Even without his longtime role as on-air disc jockey, Nazzy still knows how to throw a party

By RAY DUCKLER

Monitor columnist

Published: 01-24-2023 5:13 PM

Spend a half-hour with Nazzy and you’re guaranteed to run out of steam before he does.

That’s what DJ Nazzy, whose real name is Marc Nazzaro, does for a living. He founded and owns Nazzy Entertainment DJs and plays music – at weddings, bar mitzvahs and private parties – specifically designed for each event.

Good luck avoiding the dance floor at these affairs, because Nazzy – looking slick with a fancy tie and a dark vest, and loud with a big microphone  – will find you. He’ll recharge your battery late in the evening with his never-ending fuel tank.

Until recently, he was a major voice on the Concord airwaves at Frank FM and before that WJYY, which fall under the ownership of Binnie Media. He was coffee for many, dancing around the studio after dancing around the parking lot, imitating Steve Tyler’s infamous screech, telling jokes, providing an electrical charge that never burned out.

Unfortunately, Nazzy was let go recently after 23 years on the air. Heath Cole, Binnie’s vice president of programming, said the company was cutting back on music and expanding its talk and political programs.

“It’s a reconstruction of the workforce here in Concord heading into the spring,” Cole said. “He’s been like part of the family for years, but the music format that we do will change. He’s a music guy and would not blend in well with the news.”

Streaming music that can endlessly play tunes without ever flipping a record have certainly cut into the DJ market. Nazzy said there were no hard feelings on his way out from Binnie.

His local-celebrity profile may suffer after losing his on-air gig, but Nazzy’s not calling it quits. His ability to put a tiger in your tank has already given him such a strong following, that’s he’s a featured name at high profile like the Concord High prom, downtown’s Midnight Merriment and Halloween Howl.

Article continues after...

Yesterday's Most Read Articles

No deal. Laconia buyer misses deadline, state is out $21.5 million.
“It’s beautiful” – Eight people experiencing homelessness to move into Pleasant Street apartments
With Concord down to one movie theater, is there a future to cinema-going?
Quickly extinguished fire leaves Concord man in critical condition
Man convicted in 2010 murder at Concord prison appeals to state’s highest court
Concord police ask for help in identifying person of interest in incidents of cars being keyed during Republican Party event

He relayed a story in his usual rapid-fire style, formulating his thoughts quickly and releasing them clustered together. No pauses.

He said he liked it when he’s recognized. Like the two daughters who whispered to their mother, insisting that the man standing nearby was, in fact, Nazzy. This, he said, surprised him.

“It’s not like I was Taylor Swift,” he said. “The radio is what made me popular because I gave a voice to the voiceless and put the spotlight on local nonprofits. I
like to help people and help spread people’s messages, and I will continue to do it.”

He’ll need another radio gig to get the biggest bang for his buck. He says he’d consider returning to a different station’s airwaves.

His music style and choices cut across genres and generations, which makes each of his shows unique. He prides himself on doing his homework before an event. His clients are shocked when they hear a song with cultural significance to the bride or groom.

“This is no cookie-cutter deal,” Nazzy said. “You find music that works best in bringing people together, spread and create good memories.”

 He’s married with two children, and lives right here in Concord. He signed off on his last day the same way he had for 23 years.

“Think positive and positive things will happen.”

It’s one of his core messages, coming from his cool persona, Nazzy. Despite his notoriety and Concord fame, few people know his real name, and that’s exactly how Nazzy likes it.

“No one knows the other name, but that’s not who I am,” he said. “I am Nazzy.”

In a post to the community last week, he struck a grateful chord. 

“Thank you for allowing me to be part of your daily routine, I am truly honored. But mostly, thank you for allowing me to be part of your life,” he wrote. “And remember, this isn’t goodbye, it’s “See You Around Town.”

]]>