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Pink Martini – review

This article is more than 12 years old
Royal Albert Hall, London

There was a question here: could the unlikely, sophisticated, easy-listening world-music phenomenon Pink Martini survive without its lead singer? The group's remarkable success has depended largely on China Forbes, a lady who matches easy-going charm with the ability to sing in an extraordinary number of languages. She is currently recovering from surgery on her vocal chords, so the tall blonde Storm Large, also from Portland, Oregon, was taking her place tonight.

Pink Martini's devotees seemed mysteriously unconcerned. This was the group's first ever show at the Albert Hall, which was packed to capacity, and Large led them through a lengthy, boisterous retrospective, accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra. She failed to match Forbes's delicate and slinky touch, particularly on the French favourite Sympathique, but had a powerful, at times operatic style and the ability to switch from a country weepie, Splendour in the Grass, to a gutsy The Lady is a Tramp. She also proved to be a confident entertainer; switching to a Turkish song, she asked for any Turks in the audience to join her. Remarkably, the stage was soon full.

The group's founder and pianist, Thomas Lauderdale, introduced a special guest, the veteran Japanese singer Saori Yuki, with whom Pink Martini have recorded a new album, 1969 – songs from the year she made her debut. Now in her 60s, she is a bravely versatile performer, switching from the swinging Blue Light Yokohama to the Brazilian standard Mas Que Nada. She deserved far more than five songs.

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