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“Is your music consultant really listening to your needs?” asks Dean Vali of Bounce Music & Entertainment. “Or is he or she saying the standard, ‘Anything you want,’ or, ‘Of course we can do that’? "Different brides have different needs and certainly different solutions. A quality, experienced music consultant will listen and have good questions of his or her own to understand and properly advise you about how best to achieve the unique vision you want for your wedding.”
Musical Choices ... We talk about music choices, and Dean describes the two schools of thought on cocktails and ceremonies. “You can go ‘out of the box’ or be traditional,” he explains. “Pick a jazz trio, a ska band, a string quartet, or pan flute. They all work. Sometimes the nature of the venue will dictate the music. If you’re in a castle, go with the lute and mandolin, not the blues band. You’re by the beach? Got to go with steel drums.” The music for your reception is a different consideration, “because a theme can stifle a party, a solid variety of the music that the bride and groom have approved will work best,” says Dean. “But, for example, though a wedding with all Big Band or all Reggae music might be a great idea, it could have little appeal for some of your guests. “You can feature a certain kind of music, and still have a good mix of varied styles so everyone has a little something to enjoy and have a good time. If there are ethnic music requirements, make sure the band can give you examples of how they perform those styles, or ask how they would augment the band to play your requests.” Dance Music & Videos ... “We recently played a wedding at Cipriani on Wall Street. Before the bride and groom were introduced they had a short video montage of their lives and courtship played for their guests. It ended with the song ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.’ “When the video finished, the band immediately picked up the same song ‘live’ as the bride and groom were introduced into the ballroom. Many guests said they couldn’t tell the difference between the original recording and our band’s live version! Then we played their first dance and moved directly into a traditional Greek dance. The last set was two and a half hours of solid dance music. What a party!”
One of Dean’s bands also recently played a wedding in Dallas, Texas at Minute Maid Park. “It’s where the Houston Astros play their home baseball games. The entrance to the stadium was restored from an old turn-of-the-century train station.” The cocktail hour was on the actual field of the stadium. “Guests had the choice of everything from caviar to hot dogs served from a stadium cart,” says Dean, “and the dinner reception was in the old train station, where we performed until two am. Throughout the party, guests were either dancing inside or hanging out on the field. Pretty cool stuff,” Dean concludes. Working Together ... “What is unique about us, is, quite simply, us,” says Dean. “Bounce is people who like working together. Typically, someone decides to book us because they like us. Planning a wedding with Bounce is comfortable and easy. Clients enjoy the experience and they feel confident we will deliver, and we do. “Bounce is a service, not just a band. It’s all about the bride and groom. We can definitely rock, and we will rock, but to the beat of our brides, not our egos.” A Musical Legacy ... Dean was inspired to get into the business through his dad, Gus Vali, a great jazz saxophonist and Greek clarinet player. “After coming off the road with the legendary bandleader Louis Prima, he got into the wedding business so he could settle down and start a family. I learned a lot from him about what to do and what not to do.” Dean was a partner at Vali Music for 18 years before he decided to go in a different direction with an edgier sound and approach, to give his customers more options in production and entertainment. “I like seeing it all come together,” says Dean. “You plan for months with the bride, coordinating with your talent, the venue, the planners, the production crew, and all the other vendors. “Everyone is on the same page for the same goal. Then we arrive on-site the day of the event with a true sprit of excitement and cooperation, so that the bride, groom, and all the guests will get the very best party possible that day. That’s exciting!” Bounce Music & Entertainment |
