What with all of the holiday goings-on, the bits of nasty weather, work deadlines, awful Christmas Specials on the tube, etc...a person can get just plain frazzled this time of year. So what's needed on the drive to work is some romatic & swanky musings. Pink Martini definitely fits the bill.

The suave Oregon-based collective bravely mixes together influences from many, many genres to produce something completely unique. I can't even give it a label. In fact, let's not even try.

Just consider this giant array of instruments: trumpet, trombone, violin, cello, bass, guitar, mandolin, koto, harp (you know, the "angelic" kind), vibraphone, cangas, drums, piano. Take that tonal palette and apply it to some bossa nova, samba, jazz and a pile of other genres. It's very cool stuff, and somehow manages to relax and get the toes tappin' at the same time.

Oh, and then there's the delicious voice of China Forbes. In English and in French...I am enthralled. The title track, which reminds me of the class "Lousianna Fairytale", has a beautiful and winding melody that almost too good.

Pink Martini's slant on their musical, uhmmm...."polyglotness", is best summed up by founding member and pianist Thomas Lauderdale:

"My hope is that we're creating exquisite musical wallpaper which can be turned up or down, and played on almost any occasion, from background music to a love affair to vacuuming around the house."

...or when driving to work on a snowy Friday morning.

(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)