aaamusic | On 17, Aug 2010

Sony Music are set to release COME DINE WITH ME PRESENTS DINNER PARTY SONGS on 27 SEPTEMBER, a mouth-watering 3CD collection of new and classic tracks cherry picked to compliment the ultimate stay-home-and-cook night, the Dinner Party.

With an array of artists to suit even the most fussy palate, including contemporary bites from Alicia Keys, Pink, The Hoosiers, The Zutons, The Fray, Mark Ronson, The Script and Lissie plus timeless fare from – Sade, Nina Simone, George Michael, Harry Nilsson, Jeff Buckley and Van Morrison, this ‘three course meal’ – comprising of one CD each for Starter, Main Course and Dessert. The tracks will be sequenced to be the ultimate soundtrack to your dinner party, perfectly suiting the mood and flow of the evening.

Dinner parties have grown in popularity due to the celebrity TV chef phenomena and also the success of Channel 4’s ‘Come Dine With Me’, which over the last 5 years has seen millions of us hooked on the contestants’ battles to outdo each other’s culinary and hosting skills. The current economic climate is also leading many more of us to entertain at home, rather than dining out.

Etiquette, menu and entertainment all contribute to what makes a successful dinner party, with music playing a huge part in creating the right ambience on the night. Musicologist and Sony and Prix las Basle winning BBC broadcaster “Big George”, who has contributed to many programmes and articles on music theory, says “Studies show that listening to the right balance of music while eating causes people to savour their food more, digest more easily and attain other health benefits. Music can lower cortisol levels, making it easier to digest food. Plus, it fills the silences, provides talking points and masks unwanted noises (both human and cutlery)…Melodious music keeps the mood harmonious.”

‘Come Dine With Me Presents Dinner Party Songs’ is the first branded album for the show. Included in the 3 course CD set will be recipe cards for additional help with your dinner party – now all you need to do is invite the guests and pick out your best frock or suit!

Come Dine With Me Presents Dinner Party Songs is released on Sony Music on 27 September 2010