A Piano, a Song, and a Pink Martini: Thomas Lauderdale and China Forbes

Always a sold-out party, Pink Martini is inspired by the romantic Hollywood musicals of the 1940s and '50s. The ensemble's arrangements of Latin music, cabaret, and cinema scores come together in a sound that defies categorization. For A Piano, a Song, and a Pink Martini, lead singer China Forbes, whose "songs swoosh past like fabulous gowns in a vintage fashion parade" (The Telegraph) joins founding pianist Thomas Lauderdale, who "pulls out numbers from around the world like trinkets from his jacket lining" (JazzTimes), for a bespoke performance taking you on a musical trip around the world, from sultry sambas to a French nightclub, followed by a moderated discussion and question-and-answer session. Lauderdale founded the "little orchestra" Pink Martini in 1994 to provide beautiful and inclusive musical soundtracks for political fundraisers for causes such as civil rights, affordable housing, the environment, libraries, public broadcasting, education, and parks. A year later he asked his former Harvard classmate Forbes to join the ensemble. They began to write songs together, and their first song, Sympathique (Je ne veux pas travailler), became an overnight sensation in France. Pink Martini has performed 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. The ensemble has released 11 studio albums, selling over 3 million albums worldwide. Enjoy at home with a cocktail of your choice!