HOTEL AMOUR
Named one of the top 100 albums of 2019 by the Times UK, Hotel Amour marks the musical love affair and collaboration between two unique artists, Pink Martini’s beloved founder/ bandleader, pianist and composer Thomas M Lauderdale and international singing sensation, the crowd-surfing tragi-comedienne and queen of Chanson, Meow Meow.
The two have met and played and written songs together all round the world, from the bars of Berlin to the stages of the Sydney Opera House and Royal Albert Hall and the oldest Drag bar in the Wild West of America, Darcelle’s in Portland Oregon. They’ve played together solo and with orchestras from the London Philharmonic to Oregon Symphony, some of whos artists appear on the album, along with members of Pink Martini and the singular trio “Sneakin’ Out”.
Hotel Amour features original 21st Century songs written by the two, and some exquisite journeys into the French, German and Shanghainese canon of the 20th century.
1920’s and 30’s glamour, bittersweet tragedy, humour, politics, witty wicked Weimar and aching French torch song, some joyful duets with Rufus Wainwright, Barry Humphries and the Von Trapp Family singers and a special recording with the late legendary French composer Michel Legrand. This jewel of an album celebrates a very special musical friendship of very special musical soulmates.
“We know her as the bodysurfing diva, but the Australian-born chanteuse reveals her fragile side in this excellent collaboration with the pianist Lauderdale, of Pink Martini fame. The originals are first-rate and the multilingual covers range from Mandarin to French and German. Barry Humphries makes a charming guest appearance, as do Rufus Wainwright and the recently departed Michel Legrand. Magnifique.” Sunday Times UK
Photography: Chris Hornbecker