To get a quote for your event, use my Price Quote system, or just call me at 973-896-7905.

The entertainment you choose for your event can make or break your party. You are entrusting the success of your entire investment in your reception to the entertainer you select. I don't take this responsibility lightly, but I am willing to take it, because I am very committed to offering the best quality of service possible.

I have over 25 years of experience entertaining at all sorts of events. As such, I am very adept at anticipating problems and working around them to make the events flow smoothly.

I am confident that I can deliver quality entertainment in a professional manner, so much so, that I am pleased to offer my 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.

No.

Gratuities are nice way to show your gratitude, and TIPS stands for "To Insure Proper Service". Of course, these days it has gotten to the point where tips are almost automatically paid to low salaried service people regardless of your level of satisfaction, because these people would otherwise not be able to make a living.

But I am a professional. As such, I create my own prices. When I update them I consider several factors, including what it costs to operate the business, and the value of my time away from my family, and what a professional of my caliber should be paid.

If you feel the need to show your gratitude, put it in writing. Give me something I can put on my referrals page. Tell people about the service I provided.

Take the cash you were thinking about tipping me, and buy yourself a nice dinner.

No.

This is a very common occurance with budget entertainers and/or entertainers that do not use a contract. Those types of DJs have given the DJ industry a black eye by using substitutes, cancelling at last minute, or simply not showing up at an event - and then often not providing a refund.

I never book two events on the same day, except in the extremely unusual case where the events are at the same venue, or are close by, and provide enough of a gap between them so that I can move my equipment without needing to rush. An unusual situation indeed. It rarely happens.

However, once, due to illness, I did send out a substitute. That was in 1988. In such a situation, the client automatically gets a reduced price, and is entitled to a full refund if unsatisfied.

Some DJ companies claim that their staff is professionally trained. In reality, they do the training themselves - the senior pros train the new people. Based on that, then yes, I am professionally trained. During my initial years as a DJ in the early 1980's, I was working for an established DJ company. I received training from several of their senior DJs, some of whom remain my friends to this day.

I attend an annual four day convention hosted by DJ Times magazine, as well as monthly meeting of the New Jersey Disc Jockey Network. Both of these provide training for new and experienced DJ entertainerss, as well as networking opportunities so that ideas can be discussed and shared.

I subscribe to, and read, several trade magazines including DJ Times, Mobile Beat and DJ Entertainer. I am a very active participant in four internet based DJ discussion groups.

Yes.

Meetings can include both pre-booking inquiry meetings, and post-booking planning meetings. It is my preference to meet at least once prior to booking. I like to get to know my clients every bit as much as clients want to get to know me.

However, in this day and age where so many people seem to do everything on the internet or via email, with my online planning tools, I can accomodate that type of person as well. It's not often, but also not unusual for me to meet my clients for the first time at the event.

No. There is no certification available for DJs in New Jersey.

New Jersey requires that DJ companies that hire people to send out to perform at an event, need to be certified as an employer. However, it is just the DJ company sending the people out that require certification - as an employer, not as a certification that the entertainment is of any particular quality standard.

DJs working for those DJ companies, and independents such as myself, are not required to get any certification.

I would have to be very sick to risk my reputation by getting a substitute to cover for me, after a client has put so much trust in me to hire me.

In over twenty-five years, that situation has happened once. It was 1988 and I was in the hospital. From my hospital bed I made a couple calls to my entertainer friends and had one of them cover the event, scheduled for two days later. I then called the client to explain the situation. Of course she was not happy that she was getting a substitute. Who would be? But she was extremely happy that I was able to get the substitute, that she didn't have to scramble to find someone, and that I was able to provide the substitute with all of my notes about the event. The event went well. The client, although nervous at first, was happy at the end.

That entertainer is still at the top of my list of who to call in an emergency. Through my association with other entertainers I am able to keep that list long and up-to-date. Fortunately, I have not needed that list since 1988.

Yes. One of the things I tell people that are considering other entertainers is that no matter who they choose, make sure to get a contract.

Unfortunately, there are many unprofessional DJs are out there, people who insist upon full payment in advance, and then do not show up, provide poor excuses, and then refuse to refund any money already paid. Without a contract, the client is out of luck.

My contract is very specific about what happens if I do not show up, something which has never happened, as well as if I can't show up but am able to provide a substitute, which has happened only once as described above.

Additionally, while I expect an initial payment when the contract is signed, the balance due is to be paid the day of the event, not a month beforehand like many of my competitors.

If desired, you can download my contract, and read over the fine print. It's all plain-english, common sense stuff, but very important for both of us.

Some references are posted on my Referral Letters page. Additionally, just ask for a listing of past clients with contact information.

Just as you wouldn't want outsiders at your event, I cannot invite you to a private event where I am working. However, you CAN come to one of my public events, as listed on my See Me At An Event page.

I attempt to tailor every event to my clients wishes. Therefore any video I provide would not demonstrate how I would perform at your event. Additionally, such a video would be illegal without written permission from everyone that appears in it. Yes, I realize that other DJs routinely provide videos without getting that permission. That doesn't make it right.

I have hundreds of songs to choose from, but not every song is for every crowd. I tailor my selections to the crowd assembled. This is the ability to read the crowd and play just the right music at just the right time to motivate your guests out of their seats and onto the dance floor.

I never beg or cajole people to dance. I will make announcements to the effect of "I'd like to open the dance floor," but I will never pull people onto the floor, physically or over the microphone.

Some people will never dance. Others may dance no matter what song is being played.

Then there are those people that need a nudge to get started. For them I may play songs like the Cha Cha Slide and Macarena. Songs that do not require a dance partner. Additionally, I will get on the dance floor and lead these dances if necessary. Once on the dance floor, I will play great party songs - the kinds of songs that almost everyone knows and loves.

In addition to merely playing great music, if desired I can help coordinate some party games that will make your event different than the average party, and fun for everyone - fun even for those people that won't get out of their chair all night.

That really depends on you and your desires. I can play upbeat party music all night long, or start with mellower music at the beginning and during dinner, and build towards the high energy party music later in the evening.

I like to meet all of my clients and get a feel for their style. I then try to match my own style to their style.

I do not specialize. Instead, I have a wide variety of music, including pop, top-40, dance, disco, hip-hop, rock and oldies.

I tailor the music I play to the audience. A Wedding or Anniversary party may get a lot of oldies, rock and/or classic disco, while a Bar/Bat Mitzvah or Sweet 16 might get a lot of top-40, dance and/or hip-hop.

Yes - It's your party, not mine.

I ask for a request list from my clients, as well as provide online Party Planning. I do my best to have every song you request. Additionally, every song from every CD I own is on my computer, ready to play at a moments notice. That means any request, even for obscure songs that I don't even realize that I own, can be found and played in seconds.

Deposits are about 25%, payable by check only. No cash deposits. Balances can be paid by check, money order or cash. For a variety of reasons, I do not accept credit cards. And for legal reasons, the deposit is called an "Initial Payment" on the contract.

Balances can be paid in advance if you wish, but are due at the end of the event, payable by cash or check.

Due to an inability to sell the date to another client, you are responsible for the full contracted price once the contract is signed. In the event of a cancellation, the balance due will be determined on a sliding scale based on the reason for the cancellation, the amount of time provided to DJ Teddy Bear to resell the scheduled date to another client, and whether or not the party is rescheduled with a booking for DJ Teddy Bear.

I could list all my equipment by brand and model number. But, unless you are in an entertainment related industry, it would just be a list of names and numbers. Additionally, since I regularly upgrade my equipment before problems arise, a published list may be out of date. Suffice to say, I use only professional equipment.

One Sunday each summer, I set up my system at home, then one at a time, disconnect each piece of equipment, to find alternate ways to 'keep the party going,' without that piece of equipment, thereby simulating a malfunction so I can test my disaster recovery plan. I then do the same with any two random pieces removed, then three.

Fortunately, I have never needed to use any of these disaster plans at an actual event.

Yes.

In fact, I feel so strongly about this, that I have it on a dedicated page, and have included a button at the top of every page to get to my Satisfaction Guarantee page.