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  • WDCH
  • COUNTDOWN TO 2005 BEGINS WITH PINK MARTINI AT WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL
  • Dec. 31, 2004
  • Two Evening Celebrations Ring in the New Year in Downtown Los Angeles

    FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, AT 7 PM and 10:30 PM

    A mind-blowing blend of French café sensibility, Latin rhythms, and world-music flair greet the New Year as Pink Martini returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall for this year's celebrations. The Los Angeles Philharmonic presents Pink Martini on Friday, December 31, at 7:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. as part of its "Deck the Hall" holiday-themed programming which features nine diverse programs throughout December.

    The charming and eclectic ensemble from Portland, Oregon returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall for the second year in a row for the holiday festivities. With their ineffable blend of exotic Cuban rumba, Parisian café tunes, and classical chamber music, the sound of Pink Martini is led by the sultry voice of singer China Forbes and fuses piano, horns, strings, drums, and percussion; for these two performances, the band is supported by eight additional string players. Pink Martini performs many songs from their recent release, Hang on Little Tomato, which is at number one in sales on Amazon.com (week of November 8, 2004), and is quickly rising up the Billboard 200 charts.

    Somewhere between a 1930s Cuban dance orchestra, a classical chamber music ensemble, a Brasilian marching street band and Japanese film noir is the 12-piece PINK MARTINI. Part language lesson, part Hollywood musical, the Portland, Oregon-based 'little orchestra' was created in 1994 by Harvard graduate and classically trained pianist Thomas M. Lauderdale to play at political fundraisers for progressive causes such as civil rights, affordable housing, clean water, and public broadcasting. The group made its European debut at the Cannes Film Festival and in the years following went on to tour throughout Europe (including France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Greece, Switzerland, and Monte Carlo), Turkey, Taiwan, Lebanon, and the United States. Pink Martini's debut album, Sympathique, was released independently on the band's own label, Heinz Records (after Lauderdale's dog, Heinz) and has sold over 650,000 copies worldwide. Nominated for "Song of the Year" and "Best New Artist" in France's Victoires de la Musique awards, Sympathique (released in 1997), has gone Platinum in France and Gold in Greece. The band's highly-anticipated second album, Hang on Little Tomato, was released on October 19, 2004 on Heinz Records in the United States, and on Naïve Records across Europe.

    EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

    FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2004 AT 7 PM & 10:30 PM
    Walt Disney Concert Hall
    111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles
    PINK MARTINI

    CHINA FORBES, vocals
    THOMAS M. LAUDERDALE, piano
    GAVIN BONDY, trumpet
    ROBERT TAYLOR, trombone
    PALOMA GRIFFIN, violin
    PANSY CHANG, cello
    PHIL BAKER, upright bass
    DOUGLAS SMITH, vibraphone & percussion
    BRIAN DAVIS, congas & percussion
    DEREK RIETH, bongos & percussion
    MARTIN ZARZAR, drums & percussion
    TIMOTHY NISHIMOTO, vocals & percussion
    DAN FAEHNLE, guitar



    Tickets ($50 - $125) are on sale now at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office, online at LAPhil.com, or via credit card phone order at 323.850.2000. A limited number of $10 rush tickets for seniors and full time students may be available at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office two hours prior to the performance. Valid identification is required; one ticket per person; cash only. Groups of 12 or more may be eligible for special discounts for selected concerts and seating areas. For all information, please call 323.850.2000.

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  • Contact:

    Sabrina Skacan, 213.972.3408; photos: 213.972.3034