Music for the Golden Hours, 1
Beverly Kenney, Born to Be Blue
When I was growing up in the early 60s, a popular local radio show called “Music for the Golden Hours” played schmaltzy instrumental tunes to help listeners transition from grueling 9–5 jobs to the comforts of home.
Regardless of your age or musical taste, the need to unwind is stronger than ever. Hence, this new set of listening adventures falls between my wake-up / go-to-sleep series, “Your Morning Song” and “Music for Insomniacs.” The album selections, from a variety of eras and genres (jazz, rock, pop, even country), create a mood that's soothing but not bland.
So slide on your slippers, dim the lights, and sink into your plush, easy chair for an evening of serene solace.
The singer
Beverly Kenney recorded six albums before her death from suicide in 1960. Her material mainly consisted of popular standards, from graceful ballads to spirited swinging numbers. Kenney’s “exquisitely nuanced” style (AllMusic), particularly on the intimate Born to Be Blue, is reticent but confident, not fragile, alternately melancholy and hopeful. She’s closer to the cool jazz instrumentalists (e.g., Bill Evans) than to the brasher vocalists of her era.
The album
