Jake’s relationship with music began in his childhood – he played the piano as well as the tenor saxophone in his elementary and middle school band. His life was forever changed when he saw Gwen Stefani and Akon perform “The Sweet Escape” at the Dancing with the Stars award show and Miley Cyrus perform “When I Look at You” on the American Idol awards show. These inspiring experiences as a child set him up for a life full of music.
Jake worked as a DJ on the central coast of California doing weddings, pool parties, and other events for another well respected company. He had such a blast that he knew it was something he wanted long term. Over the years since then, he has found a home with the DJ Cuttlefish team where he DJs weddings and special events in Atlanta.
His favorite part of DJing events is the energy of the crowd and excitement people show when a song comes on. He loves bringing big crowds of people together to have a good time and the hilarious moments that happen when people are comfortable and enjoying themselves. His idea of a successful party is when everyone present has a moment that they can connect to.
Growing up, Jake’s hometown friends would roast him for what he played on the aux so he became determined to be prepared to play good music in any situation – thus began his extensive creation of playlists. He spends his time finding new music and curating playlists of all different styles.
When preparing for an event, he tries to gain a solid understanding of the client’s vision and preferences, then he creates a playlist that’s tailored accordingly. He likes to mentally run through how each part of the event is going to go, trying to anticipate what each moment is going to feel like.
Jake describes his DJ style as friendly, vibrant, and adaptable. His flexibility, excitement, and love of music allows him to create a lasting connection with any crowd or individual. He describes his personal style as simple, casual, and approachable. His go to dance move? Jake proudly pulls out the chicken wings and struts like a hen. It’s all about having fun.
Jake lived in Spain for a few months and speaks a good amount of Spanish. He is always improving in the language and is comfortable speaking planned Spanish on a microphone at events.
A good time for Jake is enjoying moments with people that he cares about. He’s a huge sports fan so if he’s not DJing or curating playlists, you can find Jake playing basketball or watching the NFL or MLB.
If he won the lottery, he would get a personal chef (requirement: must make a killer mint chip milkshake, his favorite dessert), a personal masseuse, and a personal trainer. Talk about the ultimate lifestyle dream!
Jake’s ability to have fun paired with his knowledge of music and extensive preparation as well as his undeniable likeability make him an ideal DJ for any event.
- “We booked Jake as our DJ and are so happy we did! He was easy to communicate with and understood our music tastes. He had our dancefloor going all night long and we had so much fun!!!“
- “Super Satisfied. Jake was our DJ. Preparation, Listening, and Execution. All went very well. Fantastic.” -Hal Zhao, a 2024 Groom