Combining a number of styles -- from funk to jazz to ska -- Melbourne, Australia's Cat Empire formed in 1999 as a trio. Keyboardist Oliver McGill, double bassist Ryan Monro, and percussionist Felix Riebl were eventually joined by trumpet player Harry James Angus, drummer Will Hull-Brown, and DJ Jamshid Khadiwala. A single and a live EP preceded the band's first album, The Cat Empire, which was released in 2003. At that point, they had already played ~the Melbourne Festival, ~the Adelaide Festival of Arts, ~the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and ~WOMAD. Two Shoes, their second album, was recorded in Havana, Cuba, and released in 2005. Cities followed a year later. Throughout the years, the band's members have been involved in numerous outside recording and performing projects.

~ Andy Kellman, Rovi