|
|
|
DJ Amar dj@solunamar.com (415) 259-8629 Click HERE to return to main page - Solunamar.com
If you want a great alternative to mainstream music and a truly unique vibe at your party, wedding or event, please get in touch with me. I've been DJ-ing professionally for about 6 years now. Before that, I had been Designated DJ for parties with my friends for many years, and somehow started spinning here and there just from recommendations. It's a hobby that has turned into a carreer. I figured what better way to support myself than spend a few evenings having fun and spinning music. Now I am DJing and planning events full time, thanks to the great response and continuing referrals I keep receiving. Music is a passion of mine and it is a dream to have made my career sharing music with people.
My specialty is Playing Music for smaller parties and events. By small party I mean up to 50-200 people, but do parties of all sizes. I personally prefer smaller and intimate, but am capable of producing big club sound if desired. I've been doing events for 100-250 people mostly, although I have been hired for many larger events, including a highschool reunion with 250 guests, weddings and corporate parties with 5-600 guests, and fundraisers with close to a thousand people. More recently I have been doing club gigs in SF, Berkeley, and various other locations including Shasta, and a few random travels to Hawaii, British Columbia, New York & Oregon.
I live in Oakland and travel around the bay area and beyond. More recently through referrals i've been asked to travel to Arizona, New York, Southern Californa and various other places.
I have been working with several other great DJs, sound engineers and other event related businesses (caterers, florists, invitation printers, etc.), So I can come and DJ or be your Unofficial Wedding Coordinator for a very reasonable rate, hooking you up with great deals - since I work with a group of independent artists who really specialize in their focus and love what they are doing.
Music: I listen to, and play, a lot of world music. I'm equipped with lots of asian rhythms, african and balkan beats, celtic and latin grooves (Cheb i Sabbah, Tabla Beat Science, Gigi, Bebel Gilberto, Zuco 103, Afro Celt Sound System, Thievery Corporation, Gotan Project, Dhamaal, Midival Punditz, Bassnectar, Turntables on the Hudson, Shantel, Issa Bagayogo, Natacha Atlas, Balkan Beatbox, Amr Diab, Khaled, Sidestepper, etc ... and some salsa, samba, swing, jazz, tango, chill, ibiza, house, dub ...). I master smooth transitions between songs and have a good feel for the audience. I'm equally competent and happy playing many types of music (rock, swing, oldies, disco, 70s, 80s, modern, etc) but aim to keep it unique without playing the "same old songs" you hear at most weddings. In addition to weddings, I have been doing many 12,13, & 14 year birthday parties (so I now have a lot of up to date hip hop and pop).
I spin CDs. If you want vinyl, I have some great recommendations.
Rates:
Negotiable depending on length and details of event. Discounts given for non-profit,
recurring events, and whatever other reason you can convince me to charge less.
I have checked around and know that my rates are hundreds (sometimes thousands)
of dollars less than the norm. As an independent artist, my overhead is low
and I don't feel the need to .
So here's a range (more or less):
$250/hr. plus a fixed rate for the sound and DJ gear depending on how extensive
the setup is.
Sound system usually runs $500 and up, and is determined based on the size of
the venue, number of guests and the style of sound you are wanting.
Note on Weddings and special events: I do not charge higher rates for weddings. My hourly rate prevails for any event. The only variables are based on sound system/effects needs (determined by the number of guests, size of space, and/or type of sound desired), and on additional preparation/planning time prior to the event. I offer preplanning / coordination services at a rate of $100/hr, which drops to $50/hr after 2 hours. This rate is for in-person consulting, planning, and verifying details with onsite staff and vendors. This rate is negotiable depending on your needs and extent of time required.
I do not bill for my setup time. I start billing from the time I need to be set up until the time I finish and start packing. If I am needed to set up early, time is billed once I am set up. For example, if I am playing music from 8pm-midnight, and need to be set up by 6pm, billing starts at 6pm. I usually will bill the "in-between" time at 1/2 rate.
For hotel events, I ask that parking be covered, and that service tips be reimbursed. There are sometimes other specific venue related variables, which I only ask to be reimbursed for.
For Premium Live sound I have a Mackie 24/4 and Mackie 1402vlz mixer, AKG c1000 mics, Shure sm58s and 57s, AKG c414, AT4040, Mackie c300 Speakers with m1400 amp for FOH or monitors, Mackie sr1530s for FOH, Yamaha as108s for side-fill or monitors, Alesis nanoverb. Also have access to Mackie sa1232s with 18" powered subs, Mackie sr1521s, Bose 802s, Bag End and various other configurations. Please call or e-mail me for a quote. I specialize in acoustic straightforward sound and Club sound for DJs and Live Electronica. I have contacts with excellent sound engineers who I work with for larger scale events.
Please get in touch with me. I'm happy to do house parties and club gigs of any size. Call me at 415-259-8629 or e-mail me with any questions.
I Also: Rent sound system ($250-500+ for the
evening- I'll set it up and take it down)
Cater - (Exotic tapas and meals for
small parties)
Provide Computer Consulting and training, web design, graphic design
Provide Sound Engineering (high quality mics, mixer, etc. for acoustic live
performance with minimal mic-ing (up to 8 mics))
Help in event and wedding planning
and coordinating
Have contact for an excellent and reasonably priced Videographer
Have contact for an excellent and reasonably priced Florist
Have contact for an excellent and reasonably priced venues
Have contact for excellent and reasonably priced Stationery/invitations
Have contact for an excellent and reasonably priced turntable DJ
Have contacts for Live Musicians and bands
Have contacts for Belly Dancers, Bhangra dancers, flamenco dancers, fire dancers
I don't sing!
Music is a passion of mine. I play to listen, to enjoy, to dance. I love to see you dancing or lounging and enjoying the music. I feel the crowd and add music to enhance the energy. The music, the sound, is in the foreground, while I am in the background. As a caterer 's focus is on the presentation and flavor of the food (by the way, I cater too), mine is on the music.
The caterer provides the cheese platter. I provide the rhythm. I believe the cheese belongs on the platter, not on the dancefloor. I strive to keep it off of the floor. If you are looking for a fun, talented, personal, professional DJ who is Not into the Cheesy fluff ... Here I am! I am an Independent 1-person artist (I prefer not to call myself an operation, i'm just a person).
Did I leave out any details?
Thanks for reading and for your support.
Again, here's my contact info: 415-259-8629 e-mail: dj@solunamar.com
Sampling of some Club gigs I have DJ'd at:
DNA Lounge, 1015 Folsom, Club Six, Studio Z,
Cell Space, Oasis, Underground SF, Madrone Lounge, 111 Minna, Blue Cube, Sublounge,
Shine, Elbo Room, El Rio
Nickie's Tuesday nights (fill-in for DJ Cheb i Sabbah)
Groove Garden - Marin's monthly Dance-Tribal in Fairfax
Ashkenaz - Shaman Trance Dance, Electric vardo Kashmir Benefit with Sila and
the Afrofunk Exerience
12 Galaxies - Benefit for CFHI
Oakland Metro - Beneath the Veil, Electric Vardo, ShadowDance
111 Minna - Seance, with Riffat Sultana and Party, plus other events
El Rio - Deshret, Thursday nights with DJ SoulSalaam, DJ Sep, DJ Oud, DJ Amar,
Ultra Gypsy
1015 Folsom - Worldly - w/ Cheb i Sabbah, Dhamaal Soundsystem, Karsh Kale, Dragonfly
- get Freaky
Studio Z - Undulation - Ultra Gypsy, El Papachango, Urban Tribal, Janaka Selekta,
DJ Sep +
Beats Without Borders (Vancouver, BC), Electrolyfe at Indigo (Honolulu), Tiki Lounge (Maui), East Meets West at Sabala's (Portland), Global Infusion (Eugene), Shasta Gathering, Harbin Hot Springs, Sub Swara (NYC)
Dhamaal, Triple Power, Groove Garden, Deshret, Electric Vardo, Undulation, Surya Dub, Cosmik Casbah, Worldly, Get Freaky,
some events I produced or co-produced:
Electric Vardo, Hip'n'Bass, Deshret, Beats not Bombs, Palace on Wheels, MC Rai CD Release party, Cheb i Sabbah CD Release Party, Cosmik Casbah Tribal Fest after-parties, ShadowDance, Sahara New Year's Eve SF
Radio:
SFLR - Monday night World Music DJ. "Left of the World" with Amar
Every Monday 9-11pm - liberationradio.net
SFLR - Liberation Radio, Your Blue Room with DJ Chihiro - DJ Amar, Guest DJ
KPFA - interviews
KALX - interviews
KUSF Interviews
Sound Engineering services for:
G.S. Sachdev, Swapan Chaudhuri, Pandit Jasraj, Lakshmi Shankar, Gundecha Bros.,
Zakir Hussain, Dhamaal, Asian Massive, Lumin, Shabaz, Riffat Sultana, Sukhawat
Ali Khan, Brown Baggin (Jazz band), Susan Getz (Jazz), Nitin Sawhney, Diana
Stork (Harpist), Samadhi, Lumin, DJ Cheb i Sabbah, Ali Akbar Khan, Karsh Kale,
Alam Khan, Jai Uttal, Sila and the Afrofunk Experience, MC rai, Dhamaal Soundsystem,
Sub Swara, Beats without Borders, Niyaz, Turbo Tabla, SooozhyQ, Narika, Tribal
Fest,
San Jose Civic Auditorium, St. John's Presbyterian Church, Wheeler Auditorium,
Grace Cathedral, Forest Meadows, Asian Art Museum, Bansuri's Spring Gallery,
SAT Temple, Officer's Club - Presidio, Ali Akbar College of Music, New Delhi
Restaurant, Gaylord's Restaurant, Club Six, Nickie's, Cell Space, San Jose Chamber
Music Society, Interfaith Chapel at the Presidio, Golden Gate Club, Stern Grove
Club House, Piedmont Yoga Studio, 7th Heaven Yoga Studio, AACM Music Festival
at Albert Park, Oakland Metro, Studio Z, Polo's Blue Cube, 1015 Folsom, El Rio,
Sebastopol Community Center, San Francisco City Hall, Yerba Buena Center for
the Arts,
Note about Demos: I choose not
to provide Demo CDs, because I feel it does not represent a live situation.
The art of creating a mix-CD is much different that of spontaneous live mixing.
One has the opportunity to go back and manipulate, and fix any mistakes made
during the process of recording. Obviously this is not the case live.
That said, I currently have a mix CD, purely for personal enjoyment. Click
Here to listen to a tag team mix by Dj Amar (me) with Lady Ra and Dj Layla
I encourage you to meet me in person and discuss your needs with me. I believe it is important to feel a connection on a level of personality and musical tastes. I can play all kinds of music, but I am at my best when I play music that I enjoy. I am a particular type of DJ, and you may or may not connect with me, which is ok. If it is your wedding, it is an important day for you, and you should make sure that you have what You want and feel good with.
Ok, that's my schpeel! Now browse around, call me, e-mail me, or just go listen to some music.