Pink Martini

I keep humming the tune to the Pink Martini hit, Hey Eugene, a catchy didi about the lead singer's encounter with a guy at a party in NYC. Eugene apparently flirted with her in a drunken state, took her phone number and then never called. This song, like all the tunes performed by this twelve piece orchestral band from Portland, Oregon, is wonderfully melodic.

Pink Martini entertained for a full two hours at the Arlington Theater, leaving us smiling and thinking about the fabulous time enjoyed on that gloriously warm evening here in Santa Barbara. Their eclectic music comes from around the world, written in French, Italian, Japanese, Croatian, Spanish, English, Portuguese, Arabic, or wherever they find material that appeals to them. The bubbly leader and pianist, Thomas Lauderdale, says “music should be like a wonderful dinner party” where you meet people you might never meet in a normal day. Their music, indeed, is sometimes cheerful other times sad, whimsical, dreamy, rhythmic, lyrical and simply marvelous.

Whenever Pink Martini plays in Santa Barbara, and this is their fourth appearance here, they sell out. This is in no small thanks to Celeste Billeci and her troupe of generous sponsors and donors who underwrite UCSB Art's and Lectures program; they bring extraordinary talent to our little burgh season after season.

The Arlington Theatre is arguably one of the more intimate locations in which Pink Martini struts their stuff. This merry group of musicians is led by the colorful Lauderdale, who plays the piano with verve and passion. Nonetheless, the entire group is loaded with talent, each singing or dropping in solos complimenting the group.

The group consists of violin, cello, sax, trumpet, harp, castanets, bongos, steel drums, drum kit, and a complete array of percussion instruments, including maracas, triangles, gourds, etc. China Forbes is the charismatic and alluring lead singer. She and Lauderdale met at Harvard and later formed the core of the band. Forbes's singing is multi-lingual and highly versatile. Her voice is both arresting and soothing. She leads vocals on most of the group's biggest hits. Within the last year, she gave birth to a son, Cameron, and she sung a touching and memorable tune about the view from the room of her baby boy. Another song I loved was entitled "Hang on Little Tomatoe" which apparently made it to #1 on the Amazon charts when it was first released a few years back.

Among the members who stood out at this performance were trumpet player Gavin Bondy, violinist Nicolas Crosa and master class cellist Pansy Chang. Bondy played brilliantly, excelling in every number. Crosa and his violin overwhelmed the crowd, leading a duet performance with Lauderdale's grand paino. And Chang's artistry, with her vintage 1697 cello, was so stunning as to make me all misty eyed.

There are many more superlatives I could appropriately heap upon this band. However, far better than read my words is for you to make plans to see them live the next time they come to Santa Barbara. In the mean time, buy one of their records as soon as possible, sit back and enjoy.