Splendor in the Grass (album)

Splendor in the Grass is the fourth full-length album from the band Pink Martini. It was released in October 27, 2009 on their own label Heinz Records.

The album is named after its third track, and features songs in five languages (English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Neapolitan). Collaborators included National Public Radio correspondent Ari Shapiro singing on the track "But Now I'm Back" and Sesame Street performer Emilio Delgado on a cover of Joe Raposo's "Sing". Other covers included on the album are "Piensa en mí", written by Agustín Lara and his sister Maria Teresa Lara for the 1948 film Revancha; "Tuca Tuca", originally performed by Raffaella Carrà; and the Moondog song "New Amsterdam".

The instrumental section of the title track, "Splendor in the Grass," from approximately 2:00 to approximately 2:55, is a rendition of the opening movement of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's  Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor.

The album debuted at No. 45 on the Billboard 200 and No. 10 on the Top Independent Albums chart with 12,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The album was certified platinum in Greece. In 2010. It was awarded a gold certification from the Independent Music Companies Association which indicated sales of at least 100,000 copies throughout Europe.

Personnel

 * Hugo Alfvén
 * Neil Anderson - Choir, Chorus
 * Jennifer Arnold - Viola
 * Phil Baker - Guitar, Sitar, Bass
 * John Bartley - Choir, Chorus
 * Joel Belgique - Viola
 * Christopher Benjamin - Choir, Chorus
 * Heather Blackburn - Cello
 * Gavin Bondy - Trumpet, Cornet, Alto Horn, Vocals, Piccolo Trumpet, Brass Arrangement
 * Joe Bozzi - Mastering
 * Karen Brooks - Toy Piano
 * João Canziani - Cover Photo
 * Pansy Chang - Cello
 * Julie Coleman - Violin
 * Nicholas Crosa - Violin
 * Brian Davis - Percussion
 * Emilio Delgado - Vocals
 * Daniel Dempsey - Choir, Chorus
 * Gregory Ewer - Violin
 * Joy Fabos - Violin
 * Dan Faehnle - Guitar
 * China Forbes - Vocals
 * Dave Friedlander - Engineer, Mixing
 * Paloma Griffin - Violin
 * Bernie Grundman - Mastering
 * Doree Jarboe - Direction
 * Timothy Jensen - Saxophone, Brass Arrangement, Saxophone Arrangement
 * Ben Landsverk - Group
 * Thomas Lauderdale - Piano, Producer, Photography
 * Maureen Love - Harp
 * Peter Murray - Photography
 * Timothy Nishimoto - Percussion, Vocals
 * Charles Noble - Viola
 * Derek Rieth - Percussion
 * Courtney Taylor-Taylor - guitar on "Splendor in the Grass"
 * Salvador Tercero - Vocal Engineer
 * Chavela Vargas - Vocals
 * Martín Zarzar - Percussion, Vocals, Brass Arrangement