire and The Knot pages. Personal references are available upon request.
Ian & Jes:
“As a music industry professional, the pressure to get the music just right for the wedding was incredibly important for our wedding - especially for a 250-person party 3 hours from NYC in Coxsackie, NY. Not only did James provide the best curation and sound quality we (and our guests) have ever experienced at a wedding, but his thoughtful and calm demeanor provided us the experience we could’ve asked for. He Is truly special.
From a curation standpoint, he worked with us to develop the overall sound and feel that fit our tastes but also those of our diverse audience, without relying on the line dances and “wedding hits” that so many other DJs lazily rely on. What felt like a hopeless endeavor because tangible with James’ help, and ultimately very successful. Friends and family, old and young, couldn’t believe how great the music was! I mean this with all sincerity: I’ve never seen a dance floor so packed with so much energy. Shirts being ripped off, ties being connected for a limbo line, songs being sung like anthems. Everything we wanted and more.
There were a few potential pitfalls with the audio for our wedding. The ceremony was outside next to the Hudson River, which frequents many motorboats and jet skis that could make our service inaudible. Also, the reception hall was large and not necessary built with acoustics in mind. James went the extra mile to make sure ensure the sound quality would be audible for everyone. He arrived early to run 100+ feet of audio cable between the main space and atrium, set up satellite speakers for background level on the sides of the room, used bigger speakers for the ceremony, and even bought extra gear. These pitfalls never became a factor, even with a parade of boats driving by during the ceremony.
Most importantly, James personable and calm demeanor eliminated any worries we had. He MC’d the important moments, chatted with friends and family, and came over to see if we were having a good time. His personality is the reason we picked him in the first place, but he exceeded our lofty expectations.
I wish you a fantastic wedding, and if you’re looking for stellar music and an even better experience then James needs to be your DJ. ”
Paul & Becca:
"James was a huge reason the party was a success. Both my wife and I are musicians and music lovers and having fun, engaging music was really important to us. We discussed a loose song list with James, but also gave him the freedom to bring what he thought would work well, and help get people dancing.
There were multiple generations at our wedding (as there often are) and what I loved is that James was clearly watching the crowd and coaxing people out with songs and genres they recognized. Because he's experienced, he understands how to continue w/ themes when they were successful, and then move on when the time is right. On a personal level, he truly wants the night to go well, and understands how important the day is for you. He played one song that I'd only mentioned once in passing during one of the set list conversations we'd had.
There honestly isn't anything I'd ask him to do differently, in retrospect. I would definitely hire him again. He's conscious of the mood, fun, funny, ego less and well mannered. He'll make you look good."
Linda & Anton:
"I honestly can't say enough good things about James. He's professional and prepared, which is something I picked up on our first meeting to discuss our event. He has a lot of experience tailoring unique experiences to the couples he works with, and helped us create a wedding vibe that was truly our own.
Since we sat down and went over the music play list prior to the event, I knew more or less what to expect. However, he was invaluable in helping to achieve the optimal flow of our ceremony and reception, and was able to read the crowd well, keeping the floor lively and fully packed. He had to mix Russian songs and old Euro pop with tango and 80s tunes, and 90s alt rock, not easy to keep a crowd going on such diverse tracks!
Everybody I spoke to after the wedding made special mention of our DJ and how great the music and dancing was. He was unobtrusive but truly instrumental to the success of the evening. I can't recommend him enough."
Alvina & Tsi:
"James was amazing for our wedding! He's such a good crowd reader - he really was able to sense the energy and vibe from the crowd and got my reception going! We even threw in a few surprise curve-balls for him that evening - we decided the night before to add a lion dancing troupe to our reception entrance, and he tastefully introduced the troupe and our wedding party. I love his style - it is very tasteful, definitely not the over the top and in your face type that would detract from the main focus. My friends who attended the wedding have asked for him for their upcoming weddings because they had such a blast dancing at our event."
Like what you’ve read above, and want to discuss my services further? Get in touch!