Kahilu Theatre presents Pink Martini, with singer China Forbes, Sept. 3 in Waimea. ADVERTISING Kahilu Theatre presents Pink Martini, with singer China Forbes, Sept. 3 in Waimea. Featuring a dozen musicians, Pink Martini performs its multilingual repertoire on concert stages
Kahilu Theatre presents Pink Martini, with singer China Forbes, Sept. 3 in Waimea.
Featuring a dozen musicians, Pink Martini performs its multilingual repertoire on concert stages and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, Northern Africa, Australia, New Zealand, South America and North America.
Tickets to the 7 p.m. show at Kahilu Theatre range in price from $20-$125 and can be purchased online, at the theater box office in Waimea or by calling 885-6868.
Pink Martini was founded in 1994 by Thomas Lauderdale in Portland, Oregon. Lauderdale was working in politics, thinking that one day he would run for mayor. Like other eager politicians-in-training, he went to every political fundraiser under the sun, but was dismayed to find the music at these events underwhelming, lackluster, loud and un-neighborly. Drawing inspiration from music from all over the world – crossing genres of classical, jazz and old-fashioned pop – and hoping to appeal to conservatives and liberals alike, he founded the “little orchestra” Pink Martini to provide more beautiful and inclusive musical soundtracks for political fundraisers for causes such as civil rights, affordable housing, the environment, libraries, public broadcasting, education and parks.
One year later, Lauderdale called Forbes, a Harvard classmate who was living in New York City, and asked her to join Pink Martini. They began to write songs together. Their first song “Sympathique” became an overnight sensation in France, was nominated for “Song of the Year” at France’s Victoires de la Musique Awards, and to this day remains a mantra (“Je ne veux pas travailler” or “I don’t want to work”) for striking French workers.
“We’re very much an American band, but we spend a lot of time abroad and therefore have the incredible diplomatic opportunity to represent a broader, more inclusive America … the America which remains the most heterogeneously populated country in the world … composed of people of every country, every language, every religion,” said Lauderdale.
Pink Martini’s debut album “Sympathique” was released independently in 1997 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 in 2000. Pink Martini released “Hang On Little Tomato” in 2004, “Hey Eugene!” in 2007 and “Splendor In The Grass” in 2009. In November 2010, the band released “Joy To The World” — a festive, multi-denominational holiday album featuring songs from around the globe. All five albums have gone gold in France, Canada, Greece and Turkey.
In fall 2011, the band released two albums — “A Retrospective,” a collection of the band’s most beloved songs spanning their 18-year career, which includes eight previously unreleased tracks, and “1969,” an album of collaborations with legendary Japanese singer Saori Yuki. That was followed by “Get Happy” in 2013.
The group’s most recent album, “Dream a Little Dream,” featuring Sofia, Melanie, Amanda and August von Trapp, the actual great-grandchildren of Captain and Maria von Trapp, made famous by the movie, “The Sound of Music,” was released in March 2014. It traverses the world, from Sweden to Rwanda to China to Bavaria, and features guest appearances by The Chieftains, Wayne Newton, “Jungle” Jack Hanna, and Charmian Carr (who played Liesl in the original Sound of Music).
Info: www.kahilutheatre.org
