(We put this together in November of 2004. While we still like it, we're putting a new one together this weekend. If you have any suggestions, add them in the comment string below & tune in Monday.)
Before: take their minds off the day...
During: settle their stomachs...
After: move their feet...
Send them to bed...
Just my opinion but "Walking Wounded" is such a depressing album, hence the title. I never understand why anyone would want to eat to it, and it's always played in restaurants.
A great great dinner album is the soundtrack with the extra disc from Almodovar's "Talk to Her" ("Habla con Ella"). The extra disk "Viva la Tristeza!" is the best with a great version of "Nothing Compares 2U" by Jimmy Scott.
A great dinner party album is a sort of hard to find cd from a great label from Italy called IRMA (named after the company's office at an old whore house called IRMA) The cd came out in 1997 Montefiori cocktail "Raccolta No. 1" Irma Italy
Everytrack on this record is great, heavy on the sax..they Montefiori brothers put a picture of their dad on the cover pouring a cocktail into a sax, an old picture I guess, and a nice touch. Check it out if you can.
Long Live Lounge!
So happy to see Esquivel on there. He has another couple of albums that are also great.
For "sending them to bed", there's also this New Age-y harpist named Lisa Lynne, who's very mellow.
I also like the sound track to Matthew Bourne's "Play Without Words" that's very Dave Brubeck-ish.
While it doesn't really fit in with the others - the soundtrack to - The Moderns.
Suzanne
as in, the Alan Rudolph film?
I LOVE THAT SOUNDTRACK! Years ago I used to play that before bed all the time...totally dig that Eric Satie-ish Frenchified loveliness . . .
Before. "What is Hip? Remix Project Volume One" (70s easy listening tracks remixed). Weekend Players "Weekend Players". Karsh Kale "reDesign" (Indian electronica, Bollywood meets Whisky Bar). Serge Gainsbourg "I (heart) Serge - Electronica Gainsbourg" (Serge is the man!). Montefiori Cocktail "Re-Shaken". Bebel Gilberto "Tanto Tempo Remixes". "The Sound Gallery 1-2" (late 60s British lounge muzak). "The Best of James Bond 30th Anniversary Collection" soundtrack. Donna Summer "Once Upon a Time".
During: "Verve Remixed 1-3" (must-own compilations of Verve jazz titles reworked by contemporary remixers). Thievery Corportation "Mirror Conspiracy" (the platinum standard of this genre of music). Dzihan and Kamien "Freaks and Icons". St Germain "Tourist" (in the vein of the Verve Remixed project). The Dave Brubeck Quartet "Time Out". "2046" Soundtrack (features orchestral and mambo compositions by Shigeru Umebayashi, and original mambo tracks by Xavier Cugat, Dean Martin, Connie Francis, Nat King Cole). Kings of Convenience "Versus". Tosca "Different Tastes of Honey" (remix EP). "Nova Jazz" Compilation.
After: Nortec Collective "The Tijuana Sessions Vol 1". Dmitiri from Paris "A Night at the Playboy Mansion". Madonna "Confessions of a Dancefloor". Bob Sinclair "Defected in the House". Gwen Stefani "Love.Angel.Music.Baby." Stevie Wonder "Songs in the Key of Life". "NOW That's What I Call Music" compilations (familar radio hits always get people dancing). Tom Jones "Reload".
I'm not exactly where this would go (it could be dinner party except that Liz Phair rocks out on one song) but I never get tired of the soundtrack to Stealing Beauty. Another good, mellow soundtrack that's good as background music is In the Mood for Love.
Also for "After" (if the guests are 20-35yo's): throw some current Hip-Hop, Mash-Ups, 80s hair bands, Beastie Boys, etc into the mix.
Agree with you on "Stealing Beauty", Fiona.
I haven't quite made the adjustment from the sexy summer vibe, but some of these might carry over to the snow...
DJ KICKS Daddy G (great Massive Attack remixes with global talent)
The Isley Brothers "Taken To The Next Phase, Reconstructions"
old standbys:
"African Chill" a brilliant compilation on Manteca for the chatty warm up, mixed with Nat King Cole en espanol and other Latin/Brazil loungey sounds
and
Johnny Cash "American III: Solitary Man" (great conversation piece, as The Man In Black rips up some cover tunes)
Marisa Monte "Rose and Charcoal" for sexy lively dinner music
anything by Parliment Funkadelic to keep people dancing
hey Enrique, can you burn some stuff for me?
; )
To get the stragglers out of the house after the party is over I suggest some Atari Teenage Riot or Einsturzende Neubauten.
To get rid of people? Maybe an old, old recording of "Irene, Goodnight"?
LOL. Well, Atari Teenage Riot and Einsturzende would definitely drive people out of the house...
When I used to DJ, my last call songs were usually Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66's version of "The Look of Love" or Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is." And then we'd hit the lights.
Guido... You know I can't burn CDs for you since I work in the music biz! But email me, I can probably put together some cocktail/dinner mixes for you...
Enrique! Baby, I BUY the music!
It's the one of the things I am utterly hopelessly self-indulgent with. That and hair products.
anyway
burnt cds are free advertising, causing me to buy even more discs and downloads!
Guido. You're my favorite kind of music consumer, seriously. No judgement here. Email me... I'm at work and don't have access to my home email contacts. ;)
www.vanmega.com
Check out his MP3 link.
My all time favorite...
A little off topic but I have been searching all over to find the recording of the saxophone from Stealing Beauty. It's not listed in the musical credits at the end...just wondering if anyone knew. You can hear the saxophone when everyone is lazing about and Ian is sketching Lucy under a tree. If you know please help!
Joshua Radin's "We Were Here"
Alasdair Roberts' "No Earthly Man", "Farewell Sorrow"