[btbluesky]

Help!...I just got tasked to be the DJ for an up coming small wedding reception for my auntie/uncle in their mid 50s. Since its just a small 6-7 tables close circle kinda deal, they don't want to hire someone. Plus the place already have some sorta equipments (I imagine 2-3 big cheap boxes, a receiver and a mic).

Now I think I have some ideas of what music to play. But it's no where enough. ANY recommendations of artists/songs, be it any gene would be appreciated.

Things I have in mind and I already have:
- Nat King Cole
- Frank Sinatra
- Any variations of Bach Air, Cannon, ...the old school stuff
- Some good Italian and french songs. Beside the bride, no one speaks french, so I think as long as melodies are in Major and joyful, it'd do (Lara Fabian, Connie Francis, Patricia Kaas)
- some good contemporaries love songs. No ideas yet.

I'll be compiling a list and repost it at the end of this thread, so fire away anything romantic & joyful comes to your mind. Any languages, and gene. And I'll try and find it.

This could be fun...

 

[DavidMahler]

Mid 50s.........

The classics you named are always a safe choice......

I would consider something maybe a tad more modern to add to the list like.....
A really beautiful Beach Boys love ballad like God Only Knows or Forever

Maybe even a Beatles tune

Do you have a feel for how "hip" these people are.....would they care for some rock music at their wedding, someone in their 50s may like that.

One song I know that always gets people is.....that tune in Casablanca "As Time Goes By"

 

[Apocalypsee]

This is my suggestion:

From Michael Buble:
- You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine
- The Way You Look Tonight
- Can't Help Falling In Love
- You'll Never Know

Debbie Boone - You Light Up My Life
Fourplay - The Closer I Get To You
Santa Esmeralda - You´re My Everything
Aselin Debison - Most Of All

Those are my taste though, at least what I wanted to do in my wedding

 

[btbluesky]

Yes Yes!...Beach Boy and Beatle are always sweet.

Michael Buble is good too. He doesn't hold my ears like the oldies, but lots of great tunes. And thanks Apocalypsee, I'll hunt down those tunes.

The rock might be good too during the fun time. But I don't know which one would suit wedding (I'm more of classical, jazz, vocal type). Any suggestions?

 

[pdennis]

I highly recommend that you check out Charlie Haden's album, 'Nocturne'. It's beautiful and romantic, slow- to medium- tempo boleros and other Latin-style ballads. All instrumental -- piano, guitar, violin, etc.

Gorgeous solo guitar and voice, if you don't mind it's in Portuguese: "Gil Luminoso" by Gilberto Gil.

How about some Sarah Vaughan? Sinatra and Cole are great but you've got to have some beautiful female singers too! Listen to, for example, "April in Paris" off her album "Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown". That album has several other tracks you might also consider using (Lullaby of Birdland, Embraceable You, September Song).

 

[DrBenway]

There are lots of good suggestions already in this thread. My suggestion is that you ask them to write down ten songs they want to hear at their reception. Get that list from each of them, separately. Take those as absolutes, after you run them by the opposite number. Make sure that your Aunt's suggestions are cool with your Uncle, and vice versa. Then add additional matierial that works well with their suggestions, and add in some of the good suggestions already made in this thread.


You'll be fine.

 

[davidhunternyc]

What about the, "Best of Ben E. King".

 

[btbluesky]

Oh...Sarah Vaughan is very nice. Didn't know her before, thanks, gotta get that CD in my collection. Charlie Haden for slow part of the evening.

The thing is they are not um...really audiophile, judging by their 10 yr old Aiwa boombox. And they really have no preference for it.

*On a side note, I gave up on giving advice to ppl about stereo in this ipod age. To suggest a 2k budget system, they'd look at you funny and show u the bestbuy flyer for the Bose.

 

[pdennis]

Also, how about some Motown or old school soul? There's lots of well known & appreciated ballads and uptempo songs.

Temptations "My Girl"
Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Your Precious Love"
Martha and the Vandellas "Heatwave"
Supremes "I Hear a Symphony"
Four Tops "Reach Out I'll Be There"

Stevie Wonder "Uptight", "For Once In My Life", "My Cherie Amour", "Signed, Sealed, Delivered"

Righteous Brothers "Unchained Melody"

Quote:

Originally Posted by btbluesky /img/forum/go_quote.gif The thing is they are not um...really audiophile, judging by their 10 yr old Aiwa boombox. And they really have no preference for it. *On a side note, I gave up on giving advice to ppl about stereo in this ipod age. To suggest a 2k budget system, they'd look at you funny and show u the bestbuy flyer for the Bose.

Probably a good idea. I mean, what kind of weirdo is interested in sound equipment in this day and age?

 

[DrBenway]

I don't want to seem redundant, but you are going to do a lot better by talking to them than by trying to read their minds. Ask them what they like. Get a list from them, then work with that. That's it, I just wanted to reinforce a point I already made.

 

[btbluesky]

Thanks DrBenway, I know that'd be ideal, and I already asked them what they'd like. They just flat out say "whatever its fine, you decide." They are busy planning their other things already(guess when you don't have too much time and found new love, things need to go faster). I tried looking for a CD rack or Ipod, and couldn't find one.

Beside the guests are pretty diverse, so I imagine to throw somethings for everyone. And who better at this than the audio-addicts here

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by btbluesky /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks DrBenway, I know that'd be ideal, and I already asked them what they'd like. They just flat out say "whatever its fine, you decide." They are busy planning their other things already(guess when you don't have too much time and found new love, things need to go faster). I tried looking for a CD rack or Ipod, and couldn't find one. Beside the guests are pretty diverse, so I imagine to throw somethings for everyone. And who better at this than the audio-addicts here

Of course this is a great place to look for suggestions. I just think you should try to get some hint, at least, of what they are into. Hell, just ask them for five songs each, off of the top of their heads. That won't seem like a chore for them, and it should give you some indication of where you are going.

 

[olblueyez]

Can you record the Sinatra channel and some smooth jazz and maybe even some smooth Elvis songs from satellite and just let the tracks go to town when you get there?

 

[btbluesky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by olblueyez /img/forum/go_quote.gif Can you record the Sinatra channel and some smooth jazz and maybe even some smooth Elvis songs from satellite and just let the tracks go to town when you get there?

Um thats a great idea, but I dun have XM radio. I was just thinking to use a laptop and a paradisea USB to output to the wutever receiver they have. So with mp3/cd-rip, I can have full control for 4 hours of music.

 

[olblueyez]

Just a thought.