Cirque Du Soleil Biography
Cirque du Soleil revolutionized the circus arts, transcending the traditional big-top approach of the past to spotlight elaborate sets, lavish costumes and original music. Founded in Quebec in 1984 by Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier, the original group comprised local street performers; shunning animal acts to focus exclusively on human spectacles -- stilt-walkers, jugglers, fire-eaters and the like -- the troupe quickly earned a following throughout Canada, eventually spreading across North America. Where the original group of travelling performers numbered only a scant few, by the late '90s the Cirque du Soleil organization counted over 1,500 employees internationally; in 1993 their production Mystère became a permanent attraction at the Treasure Island Hotel in Las Vegas, with other productions circling the globe during the years to follow including Alegría, Quidam, Saltimbanco, Dralion and La Nouba. All produced accompanying soundtrack recordings as well. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Softlightes Biography: Springing fully formed from the smoldering indie pop remains of the Incredible Moses Leroy, the Softlightes came together in the fall of 2004. Moses mastermind Ron Fountenberry headed up the group...
Hermano Biography: More a one-off project than a real band, Hermano remains most noteworthy for featuring vocalist John Garcia of Kyuss fame. Garcia, who was also recording with Unida around the same time as Hermano at...
Ultraviolence Biography: The Earache label, renowned for its roster of harsh grindcore acts -- Godflesh, Carcass, Fudge Tunnel -- moved into the sympathetic world of hardcore gabber techno with the signing of Ultraviolence,...
Dragonlord Biography: Guitarist Eric Peterson was a founding member of '80s thrashers Testament, and remained with the group as it continued recording through the '90s. However, he also became curious about the extreme...
Neotropic Biography: One of the most prominent of a growing population of women composers working in post-techno experimental electronics, Riz Maslen's work as Neotropic and Small Fish with Spine combines...
Hasidic new wave Biography: Hasidic New Wave is a five-person group that blends the sounds of modern jazz and funk with the older traditions of Hasidic spiritual songs, resulting in both energetic improvisations and original...
Weather girls Biography: The Weather Girls, Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes, started out in the gospel group NOW (News of the World) before becoming backup singers with Sylvester in the '70s. They formed the duo Two Tons of...
Dj esp Biography: Mixer, producer, and event-promoter DJ ESP (aka Woody McBride) did much to bring the sound of acid-house and rave to the upper Midwest in the late '80s and early '90s. Born in North Dakota, he moved...