Fun but non-obtrusive background music for dinner party?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want it to be fun, absolutely go for some swing music!! Or any of the rat pack - Frank Sinatra is always a hit, maybe the album "Live from the Sands." Ella Fitzgerald, Sing Sing Sing (Benny Goodman), Billie Holiday, Luis Armstrong.

Totally agree with Frank.

[Anonymous]

Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck (both jazz, very listenable but not obtrusive).

[Anonymous]

Songza. You can browse playlists by mood and occasion.

[Anonymous]

Do you mean non-obtrusive like dull and not noticeable? Go for any of the bearded-sensitive-man-boring-dad music like Bon Iver, Andrew Bird, Mumford, Sufjan Stevens, etc.

[Anonymous]

Second Songza - way less annoying ads than pandora and excellent mix. I deleted my pandora app.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bossa Nova is really good for this. Most people don't speak Portuguese, so it's hard to sing along. But there's a "fun-ness" to the music that will make you tap your foot possibly, but not compel you to dance.

Strongly agree with this. Gilberto and Getz are good. I'm sure there are Pandora stations for this but I don't know what they are as I don't use Pandora.

Yes!

[Anonymous]

Seal.

[Anonymous]

Pat Metheny Group - self/titled, American Garage, Offramp, Letter From Home (the first two lean more jazz/folk/rock, the last two lean more pop-Brazilian)
John Klemmer - Touch (this was recorded in 1975, but the sound quality/performance is still excellent by today's standards - high quality tenor saxophone jazz with lots of mellow Fender Rhodes electric piano)
Gary Burton - Vibraphonist, check out the albums Passengers and Dreams So Real


These should all be available on Spotify and/or Rdio

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Drum n bass!

LOL

[Anonymous]

94.7 FM

It's top 40, but a little on the lighter side. I love the radio - so much easier than compiling a play list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:94.7 FM

It's top 40, but a little on the lighter side. I love the radio - so much easier than compiling a play list.

Pandora is much better than regular radio, with much less annoying ads. Or no ads, if you buy premium.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:94.7 FM

It's top 40, but a little on the lighter side. I love the radio - so much easier than compiling a play list.

Except when they play a song you absolutely loathe, or annoying ads blare on for 10 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bossa Nova is really good for this. Most people don't speak Portuguese, so it's hard to sing along. But there's a "fun-ness" to the music that will make you tap your foot possibly, but not compel you to dance.

Strongly agree with this. Gilberto and Getz are good. I'm sure there are Pandora stations for this but I don't know what they are as I don't use Pandora.

Yes!

+1
And Buena Vista Social Club

[Anonymous]

The Blue Nile - a Scottish band that only puts out about an album a decade, but it's almost always worth it. Their first two albums (A Walk Across the Rooftops, from the early 1980s and Hats, from the late 1980s) are quality stuff - lots of atmospheric synthesizers, passionate vocals, and novel instrumentation. Available on all the streaming services plus YouTube - particularly recommend the title cut, Tinseltown Is In the Rain, Stay, and Easter Parade from the first album and the Downtown Lights and Over the Hillside from the second.

[Anonymous]

Local FM station WRNR (103.1) has an excellent Sunday brunch program (7-10 AM) which is very free-form - lots of jazz, folk, and progressive curiosities that are rarely heard on radio these days mixed with familiar favorites. Its signal is often difficult to get over the air (it originates from Annapolis), but it streams online at www.wrnr.com.