Okay so we all have the desire to want to look good and more importantly the desire for others to think that we look good, but with the fashion trends constantly changin and few things remaining constant, this can be a completely daunting task. These are the quick reflections of a young stylish adult.

Being a 22 year old soon-to-be college graduate I am often placed in a weird place in the world of fashion trends, the middle ground.  You don’t want to seem too old with your attire while at the same time you are well past the days of big name brands molesting the clothing you adorn. The best policy is to keep it clean and keep it simple.

With this hot and humid weather, a nice fitted pair of jeans and a classic sneaker is an option you can never lose with. Most of the time this is what I choose. Its clean classic and timeless.  Sperry’s (a brand of boat shoe) are also a must have in every closet for the summer season.

One of the most important things about clothing is that it must match your personality.  Before you are even given an opportunity to express yourself verbally, your appearance speaks volumes.  This is a very dangerous and powerful fact.  This allows a person to give off whatever impression they wish to simply by what they choose to wear.

The next is to make sure that your clothes are appropriate for you.  There is nothing worse than seeing someone who is wearing something that is completely too small for their body.  Smaller is not nessicarily sexier (women tend to violate this rule the most).  I love women with all my being but when I see a women who is a XL trying to fit into a Medium, the next thing i see is four people slyly TwitPic’ing her.

Lastly I greatly dislike this “skinny jeans” movement.  It’s a personal choice of course which is what I talked about earlier but I would be remiss if I didn’t sound off on this nonsense.  The worst part about this whole movement is that  I’ve never seen a guy wearing these ’super skinny jeans’ walking with a girlfriend.  Bottom line, your jeans should not be as tight as the ones your girlfriend is wearing.

Just some kick reflections of a young stylish adult.

-Nate Jones

Nate is a dancer and MC with Cutting Edge Entertainment.  To learn a bit more about him, check out some of these posts on our blog.

Nate on Cutting Edge

Nate on Hip Hop

Nate Style

Photo courtesy of Erin Duffy

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

On Saturday afternoon, May 29th of 2010 I got the chance to once again MC a wedding at one of my favorite venues, Cairnwood Mansion.  We have been a part of many wedding celebrations at Cairnwood, and although  I have even written other blogs about weddings I have done there, this wedding ranks among one of my favorites.

Kathleen and John were a great couple to work with.  They were laid back, fun and I could tell they were really looking forward to having a good time.  They had a large group of guests to share the special day with them (perhaps the largest I’ve seen at Cairnwood), and we provided music for them during the cocktail hour, outside on the terrace for their meal, and of course we rocked it out with some great dancing tunes inside.  Whether I was playing some traditional Italian music, the sounds of Motown, or the popular music of today everybody was out there on the dance floor.

Once again, I had the opportunity to work with the incredible staff from Feastivities.  The food and service was excellent!  It’s always great to get to work with them, and I’m looking forward to another wedding I’ll be doing with their staff again in July.  I also want to thank Jason and Nick from Ultimate Images.  We appreciate them letting us use their pictures from the wedding.  They are extremely talented and I look forward to working with them in the future.  Finally, to Shannon, Evelyn and the entire staff at Cairnwood Mansion, I really enjoy working with all of you.  I’m glad that I get to work so often at such a majestic estate (it really is a very cool place with an awesome staff0.

Thank You, and congratulations to Kathleen and John.

DJ Richie

Photos Courtesy of Ultimate Images – www.ultimateimages-photography.com

Feastivities Catering – www.feastivitiescatering.com

www.cairnwood.org

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

On Sunday April 25, 2010, I had the opportunity to be the MC at Danielle and Brad’s wedding reception.  The party was at the Rittenhouse Hotel in Philadelphia, and it was truly amazing. People were dancing the entire night, and I had a lot of fun being a part of the action.   A couple weeks after the wedding Danielle emailed us with this to say…

Rich at Cutting Edge is the BEST DJ/MC you could ask for. We had such a pleasant experience working with him, he’s a true professional and I would recommend him to my friends. Rich kept the dance floor packed during our wedding reception and all of our guests had the time of their lives dancing to all the great songs Rich had to offer. Go with Cutting Edge and you will have an amazing party!

This was my first opportunity to do a wedding at the Rittenhouse Hotel, and I enjoyed working with their team.   I got to work with Lori, Emil, and the rest of team. The food they had was great and the staff provided the guests with excellent service.  I also got to work with Nicole Leigh Photography.   Nicole does a great job and took the newlyweds all over the hotel and in the park to take pictures.   Thank you Nicole, for providing us this great picture of the bride and groom.  Finally, a thank you to Eddie Bruce for referring Danielle and Brad to Cutting Edge Entertainment. Eddie is a very good friend to Cutting Edge and we enjoy working together with him when we get the chance.

-Richie

Photo courtesy of Nicole Leigh Photography - www.nicoleleighphotography.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

When tossing around ideas for my “Return to Cutting Edge Entertainment” blog post, those famous opening lines from the LL Cool J classic ‘Mama Said Knock You Out’ kept ringing in my head as a perfect opening…

“Don’t call it a comeback / I’ve been here for years”

Literally, I have been here for years. And though I may have been “out of circulation” for a little while, I never really left… not in my heart. And now, I’m back on the scene and ready for action… and it feels great.

I guess a good place to start would be the very beginning, the Fall of 1996. I got my first opportunity to work for a DJ company, albeit as just the guy who carried the milk crates full of records; yes, those large vinyl discs that spin slowly. My job was that of an observer and a helping hand. I would help the Master of Ceremonies and the Disc Jockey carry all the records and equipment and take notes the entire party as I watched the DJ work his magic with seamless precision. The more parties worked, the more I helped the DJ, learning about all genres of music from Big Band to Top 40, from Jazz to Hip Hop, from Motown to Funk and everything in-between, all the while gaining experience and confidence with every successful party. Working with the best DJs I also learned the most important part of any party, the art of  ‘Reading a Crowd.’  This is the most important skill a DJ should have. A great DJ knows what their client wants, and is able to deliver a great party every time.

Over time, several DJ practices, lots of party experience and constant badgering of MCs to give me a chance, I finally became an everyday DJ for any Master of Ceremony that needed me. After years of being the best DJ I could be, I was ready to take the next step; to become an MC, Event Coordinator & great Entertainer. Eventually, Craig gave me the chance to start doing my own parties and I never looked back. I worked hard not only at perfecting my art of being a great Entertainer, but also building a quality rapport with all my clients. I had the luxury of learning what it takes to be a great Master of Ceremonies from the numerous talented MCs at Cutting Edge Entertainment. I learned how to work with my clients fashioning THE perfect party they’ve pictured in their minds.

Word spread, and for several years I was a highly requested MC at all kinds of events all across the Philadelphia Area.  Ultimately, as I got older, health issues forced me to take a step back from my passion of providing the perfect party for all my clients.

My passion and enthusiasm for the industry never went away.  I still kept in touch with my Cutting Edge Family as often as possible during my brief sabbatical. Recently, I was approached by Craig who asked me to take a position with the company that he said was tailor made just for me.  He asked me to resume doing a lot of what I loved when I was an MC, but without actually being at the event. I would still get to meet with clients and work with them to build their dream party. I can help them bring their visions into reality and make sure they are set up with the perfect staff for their event.

When Craig explained everything the job entailed, I couldn’t say no. I accepted the position, and here I am writing about the “comeback”… that really isn’t a comeback. I honestly feel like I never left… nor do I think that anyone who works for Cutting Edge Entertainment ever feels like they really leave Cutting Edge. No matter where life takes them. After all, a family is family… no matter what.

Tony Donato
Networking Director
Cutting Edge Entertainment

Photo courtesy of Kevin York – www.kevinyorkphotography.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

On Saturday, May 22 of 2010 Cutting Edge Entertainment had the opportunity to perform for Nicole’s Bat Mitzvah at The American Helicopter Museum in West Chester, Pennsylvania. With most Bar & Bat Mitzvah clients, we deal with Mom and Dad from the booking stage all the way through planning, but once in a while I get to deal with Grandmothers and Grandfathers, which, for me, is a rare treat. When Lori Paradis (pronounced “paradise”) first contacted me she introduced herself as the grandmother of the Bat Mitzvah girl, and explained that she had been charged with interviewing and choosing the entertainment. Admittedly, I’ve got a soft spot for grandmothers, and have a photo from my own Bar Mitzvah framed at home in my study… It’s a photo with my Grandmother.

Lori’s concerns weren’t unique, they are ones we encounter quite often with clients inquiring about our DJ services. “Can we keep the kids engaged and entertained?” Throughout the process the Paradis family was pretty awesome to work with. Nicole herself was quite the young lady, with her own concerns, much like her Grandmother. Even Dad made a point to make clear that the kids should be the focus, and I assured him that that’s just what we do. At one point Lori even said to me “I entrust you with the success of this event”, and again, I reassured her that everything would be just fine.

The party was a huge success, and not only were the kids engaged and entertained, but the adults were too. It’s just what we do.

Being the MC for the event, and the Director of the company, I assembled an all-star cast of dancers, DJ, and crew. The event was a huge success, but I couldn’t even begin to take full credit for it’s outcome. Not only did my staff rock the house (or in this case, the museum), but we worked alongside Sherron Trio, the Director of the Museum as well as John Serock from John Serock Catering. True professionals, who were invaluable allies in the phenomenal outcome of the Mitzvah.

The party had a club theme, and our guy dancers seconded as bouncers (see photos), checking IDs and a guest list before anyone was admitted into cocktail. Introductions, candle lighting and a hora soon followed, and then it was fun, fun, fun. Games and dancing and fun. It’s what we do every weekend, and while Nicole and her friends were having the time of their life, I glanced over to see an expression on Lori’s face (yes Lori, I caught it) of pure joy. It’s moments like that that are the most rewarding part of my job.

The week following the party I received this email from Lori…

In September of 2009, I was asked to help plan the event celebrating my Granddaughter Nicole Paradis’s Bat Mitzvah. It was an honor to be asked. (If you knew Nicole, you would know why).

As any Bubbie knows, when all is said and done, at the end of the party, the place may not be remembered (although in this case it will be), or the food (although in this case it will also be), but the one part that will be remembered the most and which determines the success of the evening, is the success of the party itself depends on the entertainment.

So, one Saturday evening, I phoned Cutting Edge Entertainment to get information fully expecting to get a message machine. Instead to my huge surprise, Craig Sumsky, the owner of the DJ Company answered the phone, and proceeded to chat for a long time about not only his DJ Company, but life, religion, the world in general and his Bubbie!!

I knew right away that this would not just be a business relationship, and that a person with such compassion, caring, and kindness, along with great salesmanship would handle our party better than anyone else could ever do. I was more than right!!

On May 22, 2010, the BEST Party anyone could ever hope for was led by Cutting Edge Entertainment, with the BEST STAFF you could imagine. They brought joy to a gaggle of kids and adults as well, and they made Nicole feel like a princess for an evening (which she so deserved). Guests sang, danced, laughed, cried (candles!) and at the end of the party left wishing it weren’t over.

My deepest thanks to you Craig and your outstanding staff, Tony, Brittany, Nate, Louis, and the DJs.

With Love and Gratitude,

Lori Paradis

No Lori… Thank YOU. Mazel Tov to Nicole, and the entire Paradis family.

-Craig

Photos courtesy of Alexandra Horvath Photography – http://ahorvathphotog.wordpress.com/

Catering by John Serock – www.serockcatering.com

The American Helicopter Museum

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

The appetizer won’t be out for another ten minutes, the kids won’t sit still to take a group picture, the videographer can’t get a good shot of the bride and groom’s first dance.

As a DJ, I shouldn’t have to worry about those things, or should I?

It is a common misconception that the disc jockey is only accountable for the music, and that all other aspects of an event don’t concern us. As an experienced DJ, I’ve been witness to quite a few “close calls”, where I took initiative to help prevent any of the guests from ever noticing what might have been a very bad situation. Whether by working closely with the caterer, photographer, videographer or other event professionals, or quietly handling some quarreling in-laws, it’s the job of an MC or DJ to ensure a smooth and flawless reception. In the end, a great deal of the success of an event rests on the shoulders of the DJ, which is why we must lend a helping hand to our industry counterparts to achieve the amazing party our client’s have envisioned.

I thought about this blog post as I was studying for an exam and reading over an article entitled “successful supply chains”. The article reinforced the idea that if you want to run a successful business, you must ensure that you do not just have suppliers and buyers in your supply chain, but partners that work together to build a mutually beneficial relationship. No sooner did I finish the article than I immediately put my book down and began writing. I thought of no better relation than that of a DJ and their “partners”… the event staff working that party along side of us. I won’t be studying for much longer, as I am graduating from Penn State in about two months, but I am excited to come home and start working with my Cutting Edge family once again, and doing what I do best… being a team player.

That is, after all, what makes a great DJ.

Jason
A Great DJ

Photo by Jean Valentin – www.jean-valentin.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

A few months ago I took a good hard look at the Cutting Edge blog.  As far as a DJ blog goes, I couldn’t be more pleased, but I must admit my favorite part of it is the music category.  I’ve had great fun reading and sharing the things I know and learn about music, as well as the articles that have been contributed by my staff.  As a DJ, music is a passion, and an obsession – all kinds, all genres and all styles.

But there was something missing… Not a single mention of Hip Hop.

Naturally, as a DJ and dance company, a lot of our staff are well versed in Hip Hop, both the music and the culture. I thought who better to reach out to and offer the opportunity to contribute than our two resident Hip Hop aficionados… or at least I thought they were aficionados, but after months went by with no submissions, I thought that perhaps they didn’t know as much as I had thought they did.  Maybe they could just talk the talk, but didn’t have what it took to actually put it to paper.

As the saying goes, sometimes, if you want something done right, you’ve just got to do it yourself. So Nate, Joey, pull up a chair because school is now in session.

I guess I could start at the beginning with DJ Kool Herc who started the movement in New York by “toasting”, or rhyming over instrumental tracks in the mid 1970s.  Or maybe I could touch on Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five who coined the term “Hip Hop”.  I might even delve into Africa Bambaataa and the evolution of “Electro-Funk’.  But sadly, I think I would merely confuse the young lads with references that were too foreign to them.

Instead, I’ll make a bigger and bolder claim as to the greatest MC of all time.  Not these little wannabe rappers like Kanye, Eminem or Lil Wayne, but a real MC with skill and talent… Mr. William Griffin, a.k.a. “Rakim”, the true pioneer.  This isn’t opinion, it’s fact.  There isn’t another MC (or rapper) that can touch him.  Rakim is the undisputed, and is a master craftsman in the complexities of the lyrical arts.

Rakim’s golden age was in his early formative years with DJ Eric B, and the first three records they cut together set the bar so high that I’m surprised anyone else ever stepped up to the microphone. Just listen to “I Know You Got Soul” or “Follow The Leader” and his uncontested claim to Hip Hop’s throne becomes clearly apparent.  The rhymes are clear, concise, articulate and so devastating that to this day nothing even comes close.

I suppose there were others, but most had gimmicks or niches they had to create in order to carve out a place for themselves, and were only faint shadows of the true greatness that was Rakim.

Maybe that’s why Nate and Joey never tried to write blogs about hip Hop… because that’s all there really was to say.

Class dismissed.

-MC Craig

Illustration courtesy of Rick Cortes – www.RickCortes.com

I am the only female MC here at Cutting Edge Entertainment, and let me tell you that, in of itself, is a lot of work.  I’m treated like the little sister; teased and picked on but very over-protected at the same time.  I was fifteen years old when I came from another entertainment company, after being what one might call a “bench warmer” for about six months. I came to Cutting Edge with the hope for growth and, quite frankly, a chance. Well, I certainly have gotten more than that, and along the way have gained a family.

Cutting Edge Entertainment has opened up a world of possibilities that I never thought imaginable. I have my own jobs now, with my own clients, my own meetings, and all of the lovely paper work to go with it. I LOVE IT. I am filled with excitement every time Craig tells me that we have booked another client with me as the MC. I immediately ask for the client’s information and call them right away to let them know that I am their MC and ask them about the type of vision they have for their party.  I make sure to get my client everything they want by listening to all of their desires and requests and attending to every detail.

I am also in charge of auditioning and training all of our dancers. I am still trying to grasp that responsibility because it’s hard to imagine that after a short five years I’m in charge. It feels like only yesterday when Pedro and Allison were up in the front of the studio teaching me how to become a better dancer and performer. Now it is me up front teaching people that are not that much younger than me, how to do this job, and how to do it right. Knowing that the staff looks up to me is humbling in a sense; it makes you grow up really fast. I love each and every one of the dancers here at Cutting Edge. We have a great group who works hard to improve with every event. They are all eager to learn and also know how to have a really good time at a party!

While this all might sound like a full plate of responsibility to some, I still wanted more. I always wanted to get in on the planning side of events. When you MC and meet with clients, you pretty much are planning out their party with them, but I wanted to get involved from the very beginning stages. With that in mind, I spent last  summer hunting for an internship opportunity. My mom and I Googled, “Wedding Planners in the Philadelphia Area” and the very first link that popped up was for The Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants. After browsing the site, I looked at my mom and said, “ There is no way that this guy is going to take me, there is just no way.” She suggested I talk to Craig to see if he knew anyone that I could get in touch with. We figured he would know SOMEONE, even if it was a little company, just so I could get some experience and THEN try for The Queen of Hearts.

So, I called Craig, and when I got the answer, I nearly fainted… HE KNEW MARK FROM THE QUEEN OF HEARTS!! I died right then and there because after he told me that, he also let me know that Mark was looking for someone with Mitzvah experience. I died yet again. Screaming into the phone with, Craig on the other end of the line, all I could say was “Okay what do I need to do? Will you talk to him? Oh my god what do I need to do? Craig, please help me, oh god PLEASE Craig!” Well, being the little sister has its benefits, because he did talk to Mark, and after I wrote Mark a letter introducing myself and explaining that I was interested in an internship, I was interviewed and began working with The Queen of Hearts this past May.

Working with Mark has been such an incredible experience. In less than a year, I have learned so much from him and all of the amazing staff at Q.O.H. Weddings (a little shout out to Karen, Christina, Rebecca, and Kristin! xoxo). I have found, once again, another family, and quite frankly, that is how a work environment should be. Q.O.H. is growing and I am so excited to be part of this company during such a wonderful time. We will be celebrating our 10th Anniversary this year and 2010 is going to be a promising one full of new adventures, new clients, and new friendships. I am looking forward to all that is to come.

Shoshana Katz

Photo by Kevin York – www.kevinyorkphotography.com

WANTED
(l to r) – Marc ‘Mitzvah King’ Mednick, Pedro ‘Dr. Disney’ Coelho,
Richie ‘Mix-Master’ Abrams and Craig ‘The Leg’ Sumsky.

CRIMES
Causing extreme pain to hundreds of people’s feet every weekend, sometimes resulting in blisters.

Creating a festive atmosphere.

Encouraging people to dance and ‘party’ (The ‘party’ part  has been known to include fun).

REWARD
Book them for your next event and see

Cutting Edge Entertainment
MC, DJ and Dance Company
(215) 938.7950

Serving Philadelphia, Bucks and Montgomery Counties

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

Photo by Kevin York

What can one say about a place where so many different and creative minds come together?

Cutting Edge Entertainment is a mad house of energy, talent, and personality.  It’s really become so much more than just a place of business to me, it is my extended family.  If you ask the average person how many jobs and different places of employment they’ve had over their high school and college years, it’s common that you’ll hear anywhere from four to five different answers. This is completely different at Cutting Edge… great people stick around.

To be honest, Cutting Edge isn’t really just a job to me… it’s an experience. When I was first hired (almost a decade ago), and I heard how many years some people had been with the company, I was kinda like  “These guys are a little nuts! Why have they been doing this for so long?  Don’t they have real jobs?”  It didn’t take me long to figure out what was really going on.

That thought was quickly replaced with the understanding that C.E.E. is a place where you can do some serious growing, both professionally and personally.  I have been fortunate to have been with Cutting Edge Entertainment for seven years now, and I wouldn’t change a thing about my time here.  Starting out as a dancer, I learned from some of the most talented and unique people I have ever had the opportunity of meeting, not to mention working beside.

Now as I make my transition into the world of being an MC, I’m excited knowing there is so much more I will be exposed to and learn from being with this company.

Cutting Edge Entertainment a very cohesive unit, learning from one another’s strengths in an environment that is conducive to success.  Much of what makes this a great company to work for is what makes it such an outstanding company to hire.  Folks who are excited about what the do and the organization they represent are the kind of folks I work with, it’s just a great formula to succeed.

-Nate Jones

Photos by Jean Valentin Photography – www.jean-valentin.com

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