Mood Music

One of my favorite things about entertaining a group of people in my home is choosing background music. This week, we've have two occasions to do so, with friends that have a wide variety of musical tastes. Tonight, my husband selected Elvis Costello's "North". It's one that we often select for mixed company. Many of our "rock friends" in their 20s and 30s know and love Elvis, and our friends that are of the generation before ours love jazz music. This was followed by Miles Davis, which is always a crowd pleasing favorite.

Chatting over snacks, the topic naturally turned to music. Our group tonight loved everything from 80s country to disco, and many different genres in between.

The general consensus among the group was old standards, jazz, and classical music are all favored genres.

The gathering was relaxed and informal, and the music we chose was complimentary.

Had it been a more lively get together, such as the birthday party earlier this week, we would have chosen something entirely different.

Each situation, every different group of people, calls for a soundtrack that matches the mood and tone.

What are some of your favorite albums for entertaining guests?