Pink Martini
“PINK MARTINI is like a romantic Hollywood musical of the 1940s or 50s – but with a global perspective which is modern,” says founder and artistic director Thomas M. Lauderdale. “We bring melodies and rhythms from different parts of the world together to create something which is new and beautiful.”
The Portland, Oregon-based ‘little orchestra’ was founded in 1994 by Lauderdale, a Harvard graduate and classically trained pianist, to play political fundraisers for progressive causes such as civil rights, the environment, affordable housing and public broadcasting. In the years following Pink Martini grew from four musicians to its current twelve, and has gone on to perform its multilingual repertoire on concert stages and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Canada and the United States.
Lauderdale met China Forbes, Pink Martini’s “diva next door” lead vocalist, when the pair was at Harvard. He was studying history and literature while she was studying painting, English literature and theatre. Late into the night in their college dormitory on the Harvard campus, Forbes would sing Verdi and Puccini arias while Lauderdale accompanied her on piano, and their creative collaboration blossomed. Three years later, Lauderdale called Forbes who was living in New York City, where she’d been writing songs and playing guitar in her own folk-rock project, and asked her to join Pink Martini. They began to write music and lyrics together for the band, and their first song “Sympathique,” or “Je ne veux pas travailler” (I don’t want to work) became a huge hit in France.
The ensemble made its European debut at the Cannes Film Festival and its orchestral debut with the Oregon Symphony in 1998 under the direction of Norman Leyden. Pink Martini has since performed with symphony orchestras across the country including four night nights with the Boston Pops in 2005, multiple concerts with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra in 2000, two nights with the Los Angeles Philharmonic on a co-bill with Sergio Mendes in 2002 and two nights headlining with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2005. Other prestigious appearances include the grand opening of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s new Frank Gehry designed Walt Disney Concert Hall, with return sold-out engagements for New Year’s Eve 2003 and 2004; the opening party of the New York Museum of Modern Art, the Kennedy Center and the William Morris Agency’s 100th birthday celebration with soul legend, Al Green.
Pink Martini’s debut album, SYMPATHIQUE, was released independently in 1997 on the band’s own label Heinz Records (named after Lauderdale’s dog) and quickly became an international phenomenon, garnering the group nominations for “Song of the Year” and “Best New Artist” in France’s Victoires de la Musique Awards. Seven long years later the high-anticipated follow-up, HANG ON LITTLE TOMATO, was released and climbed to #1 on Amazon.com’s best sellers list.
THE MUSIC
“Both China Forbes and I come from multicultural families,” says founder and pianist Thomas M. Lauderdale, “and all of us in the band have studied different languages and music from different parts of the world. So inevitably, because everyone in the band contributes in the writing and arranging of songs, the repertoire is wildly diverse. At one moment, you feel like you’re in the middle of a samba parade in Rio de Janeiro, and in the next moment, you are suddenly in a French music hall of the 1930s or in a palazzo in Napoli. It’s like an urban musical travelogue.” “We’re very much an American band, but we spend a lot of time abroad, in Europe, in Turkey, in Lebanon and therefore have the incredible opportunity to represent a different kind of America through our repertoire and our concerts – that is, an America which is the most heterogeneously populated country in the world – comprised of people from every country, every language, every religion.” “One of our goals is to make music which has broad appeal to people, no matter who they are or where they come from. We play the same set of music wherever we go, whether it’s in a small farming community in Oregon or in France or Turkey or with a symphony orchestra. My hope is that we’re creating music which can be turned up or down, and played on almost any occasion, from background music of a love affair to vacuuming around the house,” Lauderdale says.
MEET THE BAND
China Forbes (vocals) was born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts where she graduated cum laude from Harvard and was awarded the Jonathan Levy Prize for acting. In New York she has performed on the theatrical stage, and in rock clubs as a singer-songwriter. She has written songs with Rick Nowells, and Billy Steinberg and Charlotte Caffey of the Go-Go’s. Her original songs can be heard on television and film and she sings the theme song to UPN’s "Clueless" as well as “Qué Será Será” over the opening and closing credits of Jane Campion’s film "In the Cut." In 1998 she relocated to Portland, Oregon to sing full time with Pink Martini.
Thomas Lauderdale (piano) was raised on a plant nursery in rural Indiana and began his formal musical education at the age of six. He has appeared with the Oregon Symphony, the Seattle Symphony, Chamber Music Northwest and the Oregon Ballet and has given recitals in Boston and New York. Thomas graduated cum laude from Harvard with a degree in literature and history, and is the founder and artistic director of Pink Martini.
Robert Taylor (trombone) grew up in Taylorville, Illinois, studied with almost every brass player of the Chicago Symphony and earned his degree in music from Northwestern University. He toured Europe with the American-Soviet Youth Orchestra under Leonard Slatkin and played with the Schleswig-Holstein Festival under Mstislav Rostropovich. Robert served as principal trombonist for the San Antonio Symphony for five years and is currently with the Oregon Symphony.
Gavin Bondy (trumpet) is native to Portland, Oregon. His versatility and love of music has allowed him to work with bands and orchestras in a great variety of genres including classical, rock, country, funk, American folk, big band, salsa, free jazz, mariachi, and middle-eastern music. In between Pink Martini shows, he writes, arranges, and performs for a group he founded, the Shanghai Woolies, a band of renegade rock musicians who play hot jazz.
Paloma Griffin (violin) born in Fresno, California, is currently a member of the Oregon Symphony. An avid chamber musician, she has collaborated with Portland-based ensembles Third Angle and her string trio, called “3.” Paloma has performed both chamber music and solo recitals throughout the United States and Europe, in Carnegie Hall, San Francisco’s Herbst Theater, Live on Radio on France, BBC Radio England and WGBH Boston. In addition to the Oregon Symphony, she has appeared with the New World Symphony and the Fresno Philharmonic.
Brian Lavern Davis (congas, drums and percussion) was raised in Portland, Oregon, and his musical studies have taken him to India, Japan, New York, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Brazil. His teachers include Jorge Alabe, Jose Ricardo Santos & Ballet Folklorico do Bahia, Colin Walcott, Michael Spiro, Keith Terry, Los Muñequitos de Mantanzas, Bruno Moraes and Alex Rangel (from Mocidades Indepente de Padre Miguel) and Nana Vasconcelos. Brian is the founder (with Derek Reith and Andrew Hartzell) and director of the Lions of Batucada, an ever growing forty-some member Brazilian dance and percussion ensemble, and formed and directs the “Ainsworth Jr. Escola,” a 107-member Portland youth samba bateria. He has toured and/or recorded with Herbie Hancock, Kalapana, Upepo, Obo Addy, Dan Reed Network and the show “BataKetu” among others. He teaches body percussion and samba throughout the Northwest as part of the Young Audiences of Oregon and Washington program, and begins teaching at Portland State University in the Winter of 2005.
Derek Rieth (percussion) began his musical career focusing on Afro-Caribbean and Brazilian folkloric and popular drumming styles. His studies have taken him to Cuba, Brazil, New Orleans and New York. His teachers include Jorge Alabe, Boca “Rum” Bezerra, Regino Jiménez, Jesús Alfonso, Pello Gonzalez, Miguelito Bernal, Terecita Domé-Pérez, Michael Spiro, Scotty Wardinsky and Kpani Addy. In 1996, Derek, along with Brian Davis and Andrew Hartzell, co-founded the Lions of Batucada, a Brazilian-style percussion ensemble. Aside from his work with Pink Martini, he performs with Grupo Ire, Black Angel and Substrate. In addition, he works with Teatro Milagro, a community theater group, which presents music and dance traditions of the Caribbean, Central and South America.
Martín Zarzar (drums) was born in Lima, Peru. He began to study drum-set and hand percussion at age thirteen, and his professional music career began at age fifteen in Portland, OR when he met the group Al Andalus, with whom he traveled, performed, and recorded. In 1996 he was awarded a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, and he now holds a Magna Cum Laude Bachelor's Degree in Drum-Set Performance. He has traveled as a performer to Europe, Canada, South America, and within the United States, performing alongside Simon Shahin, Jamey Haddad, and Pink Martini, among others.
Phil Baker (bass) toured with Diana Ross for nine years and appeared with her on “The Tonight Show” and for her legendary concert “Diana Ross - Live At Central Park.” He has also performed with jazz legends Eddie Harris, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Sonny Stitt, Diane Schuur and Ernie Watts; and at “Motown 25” with Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and Linda Ronstadt. He toured with Gino Vannelli and played on his YONDER TREE CD. Recently he has appeared with Nat Adderley, Scott Hamilton and Joe Lovano. Having appeared on literally hundreds of jazz, rock, pop and blues albums, Baker is one of the West Coast's premiere bass players.
Timothy Nishimoto (vocals and percussion) grew up in Los Angeles and started singing and performing at the age of two (winning a dance contest at the age of five!) in church choirs with his family. Throughout high school and college, he continued singing and performing in vocal jazz ensembles, barberstore quartets and theatrical productions. He graduated with a degree in Business from Cal State Long Beach, and opened Vino Paradiso Wine Bar and Bistro (www.vinoparadiso.com) in Portland in 2005. In the early days of Pink Martini, he performed with the band as a guest vocalist, and has been a permanent member since 2003.
Pansy Chang (cello) is presently Assistant Professor of Violoncello at Miami University of Ohio. She has performed in North America, Europe, and Israel. She has appeared with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Chamber Music Northwest, on Bob Sherman’s “Listening Room” – WQXR New York, and in both the Yale Spectrum Series and the Yale Faculty Artist Series in New Haven. Concerto appearances include performances with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC, the Oregon Symphony, and regional orchestras in the Washington, DC and Portland metropolitan areas. In 1992 Ms. Chang was awarded a Fulbright Grant for study in the United Kingdom, and was a semi-finalist in the 1993 Leonard Rose International Cello Competition.
Ohio native Dan Faehnle (guitar) was until recently based in Portland, OR and established relationships with such legendary jazz artists as Leroy Vinnegar, Chuck Israels, Dave Frishberg and Dick Berk. He has also worked with noted musicians as Joey DeFrancesco, Eddie Harris, Clark Terry, Zoot Sims, and Jeff Hamilton. Other significant colleagues have been Mel Brown, Ron Steen, Nancy King, Dave Friesen and Rebecca Kilgore. In 2000, Faehnle stepped into the guitar chair with Diana Krall, performing on numerous world tours, television shows, radio and media events. As an integral part of the Diana Krall quartet for three years, Dan garnered accolades from such publications as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, JazzTimes and Downbeat magazines, as well as many international publications. His solo recordings include MY IDEAL and OHIO LUNCH (Heavywood Music).
Claude Giron (cello) began playing cello and piano at the age of six. In 1991, she received first prize in cello (class of Roland Pidoux) and chamber music (class of Michel Strauss) at the “Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique de Paris.” She then attended Yale University under Aldo Parisot, where she graduated in 1993 with a Masters of Music, and in 1994 with an Artist Diploma. From 1994 to 1998, she was a member of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France, and she is currently a member of the Orchestre de Paris. She frequently performs chamber music in France, Europe and the United States.
Brant Taylor (cello) was born in New York and raised in San Antonio, and made his first public appearance as a soloist at the age of 12. He has performed recitals and collaborated with leading chamber musicians throughout North America, Europe, and Asia in addition to appearing as soloist with orchestras in Texas, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, Switzerland and the Dominican Republic. From 1992-96, Brant was cellist of the award-winning Everest Quartet, top prizewinners at the 1995 Banff International String Quartet Competition. He was a member of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra in 1997-98, and joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in September of 1998. Brant enjoys performing with Pink Martini for several reasons, not the least of which is that it provides some welcome musical contrast to his “day job.” When not playing the cello, he enjoys drinking wine and flying airplanes, though not at the same time.
Nicholas Crosa (violin) first appeared as a soloist at age 11 with the Portland Festival Symphony. His international debut occurred in 1996 when he performed a recital series as a guest of the Conservatory of Music of the City of Buenos Aires, in Argentina. He has since performed as a soloist with such orchestras as the Oregon Symphony, the Vancouver Symphony, the Aspen Concert Orchestra, the Aspen Young Artists Orchestra, the Portland Youth Philharmonic, the Hilton Head Orchestra and other ensembles and chamber music recitals internationally. He was a scholarship student of the late Dorothy De Lay and Won Bin Yim at the Juilliard School in New York. As of May 2005 Nicholas has been performing as part of Pink Martini.
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