You
know China Forbes as the lady who fronts the multilingual band Pink Martini
with her awe-inspiring vocals, but on February 26th, Forbes
released her second solo album 78, a collection of personal and
evocative songs. It has been thirteen years since she released her debut solo
effort, Love Handle. The CD 78 has been in the works for several years,
as Forbes carefully and masterfully applied her brushstrokes to the canvass of
this album.
Speaking to me from her home in Portland Oregon, Forbes says, “I had been working on a lot of these songs (for some time), I recorded them, and I really needed to put out the album. It was a difficult thing to do, because I am consumed by Pink Martini and it is my main thing. I just took a leap and put it (78) out in the best way that I could, with only one small tour to promote it, because that is all that I have time for.”
There was no lightening bolt from the heavens to signal this was the right time for China Forbes to release another solo project, nor was there any sense of wanting to strike out on her own, because as she makes perfectly clear throughout our conversation that Pink Martini remains her main gig and she is hopeful that she will find the time to pursue both aspects of her career.
“I dragged out the process of writing and recording these songs. I finished recording them a few years ago, but I just didn’t have a lot of time to put into finishing everything, during the time between the Pink Martini tours. When the album was finished, Pink Martini’s album Hey Eugene was coming out and I couldn’t put mine out right before or right after that. It was a kind of a choreographed dance of phasing everything out, and finding a time when I could finish it (78). Finishing the album, with the artwork and all of that other stuff was one of the hardest parts. That’s the part that I put off for years,” she says laughing.
The CD 78 in its more frivolous moments melodically reminds one of the eighties girl group The Bangles, but whereas The Bangles were more about generating tunes with great hooks well suited for pop music stations of the day, there is a lot more going on in the creative aspects of Forbes’ music. She has written songs that tell good stories, and have unbelievably beautiful multi layered arrangements, which just keep enticing you to explore them. Forbes and Williams create the many layers through utilizing a plethora of instruments. Forbes plays the bass, guitar, harmonica, violin, rhythm guitar, Wurlitzer, Arp Strings, Vibraphone, Mellotron, Harmonium and piano. Eric Earley plays the acoustic guitar, piano, banjo, nylon string guitar, Wurlitzer, lap steel guitar, slide guitar, drums, electric guitar and the bass. Producer Gregg Williams doubles as the drummer, Eric Matthews blows a beautiful, mellow introduction to the title track on trombone and trumpet, while Pink Martini band mate Phil Baker performs on electric bass guitar.
As 78’s songs continue to roll out, you are astonished with Forbes’ ability to weave poetry, magic and stunning vocals. Her ability to paint word pictures as she does in “Time On My Hands,” puts you right in the middle of real life situations such as the weight of loneliness depicted in the song, “Time On My Hands.” She paints a picture of emotional chaos.
“I think that I feel most creative, when I am trying to get over something, such as heartbreak, a big argument, or when I am feeling lonely or sad. Those are the times when I really feel like writing. If I am feeling really happy (she laughs), I don’t really feel like writing. I think that is pretty typical. I imagine everybody does that. Some of the songs, “Easter Sunday,” and “Time On My Hands,” are more about the feelings of loneliness and aimlessness, without knowing what to do with myself. I had experienced many years of that challenge. I think that being an artist without a schedule, has been very hard for me, because I am not really disciplined and I don’t really do the same thing every day. I am spontaneous, which can be fun and free, but it can be a prison, because you become a prisoner of your own freedom. I have written about those feelings a lot,” says Forbes.
