Cusco (band)
Encyclopedia
The following note applies to many of the individual album pages as well, though they are not individually tagged:
Cusco is a German
andean new age
band named after the Peruvian
city of Cusco
, which at one time was the capital city of the ancient Incan Empire. The band's music contains influences from music around the world, with a general emphasis on ancient South America
n flute sounds and melodies. Compared to the music of other new age artists, Cusco's music is quite melodic and usually energetic, and the band focuses on creating a fusion of modern and ethnic styles with classical music
influences and solid rock music
sensibilities. Most of the ethnic instruments are keyboard-generated, giving the sound a synthetic quality.
The band is led by founders Michael Holm
and Kristian Schultze
. Michael Holm, already a successful vocal artist, had long been fascinated with ancient cultures from around the world, and wanted to capture this fascination in the form of a musical tribute to the ancient worlds he wished to remember. He was already a friend of Kristian Schultze, formerly a member of the jazz band Passport, and the two discovered that they shared very similar musical and historical interests. In 1979, Cusco the band was formed and they released their first album in 1980, before terms such as "new age music" or "new instrumental music" were in use. They eventually signed with Higher Octave
Music, releasing their first album on that label in 1988. During their years on Higher Octave from 1988 to the present, Cusco has sold well over two million albums (the Apurimac series alone selling well over one million), despite their genre remaining relatively underground. Their albums consistently reach very high peaks on the instrumental/new age music sales charts. They have been nominated for a Grammy award three times.
Some of their music is used as pre-show background music in Epcot
prior to IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth
, and has been used as bumper music
for the popular American
syndicated radio program Coast to Coast AM
, as well as several television advertisements including a Bud Ice beer commercial. Additionally, Cusco composed and performed fully symphonic new age music for the German television special Sielmann 2000. They currently reside in Weilheim in Oberbayern
, Germany
.
As of 2010, there has been no discussion on Kristian Schultze's official MySpace page of any new Cusco music.
*
indicates a Higher Octave Music
release
Cusco is a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
andean new age
Andean New Age
Andean New Age is a product of Peruvian flute and Paraguayan harp music. The Peruvian roots stem from the Inca influence circa 1200–1532 CE. In Peru, two important flutes are used: The quena, a flute much like the common recorder; and the zampoña, a pan flute. The Paracas culture, located south...
band named after the Peruvian
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
city of Cusco
Cusco
Cusco , often spelled Cuzco , is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cuzco Province. In 2007, the city had a population of 358,935 which was triple the figure of 20 years ago...
, which at one time was the capital city of the ancient Incan Empire. The band's music contains influences from music around the world, with a general emphasis on ancient South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n flute sounds and melodies. Compared to the music of other new age artists, Cusco's music is quite melodic and usually energetic, and the band focuses on creating a fusion of modern and ethnic styles with classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
influences and solid rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
sensibilities. Most of the ethnic instruments are keyboard-generated, giving the sound a synthetic quality.
The band is led by founders Michael Holm
Michael Holm
Michael Holm is a German singer, musician, songwriter and producer.He is primarily known as a Schlager singer. Although his first appearance in the hit parade was in 1962 , he had his first big hit in 1969...
and Kristian Schultze
Kristian Schultze
Kristian Schultze was one half of the German New Age band Cusco. Schultze has partnered up with Michael Holm and the two have produced numerous new age albums...
. Michael Holm, already a successful vocal artist, had long been fascinated with ancient cultures from around the world, and wanted to capture this fascination in the form of a musical tribute to the ancient worlds he wished to remember. He was already a friend of Kristian Schultze, formerly a member of the jazz band Passport, and the two discovered that they shared very similar musical and historical interests. In 1979, Cusco the band was formed and they released their first album in 1980, before terms such as "new age music" or "new instrumental music" were in use. They eventually signed with Higher Octave
Higher Octave
Higher Octave is a sub-label imprint of Narada Productions, which is part of EMI's Blue Note Records label group, located in New York.Higher Octave was founded in 1986 as an independent record label specializing in a wide variety of uplifting music, including smooth jazz, New Age music, Latin music...
Music, releasing their first album on that label in 1988. During their years on Higher Octave from 1988 to the present, Cusco has sold well over two million albums (the Apurimac series alone selling well over one million), despite their genre remaining relatively underground. Their albums consistently reach very high peaks on the instrumental/new age music sales charts. They have been nominated for a Grammy award three times.
Some of their music is used as pre-show background music in Epcot
Epcot
Epcot is a theme park in the Walt Disney World Resort, located near Orlando, Florida. The park is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, namely international culture and technological innovation. The second park built at the resort, it opened on October 1, 1982 and was initially named...
prior to IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth is an award-winning night time show performed nightly at Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. The show utilizes fireworks, pyrotechnics, laser lights, fountains, and fire to create a visual production on the park's World Showcase Lagoon...
, and has been used as bumper music
Bumper music
Bumper music, or a bump, is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to refer to short clips of signature or theme music used to buffer transitions between programming elements. Bumper music is commonly employed when a syndicated program takes a break for local station identification or...
for the popular American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
syndicated radio program Coast to Coast AM
Coast to Coast AM
Coast to Coast AM is a North American late-night syndicated radio talk show that deals with a variety of topics, but most frequently ones that relate to either the paranormal or conspiracy theories. It was created by Art Bell and is distributed by Premiere Radio Networks. The program currently...
, as well as several television advertisements including a Bud Ice beer commercial. Additionally, Cusco composed and performed fully symphonic new age music for the German television special Sielmann 2000. They currently reside in Weilheim in Oberbayern
Weilheim in Oberbayern
Weilheim in Oberbayern is a town in Germany, the capital of the district Weilheim-Schongau in the south of Bavaria.Weilheim has an old city-wall, historic houses and a museum.-Sport:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
As of 2010, there has been no discussion on Kristian Schultze's official MySpace page of any new Cusco music.
Discography
Refer to the following pages for more detailed information on each Cusco album.*
Higher Octave
Higher Octave is a sub-label imprint of Narada Productions, which is part of EMI's Blue Note Records label group, located in New York.Higher Octave was founded in 1986 as an independent record label specializing in a wide variety of uplifting music, including smooth jazz, New Age music, Latin music...
indicates a Higher Octave Music
Higher Octave
Higher Octave is a sub-label imprint of Narada Productions, which is part of EMI's Blue Note Records label group, located in New York.Higher Octave was founded in 1986 as an independent record label specializing in a wide variety of uplifting music, including smooth jazz, New Age music, Latin music...
release
Studio albums
- Desert Island (1980)
- Cusco II (1981)
- Cool Islands (1982)
- Planet VoyagePlanet VoyagePlanet Voyage is an album by the German andean new age band Cusco. It was released originally in 1982, and is currently available under the Prudence label....
(1982) - Virgin IslandsVirgin Islands (album)Virgin Islands is an album by the German andean new age band Cusco. It was released originally in 1983, and is currently available from the Prudence label under the title "Virgin Island"....
(1983) - Island Cruise (1984)
- ApurimacApurimac (album)Apurimac is an album by the German andean new age band Cusco. Though their sound has certainly matured over the years, this was the breakout album by the band, garnering their first major international success with its release on the Higher Octave music label.The album was originally written in...
(1985; worldwide 1988) * - Concierto de Aranjuez (1986)
- Tales from a Distant Land (1987)
- Mystic IslandMystic IslandMystic Island is an album by the German andean new age band Cusco. It was released in 1989, and was the band's second worldwide album release through Higher Octave Music....
(1989) * - Ring der DelphineRing der DelphineRing der Delphine is an album by the German andean new age band Cusco. It was released originally in 1989, and is currently available under the Prudence label.Three of the tracks were later reworked for the 1990 release Water Stories on Higher Octave Music...
(1989) - Water Stories (1990) *
- Sielmann 2000 Soundtrack (1991)
- Cusco 2000 (1992) *
- Cusco 2002 (1993) *
- Australia (1993)
- Apurimac II: Return to Ancient AmericaApurimac IIApurímac II: Return to Ancient America is an album by German andean new age band Cusco, released in 1994 on the Higher Octave music label...
(1994) * - A Choral ChristmasA Choral ChristmasA Choral Christmas is an album by German cross-cultural new age band Cusco. It was released in 1995.The album was produced in collaboration with the Munich Opera Choir. The tracks feature a fusion of slow vocal melodies with music of late Middle Ages and Renaissance, and instrumentally reflect on...
(1995) * - Ring of the DolphinRing of the DolphinRing Of The Dolphin is an album by German cross-cultural new age band Cusco. It was released originally in 1989 as Ring der Delphine under the Prudence label, but was completely re-recorded in 1996 and released on Higher Octave as this album....
(1996) * - Apurimac III: Nature - Spirit - PrideApurimac IIIApurimac III: Nature - Spirit - Pride is an album by the German cross-cultural new age band Cusco, released in 1997. The album peaked at #7 on the Billboard Top New Age Albums chart....
(1997) * - Ancient Journeys: A Vision of the New WorldAncient JourneysAncient Journeys: A Vision of the New World is an album by German cross-cultural new age band Cusco, released in 2000. Released three years after the previous album, this one peaked at #2 on the Billboard Top New Age Albums chart....
(2000) * - Inner Journeys: Myth + LegendsInner JourneysInner Journeys: Myth + Legends is an album by German cross-cultural new age band Cusco, released in 2003. The album peaked at #6 on the Billboard Top New Age albums chart....
(2003) *
Compilations
- The Magic Sound of Cusco (1988)
- The Best of Cusco (1997) *
- Best of Cusco: Dreams & Fantasies (1998)
- The Early Best of Cusco (1999)
- Essential Cusco: The Journey (2005) *
- The Best of Cusco (Ales) (2008)