Pink Martini is the brainchild of Thomas Lauderdale who was planning to run for office in Portland, Oregon, his hometown. In 1994, underwhelmed by the music at political fundraisers, Lauderdale drew much of his inspiration from around the world and mixed pop, jazz, and classical music together. He then founded Pink Martini, which he called the “little orchestra,” to offer music for political fundraisers that was more inclusive and beautiful than what had been used before.
A year after this beginning, Lauderdale called his classmate from Harvard, China Forbes, and asked if she would be interested in joining the group. She acquiesced, and the two began writing songs. Their first effort, “Sympathique” (Je ne veus pas travailler), was nominated as “Song of the Year” at the Victoires de la Musique Awards in France.
The band tours internationally and, as Lauderdale says, has:
“. . . the incredible diplomatic opportunity to represent a broader, more inclusive America…”
The group performs multilingual concerts, and has appeared with major orchestras such as the Boston Pops and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. A review says:
“. . . Pink Martini . . . had a dash of this and a splash of that to create a captivating concoction that’s entirely unique and extremely fun.”
Pink Martini with China Forbes will be at Memorial Hall on October 27. Events like this are often advertised by organizers who request printers use poster printing to create colorful publicity.