Making Waves Pink Martini Returns With Its Unique Blend Of Lounge, Retro, Jazz And Latin-Infused World Music

The rest of the world, it appears, has discovered Pink Martini.

Our first clue? A song from the Pink Martini CD, “Sympathique,” is being used as the soundtrack for a sleek new national ad for Lexus. When Madison Avenue discovers something, consider it discovered.

Spokane audiences were ahead of the curve on Pink Martini, having discovered this 10-piece Portland-based combo almost exactly a year ago. Pink Martini blew into town with its one-of-a-kind combination of lounge, retro-cool, jazz-classical, Latin-infused world music. They whipped the SuperPops crowd into a frenzy.

A SuperPops crowd is not easily whipped into a frenzy, but after the encores were performed and the ovations died down, people still wanted more. On the way out, the merchandise desk was mobbed with people trying to pick up a copy of “Sympathique.”

Obviously, this was an act that the Spokane Symphony had to bring back. This year’s date, on Saturday, is a popular hit even before the musicians walk on stage. The show was sold out a week in advance, although now the Opera House has opened up a few more seats, right on the stage, for those lucky enough to score them.

The first half of the show will feature Spokane Symphony music director Fabio Mechetti conducting the orchestra in music from his homeland, Brazilian bossa nova. Pink Martini arrives on stage in the second half to do a set backed by the orchestra. If the show is anything like last year’s, expect to hear jazz influences from Claude Bolling to Desi Arnaz, classical influences from Ravel to Chopin, and Latin influences from Sergio Mendes to Charo.

Lest we congratulate ourselves too much on discovering Pink Martini, we should remember that they have been around since 1994 in their hometown of Portland. One-time classical piano prodigy Thomas Lauderdale threw the band together on the spur of the moment as an opening act for the Del Rubio Triplets. Before long they were the in-demand band for Portland society’s big parties.

Since then, they have played at the Cannes Film Festival and at the White House Christmas party in 1997. They recorded “Sympathique” on their own label, Heinz Records, in 1997, and Starbucks picked it up for sale at their outlets in 1998.

The Pink Martini lineup is as eclectic as its music. Lauderdale is a cum laude graduate of Harvard with a degree in literature and history. He has performed with both the Oregon Symphony and the Seattle Symphony. Robert Taylor, trombonist, is the principal trombonist with the Oregon Symphony. Cellist David Eby is a graduate of the prestigious Eastman School of Music.

Drummer Richard Rothfus, on the other hand, has roots in rock, having performed with Snake Eyes and The Storm. Bassist John Wager is rooted in jazz, and has performed with several jazz bands. Percussionist Derek Rieth is a student of Cuban and Brazilian folkloric music. Percussionist Brian Davis is the founder of Batacuda, a 48-piece Brazilian carnival/samba percussion ensemble.

And vocalist China Forbes, another Harvard grad, is a singer-songwriter who recently moved to Portland from New York.

Put all of these people (and more) together on one stage and you end up with a sound that is original, entertaining and surprisingly sophisticated.

Like the liquid kind of martini, this Pink Martini will go straight to your head.

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This sidebar appeared with the story: ON STAGE Pink Martini * Pink Martini performs with the Spokane Symphony SuperPops, Saturday, 8 p.m., Spokane Opera House. A few tickets might be left by calling 624-1200 or G&B Select-a-Seat at 325-SEAT or 1-800-325-SEAT.