Jewish weddings

[Bert Stratton <yiddcup...>]

My most common Jewish-wedding challenge is finding the right mix of Jewish
music and "American music."  (Rarely do customers request 100% Jewish or
100% American.)   The client and I usually work out a rough percentage
ahead of time --  say, "60% Jewish,40% American." Then the final result is
often quite different.  It comes down to the bandleader reading the crowd.

 . . . At a St. Louis wedding the bride says, "Don't play any American
music. Just klezmer!"  Then her aunt says, "You have to play 'In the Mood'
so we can swing dance!"  

When the bride and groom -- and a million other guests -- go into the
atrium for photos [and temporarily ruin the party], I say, "Don't tell
anybody, but we're going to play a swing tune now."  Bride comes back in
the middle of the tune, swing dances, and says, "I'm really glad you played
that!" 

-Bert Stratton




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