Dirty Martini

Before establishing themselves as a unit, the singers and multi-instrumentalists McKinley, Lara Michell, and Stephanie Schneiderman each maintained separate solo careers. They first pooled their efforts for occasional performances in Portland, OR, opening with a Valentine’s Day date in the early 2000s. Audience enthusiasm and their own enjoyment of the shared stage prompted the three to commit to a permanent group, which they named after their preferred cocktail, Dirty Martini. The self-titled debut, issued in 2005 on the Portland-based Pampelmoose label, originated as a live recording from a 2004 show and was later completed with studio overdubs. Drawing primary inspiration from PJ Harvey, Aimee Mann, and Kristin Hersh, the musicians returned in fall 2006 with Tea and Revenge, produced by John Askew alongside Gang of Four’s Dave Allen. When the album’s supporting tour commenced, several musicians who had contributed to the sessions joined them onstage, among them bassist Keith Brush, multi-instrumentalist Todd Bayles, and drummer Ned Failing, who became a permanent member.