The Cat Empire
The Cat Empire is an Australian latin/jazz/ska/funk/indie band formed in 1999. It began as a trio, composed of Ollie McGill, Felix Riebl and Ryan Monro, spawned from the nine-piece group Jazz Cat. After gigging around the Melbourne jazz scene, the band grew in 2001, with the other present day members joining.
Known for their energetic live shows, the band has achieved critical acclaim both in Australia and abroad.
Members:
- Felix Riebl: vocals and percussionist. Plays keys and sings with the band Felix Riebl and the Crashing Waters.
- Harry James Angus: vocals and trumpet player. Also part of Melbourne hip-hop group Jackson Jackson.
- Ollie Mc Gill: keys, melodica and backing vocals.
- Ryan Monro: bass and backing vocals
- Will Hull-Brown: drums. Together with Monro and Mc Gill makes up the eclectic electronic jazz trio The Genie.
- DJ Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwhala: decks and percussion.
The Empire Horns, a brass duo who accompany the band, consist of:
- Ross Irwin: trumpet
- Kieran Conrau: trombone
Discography:
- The Cat Empire (2003)
- Two Shoes (2005)
- Cities: The Cat Empire Project (2006)
- So Many Nights (2007)
- Live on Earth (2009, live album)
- Cinema (2010)
The Cat Empire provides examples of the following tropes:
- The Four Chords of Pop: Shows up in several tunes, such as "Know Your Name" and "No Mountain." The minor key version features in "The Lost Song and "Falling."
- Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: "Voodoo Cowboy," a song about a, well, Voodoo Cowboy, the lovechild of a snake and a scarecrow. Also, the band itself; latin/ska/funk/jazz/indie/rock/reggae...
- Unplugged Version: This versionof "Feeling's Gone"
- Vocal Tag Team: Harry and Felix share singing duties fairly equally.