My name is Andrew, and I used to be a Cutting Edge DJ.

Reading Seth’s recent post regarding his life as a Cutting Edge DJ brought back some nostalgia, and also reminded me that I’d told Craig that I would write a similar kind of post.  So before you people steal all of my ideas, here goes…

I’m sure that all of us can list experiences that we can’t imagine our lives without.  For me, life at Cutting Edge Entertainment goes at the top of that list.

About fifteen years ago, Craig gave me a job opportunity, the value of which I have come to appreciate more and more over time.  It was an opportunity to grow up with a company.  It was an opportunity to learn a skill.  Indeed, it was an opportunity to learn about life, from a perspective few people see, and fewer can appreciate.

It was 1993, and I was a very small thirteen-year-old.  Cutting Edge was small too, with just five DJs at the time (Craig, Joe, Lou, Rob and Boris) besides me, and around the same number of dancers (see the picture I know Craig will attach—yes those are Adidas socks I’m wearing).  Josh Kohn and my best friend Jake Dreyfuss soon followed.  I still have my first Cutting Edge shirt: a black long-sleeve t-shirt, with the phone number for Craig’s old house (the Cutting Edge office soon followed).

My first DJ job was Temple Beth Torah’s annual party, which became something of an annual tradition for Cutting Edge, though I hear the place no longer exists.  All of Cutting Edge was there, yet it took us over two hours to set up, and another two hours to break down after the party.  That’s because each light was in its own little cardboard box, with weird wallpaper on the outside.  I wasn’t much help either, being that most of the equipment seemed impossibly heavy to me.  I came home from that night with a cool $25.00 cash.  And no, that wasn’t a lot of money in those days either.

But the money never really had much to do with it.  What I liked was that I was learning how to do something truly cool from people who clearly knew what they were doing.

Even so, I didn’t pick things up right away.  It wasn’t for lack of effort or desire.  I wanted desperately to be a good DJ.  At my first DJ practice, the song I learned to cue music with was “New Age Girl” by “Deadeye Dick.”  As soon as I learned what mixing was (my second job, at William Tennant High School), I wanted to do that too,  but it took me a long time–years–to really get it down.

The feedback at Cutting Edge, for better or worse, was honest.  When I did something right, I heard about it, and when I did something wrong, I really heard about it.  At the time, I didn’t like this very much, since most of what I was hearing was that I was making mistakes, which of course I was.

Eventually, though, there were far fewer mistakes.  By the time I left Cutting Edge, my skills were fundamentally solid.  And through college, through after-college, even through law school, I had something that I could do better than almost anybody else.

I came to appreciate how good my training had been when I saw some of the alternative.  It was only once I left Cutting Edge that I saw just how little quality control there was—and is—in the DJ business.

Walk into many clubs or bars in DC—places where you’d expect to hear people who’ve mastered the craft—and you’ll instead find awful mixing, horrific song choices, and DJs who should be kept at least 50′ from the nearest microphone.  Weddings and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, forget about it.  Some of what I’ve seen is too painful to repeat.

What do bad DJs have in common?  They think they’re good DJs.  Why?  Because when they were “learning,” there was no one to tell them when they sucked and to show them the right way to do things.

I’ve found that there are certain things that a Disc Jockey who “gets it” really gets.

- A DJ who gets it knows that there’s no such thing as a “throwaway song.”  He knows that the party rests on whatever song he plays next, and takes every possible opportunity to make the perfect choice.

- A DJ who gets it knows music, not just the songs he personally likes, but the songs that the party needs at a given time.

- A DJ who gets it knows how to mix.  He knows what a bad mix sounds like, and pays attention to how his own mixes sound.

- A DJ who gets it pays attention to volumes and knows how to control them.

- A DJ who gets it can read a room, and knows his place in that room.

- A DJ who gets it knows that mixing, scratching, sampling, talking on a mic, and so forth, are just means to an end, that end being energy.  He knows that ultimately, what a DJ does is create, harness, and manage the energy in a room.

Above all, a DJ who gets it takes what he does seriously.

I said that DJing is learning about life and I absolutely meant it.  Learning to read a room, learning your place in it, learning to relate to people—these are essential life skills.  And knowing that you can walk into a room where everyone might well be different from you, and win those people over with the strength of your skills, is something few jobs can teach.

These are things I learned at Cutting Edge.  And I’ve seen their value time and again since I left the company back in 1999.  In college, what started out as a novelty—DJing clubs and bars in DC—became a much more serious pursuit, as my friend Will Fulmer (and later Jake Dreyfuss, again) and I began DJing all over DC, often for three or four nights every week.

One of those nights was at a club called Platinum. My cousin Annie brought her best friend Stephanie, whom I met for the first time that night, and whom I married seven years later.

Another of those nights was supposed to be September 11, 2001, at a club called Daedalus, which was being opened by two UVA Law School grads, named Dave and Kijun.  That obviously didn’t happen, but I ended up DJing at Daedalus for nearly every week before I went to law school.  This included a weekly “Asian Night” (see above re walking into a room where everyone is different from you).  And when I was applying to UVA Law, Dave and Kijun wrote my recommendations.

My “retirement” party before heading off to UVA was the opening of Dave and Kijun’s super-cool new bar, K Street Lounge.  But I didn’t end up in retirement for long.  It turned out that both the law school and the town of Charlottesville, VA, was seriously hurting for good DJs, and I quickly found myself very busy once again.

My “second retirement” party, before leaving law school for big-firm-lawyer life, was at a “Latin Night” at a place called X-Lounge, in Charlottesville, where I had a regular gig  (see above, again, re walking into a room where everyone is different from you).  And when a car accident shortly after this destroyed my speakers, I figured this retirement would probably last.

But I couldn’t let go of DJing completely.  When Dave and Kijun decided to open a new bar in Georgetown, appropriately called “George,” I came out of retirement once again to DJ its grand opening.  I DJ’d there a few more times, but had to stop when my day job became too hectic.

Still, today, I haven’t stopped DJing completely.  And I’m starting to wonder if I ever will.  Now it’s mainly just friends’ weddings, and occasional club nights.  Real life makes DJing difficult these days.  But real life and DJing are impossible for me to separate completely.  Because nearly everything that I’m doing in real life today—my marriage, my job, much of my social life—can be traced to my DJ work in one way or another.  How differently it all might have turned out, had I not had the chance to grow up with Cutting Edge Entertainment.

Andrew George
Attorney at Law… and DJ

Photo by Hy Paul Studios – www.hypaul.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

 In the last two months more than a dozen people have asked me about Brianna Taylor, a former Cutting Edge employee who appeared on the most recent installment of Mtv’s ‘Real World.’  The answer is yes, she did work here for about two years before and after her stint on American Idol.  Unfortunately she didn’t get as far as our first Cutting Edge American Idol contestant Justin Guarini (another former employee), but she certainly has the voice and the talent.

Another former employee (and the greatest choreographer I have ever known), Mike Gamble, is currently in the heat of competition on NBC’s ‘American Gladiator.’  So far, Mike seems to have things very much under control… as he typically does.  Since I know Mike personally I am confident that he has more than a good chance of winning, but my gut also tells me that the show – and the outcome – are already taped and simply waiting to be aired.

Naturally, having semi-famous former employees is nothing new at Cutting Edge Entertainment.  Our first foray into pop stardom was with Angela Trimbur, who was one of the original competitors in the Mtv show ‘Popstars (2),’ as well as on the Mtv show ‘Road Rules.’  Also, Monica Devlin - who still does work for us from time to time – was a Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader for four years, serving as captain of the squad when they went to the Superbowl and also cheering in Hawaii at the Pro Bowl.

One of my most recent discoveries has been that former dancer Lyndsay Chauveau is working at the Lincoln Center in New York City for none other than Wynton Marsalis, one of my all-time favorite Jazz artists.  Lyndsay has promised that I can meet Mr. Marsalis in the fall if I make the trek to N.Y.C., so I look forward to taking in some cool jazz in the near future.

Lastly, and I think one of the most interesting and unique ’semi-celebs’ from Cutting Edge, is Katie Sah, known on YouTube as ‘katiesopinion.’  Katie is what some might call an e-celebrity, with over 15,000 subscribers to her videos on YouTube and over a million video views.

Is Cutting Edge Entertainment a star-maker? Hardly.  It’s a simple formula… hire talented people and they inevitably do remarkable things.

-Craig

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

After the event, I drove down the street to the gas station and filled my tank for $4.20 a gallon.  Let’s just say that didn’t leave me feeling very green.

Several weeks have past since attending that event - needless to say I have been doing lots of thinking – and after taking a closer look at my own company, I see lots of ways in which we are already going green…

Music- Slowly but surely (inevitably) we are moving from CD to all MP3.  Certainly CDs may continue to provide backup in case a hard-drive goes down, but less CDs still means less fuel, less space as well as less plastic & paper. 

Lighting – L.E.D. Technology (although more expensive) uses less energy, as a matter of fact in most cases a small fraction of the energy and more light.  The days of elaborate lighting rigs needing a generator for additional power will soon be a thing of the past, which avoids additional costs for generator rental and gasoline. 

Paper - I’m proud to say that 85% of our packages, proposals,  literature, contracts and just about every other correspondance that was once done on paper is now done through email. 

So what’s next?

Well, how about those party giveaways like leis, marracas, sunglasses, hats and inflatables (all plastic and rubber petroleum based products) which now have increased shipping fees due to current fuel prices.  Do we really need them?  I sure don’t, and I’m not even sure if they are essential to a party!  All of our Bar/Bat Mitzvah packages include them and I’d be happier than a pig in… well, let’s just say I would be more than willing to exclude the giveaways upon request for a fairly significant discount.

If you are interested in finding out how to “get more green” at your next event feel free to contact us at Cutting Edge Entertainment or one of the following people who were amongst the many  wedding professionals in attendance.

Karen Pecora (Wedding planner) –  http://karenpecora.com/

Mark Kingsdorf (Wedding Planner) – http://www.qohweddings.com/index.shtml

Vedika Webb (Pastry Chef) – http://www.lotuscakestudio.com/

Tim Sudall (Videographer) – http://www.videoone.tv/

Always remember the immortal words of Kermit… “It’s not easy bein’ green”

-Craig

Cutting Edge Entertainment recently had the honor of being chosen to create the music program and set the mood for a night in Epic France.

On Friday evening, April 18 of 2008, Cairnwood was in all its glory, reminiscent of the delightful parties of Jay Gatsby. Built by John Pitcairn in 1895, Cairnwood sits high on a hill in Bryn Athyn, majestically overlooking Huntingdon Valley. The home itself is a breathtaking French chateau built in the Beaux-Arts style and is truly a shining example of the Gilded Age in which it was built.

Cairnwood invited their honored guests to see the home featured in all its
lavish splendor. The gala was intended to raise money for the facility and I must say, the event was a complete success. The house was aglow in soft pink light with the sounds of music rolling down the lawn as the cocktails flowed and the air was filled with chatter and laughter. There were mimes and caricaturists, French poodles, a living fountain and even Marie Antoinette!

Due to generous donations, Cairnwood will now be able to add/enhance several details true to its original design and make repairs to the front gate on Huntingdon Pike.  One of the most exciting changes will be a historic restoration of elements of the original Olmsted and Eliot landscape design.

The four chair people responsible for the evening’s success were Cairnwood’s Director Evelyn Stephens, marketing manager Shannon Walko, and board members Jennifer Pronesti and Missy Pendelton (who was a great help in designing the music program).

The French-themed cuisine presented by Cairnwood’s preferred partner caterers was out of this world. The Beef Bourguignon from Jimmy Duffy & Sons was mouth watering and the Pate DePoulet prepared by Jeffrey Miller Catering was smooth and tasty. My personal favorite that evening was the Bouride, a northern French fish stew with garlic, onions and cream presented by Culinary Concepts (my mouth still waters just thinking about it). Some of the other preferred caterers were Peachtree & Ward Catering, Robert Fair Caterers, and Max Hansen.  And just when you thought it couldn’t get any more mouth watering, there were delicious pastries provided by Bredenbeck’s bakery to top it all off.

Glorious floral arrangements set the decor and tone throught the home, and the decorative lighting design by Eventions was dramatic, and helped to highlight the very grandeur that is Cairnwood.

The music we chose was a combination of some more traditional French artists (i.e. Maurice Chavalier and Edith Piaf) as well as some Jazz Standards and Ultralounge to set that chill French mood. Sound was run throughout the house with different music playing in two separate designated zones. As the night progressed the music became livelier with an eventual segue into a live band. Again, special thanks to Missy Pendelton for her invaluable help with the music selection.

Thank you to Evelyn and Shannon for including Cutting Edge in your magical night.

Bonsoir!

In surfing online for more information on the subject of event lighting, I came upon a great demo-video created by Dave Williams at DVideography showing the dramatic impact of decorative lighting. 

Here is part of a short Q&A with Dave Williams regarding the subject. 

Q: What is decorative lighting?

Decorative lighting includes up-lighting, pin-spots, gobos, and intelligent lights.

Q: How will decorative lighting enhance my affair?

Decorative lighting highlights or enhances anything you would want to draw attention to at your event. Without decorative lighting, many of the event’s details are lost. Decorative lighting adds depth, enhances colors, and helps the decorations and architecture ‘pop’.

Q: Will it work with any color scheme? (a commonly asked question)

On traditional lights, various gels are used to create moods or to match color schemes. Intelligent lights have the ability to change colors on the fly, either to subtly change moods throughout the evening or to match the music being played.

Q: Why would I want to add decorative lighting to my affair?

The benefits of decorative are obvious the second your guests walk into the event. Lighting brings the room to life and sets the mood for your event. It directs your eyes to the elements that are important; the centerpieces, the cake, the architecture, or any other decorative elements. Lighting gives your guests the ability to see and feel everything you have worked so hard to put together.

Q: Would a photographer or videographer recommend decorative lighting for an event?

Of course. The photographer and videographer have something in common – both need light for their respective crafts. With on-camera lights, both photographers and videographers can only illuminate what is directly in front of them. However, with strategically placed decorative lighting such as uplighting and pinspots, background elements (draping, walls, molding, centerpieces, etc) are visible, adding more depth to the images. Without decorative lighting, photographers and videographers have to use more flash or more video lighting to capture images properly, possibly damaging the look and feel you want.

Q: If I have candles on my centerpieces, is there still a need for pin spots?

This really depends on the type of centerpiece and the look and feel you want. Many centerpieces have elements that cannot be seen with just candle light.

Q: If I have effects lighting, do I still need decorative lighting? What is the difference?

Effects certainly have their place at a party but they cannot replace decorative lighting. Moving gobos and intelligent lighting are used primarily for a special effect while decorative lighting.Please feel free to contact us at Cutting Edge Entertainment for more information about decorative and effects lighting. Please also check out Dave Williams at DVideography. Dave is truly one of the top videographers in the Philadelphia region… Why you ask? Well, mostly because he knows what he’s doing, he does it well, and he’s a nice guy. Check out his website, and particularly his blog (which is outstanding). www.dvideography.com

 Much of the high end production work done in the videos on DVideographys website (lighting & multi-media) was produced by Eventions, one of the foremost lighting and production companies in Philadelphia.  http://www.eventionsproductions.com