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Meet the DJ –
As half of the husband and wife team behind TCB Mobile Entertainment, Carol DiFlorio grew up in Jamaica surrounded by music – including a brother who was a DJ – which eventually influenced her decision to choose a career in stage management and performance. Her abilities to arrange shows to create emotion and participation from the audience would come in handy years later when she and her husband moved to Florida from Philadelphia and started their DJ company.
When they first arrived in Florida, Carol and her husband Tom, who had both worked with bands and musicians, started doing gigs in area pubs and school parties after discovering musicians in the area who needed their services were hard to come by. One day, Tom and Carol got a call from a woman who was getting married in a week and her band had canceled out on her. She had been to one of Tom and Carol’s dance parties and needed their help. “Having never DJ’ed a wedding and not even having been to one in five years, we were very reluctant,” Carol recalls. “In the short time we had, we did extensive research and thankfully, with YouTube videos – especially Brian Redd’s videos – we were able to give it our best shot. I drew on my past hospitality and entertainment management experience and created her program and timeline and basically coordinated the event for her and things turned out very well. We got a few referrals from that wedding, including one from the venue, and our wedding services grew from there.”
Since that first wedding, Carol estimates she and Tom have DJ’ed about 100 events, from weddings to corporate events and school parties, using their talents and abilities to create memorable events. “I think our duo team works great – Tom does the music and reads the crowd; I emcee and interact with the guests. In addition, I have a hospitality background – hotel, food and beverage – so I relate to vendors well. We are not a large company-type operation, so what you see is what you get. We work with the client from inception and have a great rapport wit h them before the event comes along. We like that!”
Carol describes their DJ style as interactive and energetic, with Tom as the “music man” and Carol as the entertainer, creating light shows with American DJ lighting products and mixing music with American Audio’s VMS4, a Christmas gift from Carol to Tom. “Tom reads the crowds, handles the requests and works accordingly,” she says. “I am the entertainer, so apart from being the emcee and depending on the event, I am the light show tech or the interactive stimulator. I run the programs, make the announcements for contests or whatever is needed. We are very interactive so I am on the move all the time. Tom is very flexible with the guests' song requests as long as it’s in keeping with the event guidelines.”
The shared goal of Tom and Carol for their DJ business is to provide a reliable service for the people of their community without fear of inappropriate music being played at their events, as they did for their first senior prom, which was held at a school that had previously not allowed dances. “We were able to convince the principal that he could trust us to have a great party for the seniors that would be appropriate and fun, with clean yet rocking music and party lights, to give them a memorable night,” Carol says. “Many of the parents were concerned about music content and the dancing behavior of the kids. When the dancing segment began, within the first two songs everyone was dancing – including the parents! We are happy that we’ve opened the door to many parties and dances in good taste and good fun.”
Weddings are a special challenge, and Carol says despite the extra work they require, they are her favorite type of event to work. “Although there is a lot more creative and consuming pre-work, when that special day arrives there is a rewarding feeling of accomplishment to see everyone happy – the bride and groom and guests touched by the personal story and introductions created, and emotions flowing,” Carol says. “As a singer, the ability to evoke emotions was always a great feeling. Weddings carry the same impact, sometimes blossoming into a continued friendship.”
While weddings may be Carol’s favorite type of gig, a recent birthday party she and Tom worked stands out as one of the most memorable. “We had been contacted to do a birthday party for a teenager who, because her mother was gravely ill, was unable to attend any of the dance parties or school events,” Carol says. “Her mom eventually passed earlier this year and the family has been recovering. As her birthday was approaching, residents wanted to do something for her. When asked what she wanted for her birthday, she responded, ‘a dance party with lasers and lights.’ That night was the first time anyone had seen her father smiling, taking pictures, laughing and interacting since his wife’s last months and eventual passing.”
Carol says there really isn’t anything she would change about her DJ career to this point. She and Tom enjoyed the other areas of the entertainment industry in which they both worked, and are appreciative of the experience and skills gained from past jobs. “We are definitely enjoying what we’re doing now,” Carol says. “Life holds no limits if you’re willing to continuously strive to acquire more knowledge and ‘treats’ of the trade, because there is always something to learn, and always something you can share with others. That’s why we enjoy the DJ conferences and great mentors and friendships we’ve made.”
Interested in appearing in DJ Spotlight? Send your story to our editor, Jennifer Ramirez (jramirez@fucinipro.com). |
