It’s time for another installment of Meet Pink Martini and this week we are featuring force of nature Storm Large! She has been a lightning bolt of energy at the center of the concert stage with Pink Martini since being pressed into duty with less than a week’s notice in April 2011, taking over lead singing duties for four Pink Martini performances at the Kennedy Center while China Forbes underwent emergency vocal cord surgery. She’s brandished her Valkyrie voice on the stage and in the studio with Pink Martini ever since, fitting in appearances with our band in the middle of a road warrior performance calendar, including gigs with her own band Le Bonheur, as well as numerous appearances with many of the world’s top symphony orchestras. She’s performed on every Pink Martini album starting with 2013’s Get Happy, and has released her own solo album, Le Bonheur, on Heinz Records as well.
1. If you could have seen any musician in concert, dead or alive, who you never got to see live, who would it be?
Nina Simone
2. What is your favorite Pink Martini song to perform?
Până când nu te iubeam
3. What Pink Martini song gets stuck in your head?
Sympathique
4. If you could have a side gig in any current band, which?
Backup singer for Lizzo
5. If you had a robot that could do one household chore for you… what would it be?
Tell me I’m beautiful and rub my feet
6. If you could instantly be fluent in any language, which?
Spanish
7. Who is your favorite movie director?
Frank Capra
8. What was the first concert you ever saw?
Seven Seconds at The Ratskeller Boston
9. If you could have one dish from any restaurant appear instantly anytime, which?
Salade Vert from Hotel L’Amour in Paris
10. What music would you choose as a soundtrack to your most triumphant moment?
Beethoven’s Ode To Joy
11. What’s your favorite sweet/dessert?
A kiss.
12. What illustrated animal or object would star in your children’s book?
A giraffe with boobs
13. Who do you wish would play you in Pink Martini: The Movie?
Tina Turner
14. Pride of Lions, Pod of Whales… what would you call a pack of squirrels?
A “Squibble”
15. Are you on the party bus or sleepy bus?
Party on the party, sleep on the sleep
16. If you could safely tour any ancient civilization, which?
Atlantis
17. What is your favorite non-musical hobby?
Hiking
18. If you were instantly skilled enough to have any one other occupation in the world besides musician, what would you choose?
Brain surgeon or Acrobat
19. If you had complete creative control, what book would you like to turn into a movie?
Thesaurus
20. What is your favorite city in the world?
Portland
21. What’s the most fun thing about being in Pink Martini?
Getting to travel, perform and have adventures with incredibly talented and fun people…also getting to show off my awesome backup singer moves.
22. How did you choose your musical instrument?
It chose me. I blame you.
23. How are you keeping sane and calm during this crisis and these weeks of quarantine?
“Sane” or “Calm” are not words that anyone who knows me would use to describe me… I think ever. So nowhere to go but up! What I’m doing is: wake up, make my bed, shower, brush my teeth, get dressed and start working on ways to help people who are in tougher spots than I am…all the while checking in with loved ones and friends I know who are also alone. Every day. At night I count my blessings and rest up so I can hit it again tomorrow.