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Last month, Deidre posted on a Gourmet article about music in restaurant kitchens. I’m also curious about what’s coming through the speakers in the dining rooms. The other night, while eating in a dimly lit Italian restaurant, I became particularly aware of the music playing in the background. It led me to wonder what dimly lit restaurants did before the Getz/Gilberto albums came along. Seems that a lot of restaurants have figured out that jazz is the way to go. Not all jazz, of course. Certain bossa nova recordings, as well as things like Billie Holiday (recordings with Lester Young, in particular) or Norah Jones make for good dining music because they’re pleasant without being too mentally demanding of the listener. That's not to say that background music at dinner is all this music is good for, but if it works, it works.
I’ve definitely used Joao, or more recently, his daughter Bebel Gilberto, as a dinner soundtrack. Still, I find Thelonious Monk’s solo recordings—Solo Monk or Alone in San Francisco—to be the best dinner music. Louis Prima is also always a good bet for something a little more upbeat. The Penguin Café Orchestra is fun, mostly because there will inevitably be a time towards the end of the meal, where, after a brief lull in conversation, someone will say, “What the hell are we listening to?” The same goes for Bill Frisell’s Ghost Town.
Any jazz in your dinner playlist?
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11-01-2005 @2:08AM Marc said... Here are a few jazz recordings that are on my dinner list:
Tommy Flanagan - an amazing pianist who played with all of the greats, including Coltrane on Giant Steps and behind Ella Fitzgerald for 15 years
Miles Davis - Gil Evans collaborations (Birth of the Cool, Miles Ahead)
Duke Ellington - Piano Reflections - a rare recording of Duke at the piano alone
Benny Goodman Sextet - Featuring Charlie Christian - A Benny Goodman small group effort that included Lionel Hampton
Bill Evans Trio - Live at the Village Vanguard - an amazingly tight trio
Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane - what a voice, what a horn
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11-01-2005 @2:42AM Richard D. said... I actually have that vinyl that you used for the image. I usually put on some brazilian jazz from the 60's, Thelonius Monk, Coltrane and some others. And what's not too bad for cooking music is the Verve Remixed collection.
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11-01-2005 @8:19AM Nick said... Marc, thanks for the list. I'll have to keep an eye out for that Ellington solo album as well as the Goodman/Christian recording.
Richard D., I have one of the verve remixed albums but couldn't really get into it. I could see it being good in the background while cooking though.
Spider, I dug.
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10-31-2005 @1:24PM Sir Not Appearing in this Blog said... Depends. Do you consider Naked City to be jazz?
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10-31-2005 @12:39PM David Paull said... You're right, Louis Prima is great for an upbeat dinner. For a more quiet meal, Keith Jarrett is always a favorite.
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10-31-2005 @1:24PM Nick said... Yeah, Zorn would make for an interesting meal.
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11-01-2005 @11:28AM spider mccoy said... Yes jazz is good with dinner, and it's also good after dinner, you dig. Especially with soft lights.
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