Ceremonies & Cocktail Hours
Music that sits under the moment instead of over it.
A ceremony needs three pieces of music: something to walk in to, something under the quiet parts, and something to walk out to. Solo acoustic guitar and vocals fill a courtyard, a waterfront lawn, or a hotel ballroom at the room's volume, so the vows stay the loudest thing happening.
Cocktail hour is the same setup with a different job. Guests are meeting each other and finding their tables, and the music sits under that. It's where the Frank Sinatra and '50s classics end of the songbook does most of the work, with easy classic rock, Motown, and R&B mixed in at conversation level.
Dave plays private events across Fort Myers, Naples, Cape Coral, Sanibel, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, and Punta Gorda, at waterfront venues, hotels, restaurants, and homes.
Receptions & Parties
Dinner sets and dance sets from the same songbook.
Wedding Receptions
Dinner wants standards and space to talk. Later on, the same night wants classic rock, Motown, and 2000s hits with the room singing back. Because it's one performer and one songbook, that shift happens when the room is ready rather than when a schedule says so.
Anniversaries
An anniversary party usually spans three generations, and the songbook covers all of them: Sinatra and '50s classics for the table that requested them, country & western and classic rock for the ones who grew up on it, pop and 2000s hits for everybody else.
Birthdays & Milestones
Backyard parties, retirement celebrations, graduations, holiday get-togethers. The same setup works on a patio or in a clubhouse, and requests keep the night pointed at whoever the party is for.
Private Gatherings
Rehearsal dinners, welcome parties, engagement parties, and the smaller nights around a bigger weekend. Tell Dave what the evening is for and the set list follows from there.
How Requests Work
Requests, must-play lists, and do-not-play lists.
Dave's songbook runs to more than 1,000 songs available by request, spanning Frank Sinatra, '50s classics, classic rock, country & western, Motown, R&B, pop, and 2000s hits. Guests are welcome to request from it all night.
Couples are welcome to send a must-play list and a do-not-play list ahead of the date. The must-plays make sure the songs that matter to you land where you want them. For the do-not-plays, no reason is needed.
If there's a specific song you're hoping for and you're not sure whether it's in the book, mention it in your inquiry and Dave will let you know.
- Frank Sinatra
- '50s Classics
- Classic Rock
- Country & Western
- Motown
- R&B
- Pop
- 2000s Hits
Why Solo Acoustic Works
The format does things a bigger setup can't.
A private event isn't a concert. People came to see each other, and the music is there to make that easier.
- It fits the space. A courtyard, a patio, a private dining room, a clubhouse. Solo acoustic works in rooms that can't accommodate a full band.
- Volume is set to the room. Background during dinner, up where it belongs later. Guests can hold a conversation when they want one.
- The set list is decided live. One performer reading the crowd can change direction mid-set.
- It covers the whole evening. Ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and the part where everyone sings — one performer, one songbook.
- Every show is tailored to the crowd, from laid-back background music to full-room sing-alongs.
Thirty Years of Rooms
Dave J is a live performer with over 30 years on stage, originally from the Philadelphia and South Jersey area and now based in Southwest Florida. He has performed at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Atlantic City's House of Blues, Cooper River Park, and the Scottish Rite Auditorium, and has opened for The Eagles, Paul Simon & Sting, Little Feat, Peter Noone's Herman's Hermits, and Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, including an opening performance at the SWFL Event Center in Bonita Springs in 2020.
At a private event, that shows up as music that starts on time, sits at the right volume, and follows the room. Read the full bio →
Check Your Date
Tell Dave what the event is, where it is, and what you want the night to feel like. He'll follow up about the date.