Why We Do What We Do
Get out of bed, freshen up, put on some cloths, pour a cup of coffee or three, check the morning news, get ready for what the day is about to bring.
Most people's day starts as a variation to this, sub coffee for OJ, throw a workout in there, and poof you're off to the day's challenges. It's the 'groundhog day' effect that's as sure as the sun rising. The tine you take on the proverbial fork in the road is where similarites fade, but at the end of the day you return, have dinner, spend time with loved ones, go to bed, rinse and repeat.
What happens in the middle makes life interesting, your choices and convictions shape what and who you are. If you are one of the lucky ones that get to do what you love, and make a decent living doing so, then bravo! I can say I'm one of those. I've carried a passion for music since an early age, and as an adolescent teen I surrounded myself with influences that fortified who I am today. Growing up, my father was a popular radio DJ on an AM radio station.
Back then everything was on 7" vinyl. I'd go to work with him on occasion and marvel at the rows, and stacks of A&B sides on 45 rpm discs in the library. I'd watch him through the large window separating the control room from the guest booth as he'd host the morning show. As time went by I found myself sitting behind the same console, flipping 7" cuts on QRK turntables, broadcasting my voice to anyone that would listen, thinking damn this is cool.
In addition, in high school I gravitated towards like minded individuals. As teens, our resources were limited, so we'd conjure up a home stereo tuner, a couple of turntables and speakers and DJ high school dances. We even built a rag-tag system of lighting and special effects. When we got a paid gig, we thought we were on top of the world.
Fast forward about 10 years and I connect with a good friend in radio to start DJing in clubs. Performing live in front of a crowd was quite different than in an enclosed room with a microphone. There I learned mixing, beat matching, and the essentials of keeping a crowd hyped on the dance floor. Spinning 12" vinyl extended cuts on Technics 1200 platters gives you a sense of satisfaction unmatched by playing a CD, cassette, or any electronic media device. From there came private parties, weddings, corporate events or any other function needing the talent.
Passions like this don't go away. They may get put on the back burner to raise a family, go to school, or establish a career, but it's a slow burn that never extinguishes. Such was the case for me, attending college and establishing a life and career in Raleigh. A few years ago a very dear friend of mine who just so happened to be on the scene during my club DJ days met her husband to be and eventually asked that I DJ her wedding. That was the fan to the smoldering embers that burst into flame once again. Back on the scene, all new equipment and a fresh attitude, Tu-Can Jamz was born. It was like riding a bike, all coming back like it had never left. The phoenix had risen.
I wanted to give this backstory so you as the reader understand the foundation on which we continue to build this company. It's why we do what we do. So often you see people doing it for the money, and don't get me wrong, that is very important, but it's not the quintessential building block. It's the love of the game to be analogous, that makes us want to be at our best when you need it. You can be assured we won't come in ill prepared. We spend hours prior to your event to research current trends, schedule consults and venue logistic reviews, and assemble that perfect playlist so your guests will leave wanting more. We thrive on the microphone, and will use it as a tool to engage and interact with the crowd. We get to know you with face-to-face meetings, and do our best to understand the vibe you want. We market ourselves on our merits, and you will never hear us speak negatively about another DJ or DJ firm, we won't knock someone else down to build ourselves up. There are those in the business that use this tactic and it's disappointing to say the least.
When it comes time for you to get married, throw a party, host a corporate event, or put on a prom, by hiring us you can take it to the bank knowing you have a company with your best interests at heart. We'll make sure you get more than expected.
I'm sometimes asked how Tu-Can Jamz came about, not the company, but the name.
What's the story behind the bird?
It's simple really...
Back in my days of being a club DJ, one of the big cuts of the time was Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock - It Takes Two. It was one of my pick songs to get the crowd pumped. The 'it takes two' theme led to the rise of 'two can', morphing into Tu-Can Jamz. My girlfriend at the time tried to talk me out of the hyphen and use Tucan, but without, I felt the message was lost. So that's how Tu-Can Jamz came to be.
It only seemed natural to use the iconic tropical bird as the logo centerpiece, so as they say, the rest is history...