Interview with Steve, by Elizabeth
We had the chance to talk with Steve Ezzo, a professional musician, band leader, and DJ. He shares great advice on choosing songs for your wedding and on selecting a band or DJ.
Editor's disclosure: Shiny Orb, a search site for bridesmaids dresses, receives no form of compensation from this wedding vendor.
What should a couple consider when deciding on either a band or a DJ?
I always tell couples that a band will have a repertoire of songs that they can play, so they should not expect a band to be a "human jukebox". Also a band will usually have a few styles of music that they are really strong at performing. My band for example, can play all types of music, but we really specialize in playing classic rock, funk, Motown and R&B.
Also, a band has that live energy that you just can't get from a DJ. On the other hand, a DJ can play just about any song that will be requested at a wedding. If I don't have a song that a couple wants, I download it for them prior to the event. Also, I subscribe to a service that allows me to stream songs on the web, so if I have an internet connection, I can play just about any song a guest might request. When a couple hires my band, I also bring my DJ laptop, and DJ the band breaks. This way the couple gets the best of both worlds.
How many songs are played at a typical wedding?I generally don't like to play any song over three minutes. This would mean that in an uninterrupted hour of music, I would play 20 songs. So multiply 20 by the number of hours of the reception, minus toasts, cake cutting, bouquet & garter, etc.
How about a few songs for wedding inspiration? R&B wedding songs? Father daughter wedding songs? Wedding first dance music?
A few old school R&B artists are Al Green, Wilson Picket, Sam Cook and Barry White. One of my favorite, current R&B singers is John Legend. My advice to couples for their first dance, and for dances with their parents, is the same. Pick a song that is meaningful to you, then actually try to dance to the song in your living room. You want to pick a song that is special to you, but also one that is easy for dancing. The biggest mistake I see couples make is not taking into account the length of the songs they pick. A five minute song may be great for listening, but five minutes alone on the dance floor can seem like an hour. Also, if you have a five minute first dance, a five minute father/daughter dance and a five minute mother/son dance, you have asked your guests to watch 15 minutes of solo dancing, which can get boring. Work with your DJ or band leader to fade out songs at two or three minutes if you have chosen longer songs.
Steve Ezzo is a professional musician and DJ with Ezzo Entertainment. He is also the band leader and guitarist for Steve Ezzo & The Monterey Bay All-Stars. You can find more photos and his stellar client reviews on WeddingWire.
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