Pink Martini - Hang on Little Tomato
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Pink MartiniBrand: Baker & Taylor
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2004-10-19
Music Label: Heinz Records
Soundtracks:
- Let's Never Stop Falling in Love
- Anna (El Negro Zumbon)
- Hang on Little Tomato
- The Gardens of Sampson & Beasley
- Veronique
- Dansez-Vous
- Lilly
- Autrefois
- U Plavu Zoru
- Clementine
- Una Notte a Napoli
- Kikuchiyo to Mohshimasu
- Aspettami
- Song of the Black Swan
Free Music Notes for Hang on Little Tomato
Free Music Review: The World is Flat... and Pink
Hit: 5 Stars
Seamlessly crossing genres and generations and geographies, Pink Martini's second album is stellar, erudite, and delightful. It is perhaps a wee bit less dazzling than their first (Sympathique), but far above and beyond most of today's music. I've waited a few years to write my review on this one, but since the third album is being released in May 2007, I thought I'd better get moving.
Pink Martini is a group of 15 musicians, occasionally augmented by additional strings. There is one musician from the first album missing: Pepe Raphael, who was a vocalist as well as songwriter. His departure may explain why "Hang On Little Tomato" is a bit less "edgy" than the first album. (You can hear Pepe on the album "Latenight Betty" by Pepe and the Bottle Blondes, which is quite good but at times a bit too camp/kitschy.)
Every song on "Hang On Little Tomato" is a work of art. In the opening of the first cut, a sea of strings sweeps you into a Cuban nightclub, and China Forbes, Pink Martini's leading lady, draws you in with her sultry vocal delivery. She caresses the lyrics "I know a falling star can't fall forever, but let's never stop falling in love." As the song builds, each talented musician in the group adds to the charm; the keyboard, the trumpets, the percussion: perfection. In addition to providing luscious vocals, China Forbes shares songwriting credit for this along with Thomas M. Lauderdale, the group's pianist.
The second cut, "Anna (el negro zumbon)," continues the Latin flavor, featuring a duet with China and Timothy Nishimo (the group's replacement for Pepe, I suppose, as Timothy was not on the first album). This is one of those songs that forces you to move to the beat; quite fun. Superb percussion, including Heinz the barking dog!
The title cut, "Hang On Little Tomato," features a marvelously mellow clarinet prelude, and a boop-boop-be-doop vocal by China Forbes. Sheer delight. Next comes "The Gardens of Sampson and Beasley," another original work that uses strings and harp to mold a mellow charm, and features a bit of "My Darling Clementine" woven in. The garden referenced is Bella Madrona in Sherwood, Oregon, owned by Jim Sampson and Geoff Beasley.
Continuing the mellow mood, Pink Martini next returns to film noir land, offering a sparse, nostalgic "Veronique," with chilling vocals and trumpet performed by Robert Taylor. French is next, with "Dansez-Vous." I originally thought this was the weakest cut on the album, but after seeing them perform this number live, I have a different opinion. In concert, an extended version of this song is a showcase for the multitude of musical talent that resides in the people of Pink Martini.
With "Lilly," the Latin groove returns, and two trumpets dance with staccato piano and piquant percussion. We quickly jump back to French, with a spare, haunting, wistful, "Autrefois." I love this song! It starts out with a funky drumbeat, which quickly is joined by nostalgic piano chords and a soul-searing violin. What a delightful juxtaposition--the modern percussion and the classic violin, piano, and mandolin. And the longing lyrics tell a tale of fond memories "a good long time ago." The soul capture continues on the next cut, U Plavu Zoru. Patsy Chang's opening cello is unbelievable (see this number in concert for a true soul-shaking experience!). The lyrics of this original song are in Croatian. Why? Why not? Music is the communication form that still delights even if one can't understand the words. "U Plavu Zoru" highlights the outstanding musicianship of each individual member, and the talent of the team, as they take us on a symphonic, operatic journey featuring strings, brass, keyboard, and China's gorgeous voice.
The next cut, "Clementine," brings back memories of the sixties. This song channels Burt Bacharach, or perhaps Herb Alpert, and trombone aficionados will be very pleased. The mid-twentieth century tribute continues with "Una Notte a Napoli." This song could have been used instead of "Tu Vuo' Fa L'Americano" in that Italian nightclub scene in "The Talented Mr. Ripley."
In a very Pink Martini move, the next song jumps to Japan, and a Japanese pop song from the sixties. For its cover of this song, Pink Martini enlisted Hiroshi Wada to recreate his slide guitar from the original. This music embodies all the mystery and distinction of Japanese culture, and through simplicity creates great beauty. To continue the "beauty through simplicity" theme, the next number, "Aspettami (Wait for Me)," features only the voice of China Forbes and the guitar of Dan Faehnle, blending to create soothing charm.
And finally, a bit of bit of Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos: Song of the Black Swan. This lush instrumental track carries us, blissfully, to the conclusion of Pink Martini's magical musical world tour. I wish politicians could bring harmony across cultures as well as these musicians.
All but three of the album cuts were written by members of the group, which is the inverse of the case on their first album. I believe you will enjoy and never tire of this CD. If you have the chance to see Pink Martini in concert, run, don't walk. I'll see them again in two months. And remember the new one arriving in May 2007!
Hang on Little Tomato Poster
Somewhere between a 1930s Cuban dance orchestra, a classical chamber music ensemble, a Brazilian 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 originally created in 1994 by Harvard-graduate Thomas M. Lauderdale to play at political fundraisers for progressive causes such as public broadcasting, clean water, libraries, civil rights and affordable housing. In the years following, Pink Martini has gone on to perform its multilingual repertoire on concert stages, in smoky clubs and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe, Greece, Turkey, Taiwan, Lebanon and the U.S.
Hang On Little Tomato, Pink Martini?s much-anticipated second album, features a collection of original songs written by the band and its extended family as well as a few undiscovered gems reinterpreted in high style. Drawing on themes articulated on Sympathique, Hang On Little Tomato is the result of the group?s diverse collaborations and inspirations. From an advertisement for Hunt?s Ketchup in a 1964 issue of Life magazine to a dance sequence in the 1950 Italian film Anna, Hang On Little Tomato includes songs in French, Italian, Japanese, Croatian, Spanish and English. "Una Notte a Napoli," for example, was written with Alba Clemente ? an Italian stage and television star in the 1970s ? and DJ Johnny Dynell of the legendary New York-based nightclub Jackie 60. In a reworking of the Japanese song "Kikuchiyo To Mohshimasu," Pink Martini collaborated with Hiroshi Wada, the slide guitarist whose group originally recorded and released the song in 40 years ago.
Originally released in 1997, Sympathique met with rave reviews worldwide, finding a place within the hearts of many and selling well over a half million copies. Building its legacy through unstoppable word of mouth, select high profile symphony dates, prominent placement in film and television and fashionable private appearances, Pink Martini has returned with their highly-anticipated follow up. Hang On Little Tomato is every bit the new album Pink Martini fans have been longing for. Lush string arrangements, soaring vocals and cosmopolitan rhythms unfurl from the brilliant international hemisphere that is Pink Martini.
Pink Martini should be known as the little orchestra that walks a fine line in its music. The Portland, Oregon, outfit is deeply influenced by Latin music, jazz, cabaret, cinema scores, and a smattering of other styles. But rather than simply aping legendary artists in their prime--and fooling only a few dim bulbs in the process--band shakes things up by writing its own material, or at least creating tasteful new arrangements that fit within the band?s unique post-lounge framework. The band keeps the playful musical vibe on Hang On Little Tomato, but jettisons what kitsch factor it had, choosing to focus wholly on original material or stuff that isn?t recognizable to the average music fan. It?s been a seven-year wait for fans since the band?s fun debut, Sympathique, and while the blush is now off the rose, the band?s creative ambitions and talent are never better displayed than here on their second effort. ? Tad Hendrickson
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