REVIEW: Pink Martini @ OBF/Hult Center (Eugene, OR – 6/26/10) | pacificlectic : concert reviews & eclectic music news

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REVIEW: Pink Martini @ OBF/Hult Center (Eugene, OR – 6/26/10)

27th Jun 10 (Sun) Leave a comment Go to comments

FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM

The only appropriate way to explain the multi-culturally influenced, genre hopping band Pink Martini is that they are an Oregonian treasure. You expect some schizophrenia when you mix classical, big band, jazz, and pop with vocals in not only English, but also French, two dialects of Italian, Japanese and Turkish. However, that schizophrenic expectation melts away when you see how seamlessly they stir the musical melting pot.

Since 1994, Pink Martini has wowed not only their local Portland Oregonians, but also the world – Europe, Asia, Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, Northern Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and North America. And while Pink Martini aren’t strangers to Eugene (we’re only 100+ miles south of their hometown), this was their first appearance at the Oregon Bach Festival (OBF).

The “mini orchestra” last night was led by pianist/founder Thomas Lauderdale and vocalist China Forbes and includes Timothy Nishimoto (vocals and percussion), Robert Taylor (trombone), Gavin Bondy (trumpet), Phil Baker (bass), Dan Faehnle (guitar), Nicholas Crosa (violin), Maureen Love (harp), Brian Davis (congas, drums and percussion), Derek Rieth (percussion), Martín Zarzar (drums) and more (names announced that weren’t in the program but I didn’t catch).

Saturday’s concert was only the second day of 2010’s OBF, and Pink Martini played the first bit of Bach for the Fest – Double Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor. Pink Martini also dug into many songs from their excellent back catalogue, as well as a few new tunes – including the Turkish song “A Dusty Road” from their upcoming symphonic release.

Setlist: 2 sets spanning 2+ hours

Set 1: Bolero
Let’s Never Stop Falling in Love
Sympathique
Lilly
Kikuchiyo To Mohshimasu
big band instrumental song with band solos
Fantasy in F-minor for Piano and 4 Hands (Schubert)
And Then You’re Gone
But Now I’m Back
Double Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor (Bach)
Splendor in the Grass
instrumental song – Spanish flavor
Set 2: Ninna Nanna
Tempo Perdido (Adolfo Alves)
Over the Valley
Tuca Tuca
Hey Eugene
A Dusty Road
Hang On Little Tomato
Dosvedanya Mio Bombino
Encore: Amado Mio
Brazil

Some fan favorites throughout the double set were the entrance of China Forbes with “Let’s Never Stop Falling in Love,” the tango-rific “Lilly,” and the Schubert-inspired “And Then You’re Gone” (with China on vocals) and “But Now I’m Back” (featuring Timothy Nishimoto’s vocal response). Even though the song is not about our fair city, “Hey Eugene” got the biggest crowd reaction. To cap the wonderful night of music, Pink Martini got the crowd on their feet for a conga line with “Brazil.” This was a wonderful ensemble opening to the two week long 40th Annual Oregon Bach Festival.

OBF attendees can win a chance to “cuddle up with Pink Martini.” There is a raffle to win this beautiful Pink Martini quilt (pictured at the right), handsewn by Corvallis fiber artist Karen Illman Miller. It has the band members’ autographs inscribed on each of the pink fabric martini glasses. Miller designed the quilt she calls “Singing the Blues” to help mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Corvallis Youth Symphony in 2007 (Pink Martini had performed with the CYS the prior year). Raffle tickets for the Pink Martini quilt are only $5 and on sale at the Bach Boutique in the Hult Center lobby, where the quilt is on display. The winner will be announced on July 11, prior to the Festival’s Eugene performance of Elijah. All proceeds from the raffle benefit the Stangeland Family Youth Choral Academy Scholarship Fund.