Pink Martini is a music ensemble unlike any other, and their famously eclectic repertoire was in full flower at their Roy Thomson Hall concert celebrating their 30th anniversary.
A quintessential example of the band’s far-reaching musical sophistication is the contrast between the number that ended the first half and the one that followed the intermission.
Before the break, the musicians engaged in a sizzling hot progressive jazz session where every player’s riff showed off his impressive improv skills. The second half began with a Sarasate sonata where violinist Nicholas Crosa displayed his considerable classical chops accompanied on the piano by Pink Martini’s founder Thomas Lauderdale.
Jazz to classical — and everything in between. That is Pink Martini.
Background
The Portland, Oregon-based Lauderdale is quoted as saying that he had been involved in politics since high school, and that he formed Pink Martini in 1994 to offset the music at political fundraisers and rallies that he felt was loud and boring. His aim was to appeal to a broad audience.
More to the point, as Lauderdale explained to the packed house, Pink Martini became political agitators.. Apparently, the state wanted an anti-homosexual bill on the books, so everywhere Lauderdale and his band played, be it weddings or nursing homes, their message was “Say No To Proposition 13”. (The bill didn’t pass.)
From there, the group’s trajectory took them to college campuses, bigger venues, performances with orchestras, and finally important festivals at home and abroad, resulting in Pink Martini becoming the international darling that it is today.
Their many record albums also spread their appealing musicality far and wide.
The Ensemble
At times, Lauderdale has called Pink Martini a small orchestra.
The band is made up of a core group from Portland, augmented by a floating pool of outstanding musicians who are reeled in for tours. The Toronto concert featured nine players — piano, violin, bass, guitar, trombone, trumpet, two percussionists and a bongo player — all of them at the top of their game.
It’s important to note that they don’t have music sheets in front of them which leads to a clean and smooth performance. No awkward shuffling of paper for Pink Martini. The music is memorized, and the banter between numbers keeps track of the order.
The orchestrations are also richly imaginative, structured around brass and strings underpinned by a motherload of percussion. Thus, each song is very interesting to listen to from an interior aspect, because you are drawn into how the various instruments are ingeniously configured.
The group performs with passion, particularly the diminutive Lauderdale. His back is mostly to the audience because he is conducting, but his body tells a story as he sways to the music, at times almost bouncing off the piano bench. He draws the eye as he punches out the notes on the piano, raising his hands high in the air for emphasis almost after every chord.
Subtlety is not a word in Lauderdale’s vocabulary, but then, a full-blown, in-your-face musical assault is a Pink Martini hallmark. These musicians play with their hearts, and their effervescent performance literally leaps off the stage. The audience can’t help but be captivated.
And a nod to Lauderdale, who quietly goes into the shadows when other members of the ensemble are in the spotlight.
The Singer
And then there is the band’s celebrated singer — the incandescent China Forbes.
Lauderdale knew Forbes from their time at Harvard and invited her to join the band. At the time, Forbes was doing musical theatre in New York. She even spent ten weeks in Toronto appearing in a musical at Canadian Stage, or so she told us. She now lives in Portland.
How to describe the sensational Forbes?
First there is her velvety mellow contralto voice and perfect diction that hugs the ear in a warm embrace.
Next, the song she is singing is so far embedded into her body, that it becomes part of her DNA. Expressive doesn’t begin to describe her performance. She seems to kinetically mirror the music, her gorgeous arms almost like an instrument in their own right. The music plays, and Forbes is its physical embodiment.
Lauderdale did some of the musical introductions, speaking a tad too fast, I must say, but it was Forbes who carried the bulk of the banter with charm and wit. Her best line was saying that her 16-year-old son wanted a tattoo that read “Made in China”.
The Repertoire
To say a Pink Martini concert is eclectic is an understatement. For example, the music featured an eccentric small ensemble version of Ravel’s Bolero, and the uber-romantic, sensual Amado Mio performed by sexy Rita Hayworth in the iconic 1946 movie Gilda.
There are actually three features of the repertoire that stand out, at least for me.
The first is that the music seems to have a rhythmic dance beat more often than not.
In this vein, there was a dance contest where audience members were invited to let themselves go. The house lights came up and some brave souls danced to the seductive music. There were three winners who each got a Pink Martini poster. It was a delightful and surprising interlude.
There was also another immersive moment. The concert ended with a conga line. Yes, the aisles of Roy Thomson Hall were filled with lines of smiling dancers. This audience participation certainly had to bring the band and the audience closer together.
The second feature is the international nature of the repertoire with its plethora of languages.
One mind-blowing number which was the official ending of the concert (before the inevitable encores) featured Forbes singing and Timothy Nishimoto announcing each language (and occasionally singing himself).
There must have been 20 or more languages in a medley of different songs with Forbes slipping easily around this international confection. Whoever put this intricate showstopper together is a master at his craft.
The third feature is the many original tuneful songs.
A significant number have been co-written by Lauderdale and Forbes, some by just the two, and some in conjunction with others. For example, the concert featured Lauderdale/Forbes original songs in French, Italian and Portuguese. Bass player Phil Baker contributed a number, while Forbes performed one of her own.
Maybe this is the secret to Pink Martini’s success. Their concerts and albums feature music unique to them that no one else is performing.
The Ending
Only good vibes from Pink Martini poured off the stage.
Lauderdale set the upbeat tone of the concert by announcing that the USA should become Canada’s 11th province. He also got a laugh when he pointed out that he would never be invited to Washington’s Kennedy Centre (a nod to Trump taking over the programming).
If you asked me to sum up a Pink Martini concert in one word, my answer would be joyous.
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