There seems to be a new trend in Philadelphia… band booking agencies selling DJ services.  I think it’s worth mentioning that – for the most part – I’m on pretty good terms with my competition, and by competition I mean both the area’s larger and more prominent Disc Jockey companies, as well as the independent DJ who operates single operation outfits.  Of all of these companies, only one offers an option for a live band or orchestra, and that’s because the owner is in the band.  Otherwise, DJ companies do offer percussionists, an occasional bassist and a keyboard player for cocktail… but DJ companies in Philadelphia don’t sell bands.

We don’t need to.

So why is it then that the larger band booking agencies in Philadelphia are all offering DJ and Disc Jockey services on their websites?

Could it be because they need to?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love… LOVE live bands, and I’m a DJ.  I have a great appreciation for live music and can clearly see why they have a place at weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs.  The energy created by live musicians is unique and exciting, and has a perception of sophistication and elegance.

So why is it then that these band agencies are scrambling to hire DJ entertainers of their own?

Personally, I don’t think they “need” to.  I think that they might think they need to … which could have to do with a lot of things.  The demand for quality and talented DJs hasn’t diminished in this economy, in fact it  has increased.  In speaking to my competitors, it seems that business is good, and the more reputable DJ companies seem to have weathered the storm of the recession.  Additionally, the DJ has become more and more popular in the past two decades . At a fraction of the cost of a band or orchestra, the DJ would understandably seem like an attractive alternative.

In trying to grasp this, I’ve looked at my own DJ company, as well as a handful of my competitors/colleagues in the Philadelphia area, and I have to give credit where credit is due. The DJ companies in my market, whom I compete with on a regular basis, have better DJs than the band companies.  They work more, doing their own events, they have more experience, a higher skill level and a better understanding of what it is to be a DJ than those that work for band booking agencies. The caliber of a DJ or MC working on his own or for a DJ company is reflected even more clearly in the fact that he or she doesn’t depend on the table scraps of a large band booking agency. Their skill, talent, and ability ensure that their calendar is full.

If you are looking to hire a DJ, we would be more than happy to speak with you  (and as counter-productive as it  might seem for me to say this )  so would a dozen other DJ companies in Philadelphia.  Disc Jockey services specialize in DJ entertainment, it isn’t something secondary that we also sell, it is what we do.

If a client asks me about booking a band or orchestra (which they ask fairly often), I give them a recommendation.   I don’t want to be in the band business, and I don’t need to be.

Craig Sumsky
Director
Cutting Edge Entertainment

DJ Brain Illustration by Sean Gallo – seangallodesigns.wordpress.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

So here I find myself, almost a year after my first blog post about The Beatles, and subsequent meandering journey in search of Beatles lore.   I read someplace that you know you are obsessed with something when in the instance the subject is brought up in conversation, everyone in earshot turns to look at you.  So it is with me and The Beatles.

I began my journey not on August 3, 2009 – the day I posted my first article on this blog about The Beatles – but rather thirty years earlier when the first record album I ever purchased was a Beatles album.   Like Kevin Costner’s character in Field Of Dreams, who through his teenage years rejected his true love of baseball, I, like teenagers often do, found myself listening more to the music of the day… the music my peers were listening to. In essence, I lost my Beatles way. Teen angst is funny like that.

I’ve been in the Disc Jockey business in some fashion or another for well over twenty years now, and through my twenties and thirties I had love affairs with many bands, genres and music styles, all of which suited me just fine for their time.  My love for music is rivaled only by my love of reading, and I’ve been voraciously tearing through books since I first learned how to read.  It took reading a book about The Beatles to re-awaken the Beatle beast inside me, and I haven’t stopped since, nor do I see an end to my new found passion anytime soon.  As they say in “The Secret”, I’m “manifesting” The Beatles.

Upon finishing Larry Kane’s “Lennon Revealed”, I had decided to write a review titled “A Beatles Journey: Larry Kane & John Lennon”, and post it to this blog.  I decided that if it was to be a proper blog post, I would need a photo of John Lennon, so I reached out to photographer Bob Gruen, who willingly provided one (see the post).  It was then that I realized that The Beatles were not just four guys in a band, but a parade of auxiliary cast members who make up The Beatles circle.  Some, like Bob Gruen and Larry Kane are actually somewhat accessible, as I was able to meet Mr. Gruen in person, which I wrote about in “A Beatles Journey: 09.09.09 in New York City” where I not only met Bob, but at his behest went to see a John Lennon exhibit at The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex, but also visited The Dakota, and John’s memorial in Central Park.

I was also able to meet Larry Kane and hear him speak at an event held at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, and although I have been unsuccessful in catching up with Larry after that, I have exchanged emails with him and hope to have the opportunity to pick his brain sometime soon.  Larry is currently working on a third book about The Beatles and their time in Liverpool prior to super-stardom, and I look forward to reading it.

In the past year, I’ve read over a dozen books on The Beatles, I’ve shaken hands with three people who shook Beatles hands (third degree?), and I’ve watched virtually every Beatles film and documentary I could get a hold of.   Today, my favorite album is Rubber Soul, but I anticipate that could change at any time.

So what’s next?  well, I’ve recently finished reading Sir George Martin’s book “All You Need Is Ears” – a brilliant book I might add – and am currently putting the finishing touches on that review (and patiently waiting for an illustration of Sir George).  I’ve begun reading “John’ by Cynthia Lennon, and I am currently in the process of trying to get my hands on tickets for the August 2010 Paul McCartney concert in Philadelphia while planning a pilgrimage to Las Vegas to see The Beatles Cirque show.  All Beatles, all the time.

And that’s where I am with The Beatles.  I continue to be amazed by their contributions to music and popular culture, and their continuing impact on everything that has come since.

-Craig Sumsky

So far, I’ve published nine blog posts pertaining to my Beatles journey (this being the tenth).  For anyone who might be interested in reading my long winded musings, reviews and opinions (I know, I know), feel free to check out the links below.

A Beatles Journey: Larry Kane & John Lennon

A Beatles Journey: Don’t Hate On The Octopus

A Beatles Journey: Bob Gruen & John Lennon

A Beatles Journey: Philadelphia 45 Years After

A Beatles Journey: 09.09.09 In New York City

A Beatles Journey: Larry Kane’s ‘Ticket To Ride’

A Beatles Journey: George Harrison

A Beatles Journey: Paul McCartney, A Life

A Beatles Journey: Taxman

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

To truly make a list of “Summer Songs” could easily have become an endless endeavor.  There are songs that epitomize the spirit of summer, like Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” or Chicago’s “Saturday In The Park”, while the Beach Boys entire library could easily be construed as a soundtrack of the summer season.  Regardless, this list has been narrowed to songs which specifically use the word “Summer” in the title.  While some say “Driving fast with the top down” summer, others say “Chilling on the porch with a glass of lemonade” summer, with all sorts of summer interpretations in-between.

No, not every summer song is included here on this list by a long shot… but there’s always next summer.

“Summertime”  by Billy Stewart

Summertime was composed by George Gershwin – with lyrics by DuBose HeyWard -  in 1935 for the show “Porgy and Bess”.  It quickly becabe a jazz standard recorded by such artists as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Bing Crosby, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Sidney Bechet just to name a few.  It continued to resurface through the years, recorded by dozens of artists from The Zombies and Ray Charles to Paul McCartney and Sublime.  Billy Stewart’s radical interpretation of the song reached the Billboard top ten in both the R&B and pop categories in 1966.

“Summertime, Summertime”  by The Jamies

The Jamies (Tom and Serena Jameson) were an a-capella group, sometimes classified as do-wop, who first recorded and released “Summertime, Summertime” in 1958, then later in 1962, reaching the Billboard Top 40 on both occasions.  Although the song itself was re-recorded by a handful of other artists, it is The Jamies version that is regarded as the most popular, and most commercially successful.

“Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer” by Nat King Cole

Reminiscent of a Polka/Minstrel style (insert Philadelphia Mummers string band), Nat King Cole’s “Lazy-Hazy-Crazy” song is a short ditty that sings of pretzels, beer, picnic baskets, drive-ins and girls in bikinis on the beach.  This fun tune reminds us of a simpler time, while still representing what summer is all about.

“Summer”  by War

Unlike the previous track by Nat King Cole, this tune is much less timeless with it’s lyrics saying things like “listening to the 8-track” and “rapping on the CB radio”, deeply rooting it in a time gone by… those ancient 1970’s.  It’s slow and easy tempo invite you to sit back, kick your sandals (or flip-flops) off and sip on a cool drink on the beach or in the park.  Although the song never reached any notable commercial success, it’s still a great summertime classic.

“Summertime Blues” by Eddie Cochran

Although re-recorded and released by mega-groups The Beach Boys and The Who, Eddie Cochran’s version of Summertime Blues (written by Eddie himself) is still the most popular, making Rolling Stone’s “Top 100 Songs of All Time” list.  Summertime Blues peaked at #8 on the Billboard charts in September of 1958.  The humorous lyrics eveke the age old teen no-win summer scenario of no money, no date vs. work late, no date.  Some things never change.

“In The Summertime” by Mungo Jerry

Recorded and released in 1970 by British pop band Mungo Jerry, “In The Summertime” charted at #1 in twenty six countries.  By far one of the silliest tunes on this list, the humorous girl-getting lyrics advise “If her daddy’s rich take her out for a meal, if her daddy’s poor just do what you feel”.  Pure nonsensical fun.

“Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince

The Fresh Prince of West Philadelphia, a.k.a. Will Smith rhymes about school being out, being in Philly in the park, popping the water plug and  making sure you dress right before you hit the basketball court… because there’s girls there.  “Summertime” samples another great summertime song called “Summer Madness” by Kool & The Gang.

“Summer of 69″ by Bryan Adams

Canadian rocker Bryan Adams reached #6 on the Billboard charts with this now classic summer song.  Adams shows his harder edged lyrics to be “not what you think they are”, and in a 2008 interview admits that 69 has nothing at all to do with the year, “Just listen to the last line in the song and you’ll get my meaning” says Adams.  I think we “get it” Bryan.

“Summer Nights” by John Travolta & Olivia Newton John

Someone should have told Danny and Sandy that it’s a bad idea to kiss-and-tell.  In 1978, this duet rocketed to the top of the charts (with the help of a hit major motion picture), and became forever a part of American pop culture.  All summer ingredients included like beaches, lemonade, and makin’ out under the dock (or the boardwalk, depending on the seashore).

“Summer In The City” by The Lovin Spoonful

Summers aren’t just spent on beaches and at campsites, as The Lovin Spoonful’s “Summer In The City” suggests.  All kinds of sound effects were thrown into this recording like car horns and jackhammers to give it that authentic “city sound”.  Charting at #1 in 1966 (the same year as Billy Stewart’s “Summertime”), “Summer In The City” was a gritty take on an urban summer.

“Summer Girls” by LFO

LFO is an acronym for the late 1990’s boy band Lyte Funky Ones, who – other than this summer song which went certified platinum – didn’t leave much of a mark.  Many people identify this as the Abercrombie & Fitch song, as the brands name is repeated several time throughout the lyrics.  Regardless, as campy as the tune may be with it’s pop culture references, it had the necessary pieces to become a pop hit.  And what says summer more than cute guys singing about cute girls?

“Summer Wind” by Frank Sinatra

Old Blue Eyes hit the jackpot with this summer song, and it remains a DJ favorite at weddings as a sure-fire floor packer for young and old alike.  When the summer wind came blowing in from across the sea, it was whisked away from Wayne Newton who first recorded the song to forever be part of Frank’s library of classic standards.  It peaked at #25 in 1966,and being our third summer hit from that year clearly suggests that 1966 was “A Very Good Year” for summer songs.


Have a great summer everyone!

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

On May 15th 2010, in a place 1,210 miles north of The Magic City (according to Google maps) and on a night about 20 degrees cooler, Miami fever was sweeping through Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. As we headed out to the event, Jack and I had no idea of the wild party that lay ahead of us that evening. When we arrived at the King of Prussia Towers Club House, Jackie was already bubbling with excitement. She was rocking a bright yellow dress that would have made even the most die hard Miami senoritas proud. The room was draped in bright orange and pink, complete with a drink bar serving limeade and tropical drinks in multi-colored margarita glasses. I managed to grab one of the flamingo straws and perch it on my table. Even DJs like to have a mascot. Jack polished off the festive look with a creative light show composed of bright blues, yellows and greens. When it was show time, the room looked more like the set of a Ricky Martin music video than that of a club house! ‘Can Philadelphia handle this much heat?’ I wondered to myself.

As all of Jackie’s friends walked through the doors into paradise, Jackie was hidden away in another room waiting for her grand entrance. I walked back to check on her, only to find her giggling in anticipation. I dimmed the lights and got all the party goers up clapping their hands and stomping their feet. Jack’s lights were sweeping the room creating an introduction fit for Gloria Estefan herself. The crowd let out a roar when Jackie was carried in upon a surf board to a mash up of Will Smith’s “Miami” and LMFAO’s “I’m In Miami”, mixed by yours truly. “Club Jackie” was officially open for business. After that moment, the party never stopped until the end of the night. The dance floor was packed so tight, that the people dancing looked like sardines in a can. The rest of the evening was a musical journey that would have made even the most advanced DJ excited. The kids rocked out to everything from The Black Eyed Peas to Kool and the Gang to Pink to Justin Bieber. Of course, let’s not forget the Miami flavored set that had the whole place shaking from top to bottom. I walked over to the incredible cake to have Jackie cut it, and she was standing there rocking her socks off! She barely stopped to cut the cake, but we got her to slow down enough to keep all of her fingers.

The party was a blast, I am positive that I had as much fun DJing as everyone else did partying! At the end of the night, no one wanted to leave. It was a party that would have made the Miami Sound Machine proud. Jackie’s mom even said to me “Every song you played made me feel like dancing!” Thank you Jackie and your family for giving me the privilege of being the DJ for your Sweet 16, and I hope you had as much fun as I did!

-Tony A.

P.S. I’d also like to thank Melissa Cotter for the fantastic pictures she supplied us from the party. You’re awesome!

Photos Courtesy of Melissa Cotter – Melissa Cotter Photography on Facebook

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

I stood watching the bridal party make their way up the stairs to the overlook where the ceremony was to be held, led by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. Faye, the bride, naturally followed behind arm in arm with her father who was about to give away his daughter to the age old tradition of matrimony… and that’s when Faye saw me, and in this moment caught on film by Photographer Kevin York, stepped out of the procession, gave me a big hug, and said “Thank you”.

No Faye, Thank YOU.

There are moments in my career that I am reminded of why I do what I do. Yes, Matthew and Faye were a really great couple to work with, and they are really nice people, but what truly made all the hard work worthwhile – and I think I speak for all of the professionals involved – is that the bride and groom were grateful for everything. I witnessed Matthew and Faye thanking everyone, sometimes several times, for many of which Faye’s eyes would fill with tears of utter joy. It is good that Faye and Matthew Glass won this wedding, because they deserved it.

Faye updated her Facebook status to say that she was the luckiest girl in the world, which I heard her repeat to so many of the colleagues who we worked alongside (with honorable mention to the team at Eclatante Event Design, who really pulled it all together).

I’d have to say we all were about as equally, if not more lucky to have had Faye and Matthew as our Bride and Groom. Thank you both for being so thankful and grateful, it really means more than you could ever know, and keeps us all doing what we do.

Good luck Mr. and Mrs. Glass.

-Craig

Here is the re-cap/day-of of the event courtesy of the folks at CinemaCake filmmakers. Be sure to check out the credits at the end of the video for a listing of all the professionals whose contribution made the day possible.

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

]]> http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/25/love-of-a-lifetime/feed/ 1 http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/24/bat-mitzvah-dancers-in-action/ http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/24/bat-mitzvah-dancers-in-action/#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 21:26:53 +0000 Cutting Edge http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/?p=1912

Although the Cutting Edge Entertainment Dance Crew has been the choice of some of the most prominent band leaders, DJ companies and entertainers in the City of Philadelphia, it is always the greatest honor to be called upon to entertain for our industry colleagues personal events.  Not only did Cutting Edge have the pleasure of entertaining at the Bat Mitzvah of Danielle Williams, but it just so happens that Danielle’s parents are Dave and Sheryl Williams from CinemaCake, by far one of the most prominent and talented event cinematography companies in Philadelphia.

Which is how we ended up with such an awesome video – as a thank you from Dave and Sheryl – highlighting our staff in action at Danielle’s Bat Mitzvah.  Dancers Nate, Tony, Emily and Brittany bring super charged energy to every event, and combined with the mad editing skills of Jeremy from CinemaCake, and topped off with the original music of Samik G (another Cutting Edge alumn) the results are truly explosive.

After watching the first edit with Pedro, followed by a moment of silence, Pedro turned to me with a look of awe and uttered one word… “Intense”.

I’d have to agree with him.

Thank you Dave and Sheryl,

-Craig

CinemaCake – www.CinemaCake.com

Samik G “The Symphony”

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

]]> http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/24/bat-mitzvah-dancers-in-action/feed/ 3 http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/05/cinemacake/ http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/05/cinemacake/#comments Wed, 05 May 2010 14:23:41 +0000 Cutting Edge http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/?p=1814

A few months ago, Cutting Edge Entertainment had the honor of providing the dancer staff for Dave and Sheryl Williams daughter’s Bat Mitzvah. As it happens, Dave and Sheryl are friends, as well as industry colleagues. Their company, CinemaCake,  is one of the top event filmmaker/cinematographers in the Philadelphia market, so naturally they had a lot of video shot at the event (three cameras worth), and generously offered to create an “in action” demo of our staff from the event footage.

Last week, Sheryl gave me a call to schedule a time for me to come and look over the footage with their editor, so we set the date and a week later I was on my way to Wayne, Pennsylvania to check out CinemaCake’s headquarters.

When I arrived I was greeted by Dave and Sheryl, and after a short chit-chat Dave took me into CinemaCake’s command central. I was already familiar with how a videography outfit is run – editing stations, editors, computers, etc – but no matter how many times I see it, I’m always just as impressed. Dave then introduced me to Jeremy, who already had footage from my project up on four monitors (I have two monitors on my desk, so four is already most impressive). While Dave went to grab me a cup of coffee, Jeremy introduced me to Jimmy, who was working on a corporate project at the next workstation over.

So, to start off, Jeremy and Jimmy are great guys, and they really know their stuff. As soon as Jeremy and I started looking at the project, I got the feeling that he knew exactly how to achieve my vision for the video. Like Radar O’Rielly from M*A*S*H, he was finishing my sentences while at the same time giving me the utmost confidence that the finished product would far exceed my expectations. Let’s just say I’m pretty excited to see what Jeremy whips up.

What I think I liked best about my visit was getting an inside peek at the inner workings of CinemaCake and their creative process. I’m fairly certain that clients have no idea what goes into the post production of a video, and the skill level of Jeremy and Jimmy was clearly exceptional. It was easy to see that they were passionate about their work, and although Jeremy intuitively knew what I wanted, he left me with the impression that he was going to create a video that I would love.

When I wrapped up with Jeremy, I went to say goodbye to Sheryl and Dave, who were meeting with their photographers from the event, Sarah and Tony DiCicco. It was the first time I’d made their acquaintance, and after a brief introduction they said they had some great photos of my staff from the event as well, which was like cherries on top of an already outstanding visit (or CinemaCake, pun intended).

I didn’t leave without homework though, but thankfully it was of the musical variety… Come up with music for the demo video. Shouldn’t be too hard for a Disc Jockey, so I’ll have to hit some of my DJ buddies up for some original tracks.

Be sure to stay tuned here to the Cutting Edge DJ blog for what should prove to be some world-class footage of our staff in action, and if you are looking for exceptional video for your upcoming event, be sure to check out the CinemaCake website… You won’t be disappointed.

-Craig

www.CinemaCake.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

]]> http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/05/cinemacake/feed/ 0 http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/01/talent-personified-the-cast-of-cutting-edge/ http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/01/talent-personified-the-cast-of-cutting-edge/#comments Sat, 01 May 2010 06:11:41 +0000 Cutting Edge http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/?p=1781

Cutting Edge Entertainment is talent personified. It is from within our hallowed studio that many of Philadelphia’s greatest entertainers continue to emerge. We brag because we can… we’re just that good. It isn’t really bragging though, it’s pride, coupled with a commitment to excellence that has no rival in the City of Philadelphia.

Someone once asked if I had moments of regret for choosing the name “Cutting Edge” for our company. If somehow we could have chosen another word that hadn’t such a connotation of what was new and avant-garde. I wondered if some other name would have lessened pressure of achievement and innovation, somehow making it alright to settle for mediocrity. Perhaps. But as it stands, the name is Cutting Edge, and so we are.

Lights and camera are concluded by action, almost as if to be the punctuation of the words which came before it. Action is what the entertainer brings to the table in any equation, and our approach to interactive entertainment is on both the micro and macro level. Practice makes perfect, and working often as well as a regular rehearsal schedule are a part of Cutting Edge Entertainment’s rigorous approach to event entertainment. The key word is “interactive”. Lights and cameras are important and integral parts of any production, but the performers are the catalyst that create the excitement.

If you were to ask our entertainment staff about the hard work they put in to training and rehearsal, it’s quite likely that they would have no idea what you were talking about. As Mary Poppins said, “In any job that must be done there is an element of fun… Find the fun and SNAP, the job’s a game”. The cast at Cutting Edge Entertainment is like one big spoonful of sugar, and they inject fun into everything they do.

Many thanks to Photographer Kevin York and NJ Blast Energy drinks for sponsoring or April 2010 rehearsal.

-Craig

Kevin York Photography – www.kevinyorkphotography.com

N.J. Blast Energy Drinks – www.njblast.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

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