Weddings!

I've said it before and again now, I dig playing weddings. When I worked in artist management, the prevailing mentality in the music industry dictated that weddings are shameless, mercenary gigs. One artist I worked for, however, took a particular pride in these occasions. As the bandleader once told me, and I feel the same way: "Two people have decided to spend their life together, they've invited all their family and friends, this is the most important day of their life, and for the celebration they've decided to hire US to play, to provide the soundtrack for a memory that will stay with them forever? THAT is an honor, and we BETTER be at our best."

I played a wedding at the wonderful EM Fine Art gallery and event space. The bride and groom could not possibly have been better. Their personal dynamic was heartwarming. They both love music, as comfortably sure of what they did and didn't want to hear as they were of every other part of the wedding process. That said, they were 100% open to ideas and suggestions. As a result, our ongoing dialog between meeting and the Big Day was easy and effective every step of the way.

Short version of the musical direction:
Cocktails/Dinner - old soul, r&b, blues, and some funk, sprinkle in some more contemporary tunes near the end but make sure it's stuff that grooves and holds up with the older stuff.
After First Dance - play "Temperature" by Sean Paul, it will get everyone on the floor (it sure did), then focus on 80s and early 90s hip hop, work in some more modern stuff early and then cheesy 80s pop later as the drunkards take over the dance floor, maybe do an oldies set if there are older folks wanting to dance, no Saturday Night Fever type disco but maybe a song or two of mid-late 70s funk.

If this bride and groom don't make it in their day jobs, they could be DJs. Their instincts and preferences were absolutely perfect. This would be a FUN occasion and I'll enjoy playing good tunes all night.


THE PLAYLIST

PRE-CEREMONY:
Miles Davis – Kind of Blue (album)
Jagged Edge feat. Reverend Run – Let’s Get Married (groom's awesome idea)

PROCESSIONAL:
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole – Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World

RECESSIONAL:
Frank Sinatra – Fly Me to the Moon

COCKTAILS / DINNER:
Sam & Dave – I Thank You
Van Morrison – The Way Young Lovers Do
Tony Bennett w/ Count Basie – Life is a Song
Al Green – Love & Happiness
Marvin Gaye – Can I Get a Witness
The Ronettes – Be My Baby
Raphael Saadiq w/ Joss Stone – Just One Kiss
Eddie Floyd – Knock On Wood
Sam Cooke – Shake
Stevie Wonder – Nothing’s Too Good For My Baby
Lyn Collins feat. The JB’s – Think (About It)
Rufus Thomas – Do the Funky Penguin
Aretha Franklin – Rock Steady
Dinah Washington – Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby
Bobby Womack – Lookin’ for a Love
Sly & the Family Stone – In Time
James Brown – Give It Up Or Turn It Loose
Jamiroquai – Virtual Insanity
Curtis Mayfield – Superfly
Gorillaz – Dare
Prince Paul – What You Got [stopped early after an unexpected F-bomb]
Beta Band – Round the Bend
T. Rex – Jeepster
Professor Longhair – Whole Lotta Lovin’
Johnny Cash – Get Rhythm
A Tribe Called Quest – Can I Kick It?
Jimmy & Joe Liggins – I Ain’t Drunk
Ray Charles – Let the Good Times Roll
Average White Band – Pick Up the Pieces
Adele – Rolling in the Deep
Jackson 5 – The Love You Save
Marvin Gaye – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
Space – Female of the Species
David Bowie – Fame
The Budos Band – Monkey See, Monkey Do [guest request]

FIRST DANCE:
Etta James – At Last

RECEPTION / DANCING:
Sean Paul – Temperature
Flo Rida – Low
House of Pain – Jump Around
Lady Gaga – Poker Face
Naughty By Nature – O.P.P.
Young MC – Bust a Move
Justin Timberlake – Sexyback
Tag Team – Whoomp! (there it is)
The Time – The Bird
Taio Cruz – Dynamite [guest request]
Rihanna – S&M
Deee-Lite – Groove Is In the Heart
Bell Biv Bevoe – Poison
C+C Music Factory – Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
Black Eyed Peas – Boom Boom Pow
Flo Rida – Right Round
Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Relax
Outkast – Players Ball [bride request via bridesmaid for early Outkast]
Run DMC – Mary, Mary
Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch – Good Vibrations
Cyndi Lauper – She Bop
Gnarls Barkley – Crazy
Kool & the Gang – Jungle Boogie
Prince – Let’s Go Crazy
2 unlimited – unlimited megajam
Talking Heads – Life During Wartime
Sly & the Family Stone – I Want to Take You Higher
Cannibal & the Headhunters – Land of 1,000 Dances
Jerry Lee Lewis – Great Balls of Fire
Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs – Wooly Bully
The Big Bopper – Chantilly Lace
Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels – Devil with the Blue Dress On
Tommy James & the Shondells – Mony Mony
Stevie Wonder – Superstition
Sam & Dave – Soul Man
Madonna – Vogue
Madness – One Step Beyond
Sugar Hill Gang – Rappers Delight
Bill Withers – Use Me
George McCrae – Rock Your Baby
Beastie Boys – Get It Together
Michael Jackson – Bad
Tone Loc – Funky Cold Medina
Kool Moe Dee – Wild Wild West
Digital Underground – The Humpty Dance
The Budos Band – Ghost Walk
AC/DC – Back in Black
Bon Jovi – Livin’ on a Prayer
Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’
Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
Queen – Flash
Violent Femmes – Blister in the Sun
Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen
Salt n Pepa – Push It
3rd Bass – Pop Goes the Weasel
Will Smith – Getting’ Jiggy With It
Black Sheep – The Choice Is Yours
Frank Sinatra – Summer Wind

That is all. What a marvelous occasion. It just doesn't get any better than this couple and their guests. To anyone who was there and may be reading this: THANKS!