You know China Forbes as the lady who fronts the multilingual band Pink Martini with her awe-inspiring vocals, but on February 26^th, 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.

“Everybody Needs Somebody,” has hit song written all over it. The song possesses the kind of melody and lyrics that invite you to sing along. One can easily envision this song becoming a favorite of concertgoers. “That song came from people within my community, and the feeling that I couldn’t connect with them. It (the song) was totally playful, and not autobiographical. If anything, it was about my transition in my late twenties and early thirties. Some people were confirmed bachelors, and it seemed like they were never going to settle down. I was frustrated and caught in that feeling of; do I want to settle down? Are we going to just be these single people for the rest of our lives?  I was just frustrated. I can’t remember when I wrote that. It was (me saying) can’t we all just admit that we need somebody and not sit at this bar, being fabulous, single, distant and aloof for the rest of our lives,” Forbes says in explaining the origins for the fun and sassy, “Everybody Needs Somebody.”  

There are two songs on this album in particular where Forbes becomes completely vulnerable, the pretty, “One Less Word,” and “I’m Still Talking To You.”  The former tune chronicles the final moments of a relationship that has been dying for a while now, and if you have traveled down that road, you will recognize that Forbes has done a masterful job of capturing the angst, the pain and the memories.

“The song, “I’m Still Talking To You,” is about not being able to get over someone. It is that point in time when you are deluded, and think that you can be friends, but you are still in love with the person. Your friends think that you should just stop having any contact with them. You just can’t. The song is about mourning the loss, while keeping one foot in it, knowing that you can’t have it,” says Forbes.

For the CD, 78, “I’m Still Talking To You,” underwent a transformation from the way that Forbes had previously recorded the demo versions of the song. “It never had drums or banjo on it. That song changed a lot. The song suddenly had a groove, whereas it never had a groove before. (Previously) it was very straight ahead, and it just had the guitar part that I play. I was always inspired by Elliott Smith. I always doubled my vocal, sang really quiet and had that Elliott Smith sound. Eric (Earley) played a snare, over which he put a newspaper, while he just played with brushes. He played another acoustic guitar part that was really cool, and the banjo. I played the harmonica. It (the song) just took on a new life,” says Forbes.

The song “Hey Eugene,” which fans of Pink Martini will recognize from the band’s album of the same name, is a real life ballad. “It is a song that I wrote after I met someone at a party, who was clearly interested in me, and really urged me to give him my phone number, but he never called. It was about this really crazy night, and I put the details into the song. In the end, it was just so humorous. How could all of these things have happened, and then he never called? I felt like we had made an incredible connection. It was an amazing night. Once it sunk in that he wasn’t calling, this song came out in a very Suzanne Vega way. I listened to Suzanne Vega a lot when I was a teenager. The song is a narrative that unfolds. It is one of those songs when the music and lyrics came out simultaneously, and in about five minutes. I have performed it many ways, solo, with a band, and with Pink Martini. I had always intended to put out the original version, which is what is on my solo album,” says Forbes, recalling that memorable night, that inspired the song.

Although she keeps a busy tour schedule with Pink Martini and now is in the midst of her own tour promoting 78, China Forbes is more comfortable in the familiar surroundings of her home in Portland, where she finds those positive vibes that are so conducive to keeping her creative juices flowing.

China Forbes fans can catch her in concert at The Aladdin Theater in Portland on April 10^th,  at Seattle’s The Triple Door on April 11^th, Boston’s The Paradise on the 13^th, Philadelphia’s The World Café Live on the 16^th and The Birchmere in Washington, D.C. on the 18^th.

Interview by Joe Montague for Riveting Riffs (www.rivetingriffs.com) ©

April 2008

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