Pink Martini at Festival at Sandpoint

Bandleader Thomas Lauderdale says, “Pink Martini is a rollicking, around-the-world musical adventure. If the United Nations had a house band in 1962, hopefully we’d be that band.” It’s hard to imagine a band that could do a better job than the Portland-based “little orchestra” that originally formed to provide quality music at political fundraisers for causes like civil rights, affordable housing and parks. Having grown into an internationally touring phenomenon, Pink Martini’s jazzy roots have expanded to include strong branches of world music, swing and cool retro-pop. Their most recent album, Je dis oui! (French for “I say yes!”), features no less than eight languages (French, Farsi, Armenian, Portuguese, Arabic, Turkish, Xhosa and English), but I guarantee that won’t stop Pink Martini from inciting a sing-along or two at their upcoming Festival at Sandpoint gig. There’s no opening act, so don’t be late.