The DJAA has recently announced that Jim Cerone, The Perfect Host will be conducting workshops immediately following the 2015 DJAA National Conference. It is very exciting to have a major American Wedding Entertainer share his wisdom with DJs in Australia. I just wanted to share my experience of learning from Jim and getting to hang out with one of the nicest blokes in the industry.
For me, I credit Jim for starting me on my training and development path as an Entertainer and 6 years on, I am very proud to be one of his peers. My training journey began at the 2009 Mobile Beat Las Vegas DJ Conference, my first DJ conference – I had no idea what to expect so I was like a sponge just taking in all the seminars. However the seminar that had the biggest impact on me, was Jim’s three part, “The Perfect Host” Seminar.
Quick side note: It was during Jim’s seminars that he mentioned a DJ podcast series called DJA Radio which led me to Mark and Rebecca Ferrell. Long story short, Mark and Rebecca are my mentors and Performance Coaches and one of the main reason they were in Australia in October 2014 was to attend my wedding as guests. So in my mind I owe Jim big time for that.
During The Perfect Host Seminars, Jim taught me a new way to approach being a Wedding MC and that was to think of yourself, as one of the hosts – a host who is making sure that everyone is comfortable and having a good time. At events I ask myself all the time ‘What would Jim do?’ For example, a guest mistakenly asks me for red wine, I would reply ‘No problem I am not part of the wait staff but I will let a waiter know.’ Then I would find a waiter and tell them that lady in the blue dress would like a house red. How many DJs would just reply ‘Oh, I’m the DJ’ then walk away?
The other big thing I learnt from Jim is the importance of dinner music programming and a new method of mixing. Jim has been a Music Director at Radio Stations for years and he knows his music. He taught me through another one of his seminars, a more Radio style approach of music mixing. This style is perfect for those Weddings that have minimal dance time and you when you don’t have the time to segue songs between requests.
Hear Jim talk music in this Disc Jockey News TV Mobile Music Episode:
So whether you’re a seasoned veteran or just starting out, you will learn lots from Jim Cerone. Tickets for Jim’s Perfect Host Workshop on Thursday 6 August 2015 can be puchased at the following link here.
Brian Davis is the DJAA’s Treasurer and a Wedding DJ and MC in located in Brisbane. In addition to being the sole performer for DJ Davis Weddings, he is also a Certified Wedding Planner and Amateur Stand-up Comedian.