Ryan Monro
Encyclopedia
Ryan Monro is an Australian bassist
, known for playing with Australian ska/jazz band The Cat Empire
. He has been bassist for The Cat Empire since its inception and also plays in jazz trio "The Genie", which includes fellow Cat Empire members, Ollie McGill
on keyboards and Will Hull Brown on drums.
Monro originally started playing guitar
in grade 9 at Frankston High School
but soon moved to electric bass
. He later picked up double bass
and after graduating from high school, attended the Victorian College of Arts.
In late 1999, Monro met and began playing in a trio with Ollie McGill on keyboards and Felix Reibl on percussion and vocals. Calling themselves "The Cat Empire", they started playing a wide variety of gigs in clubs like Dizzy's and Bennett's Lane in Melbourne
. The band soon expanded in 2001 adding Harry James Angus
on trumpet
, Will Hull-Brown on drums and Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwala as a DJ.
Monro is also a compulsive blogger: he has written the band's online tour diary since mid-2004 and has also blogs every cup of coffee he drinks at Ryan on Coffee.
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
, known for playing with Australian ska/jazz band The Cat Empire
The Cat Empire
The Cat Empire are an Australian ska and jazz band formed in 1999. Core members are Harry James Angus , Will Hull-Brown , Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwhala , Ollie McGill , Ryan Monro and Felix Riebl...
. He has been bassist for The Cat Empire since its inception and also plays in jazz trio "The Genie", which includes fellow Cat Empire members, Ollie McGill
Ollie McGill
Oliver "Ollie" McGill is an Australian keyboardist best known for his role as the keyboard player and backing vocalist for The Cat Empire...
on keyboards and Will Hull Brown on drums.
Monro originally started playing guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
in grade 9 at Frankston High School
Frankston High School
Frankston High School, in Victoria, Australia, is a secondary college offering education for students in Years 7 to 12.-School profile:Frankston High School is a large multi-campus co-educational school situated in South Frankston. The Year 7 to 10 and Senior School Campuses occupy nearby sites...
but soon moved to electric bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. He later picked up double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
and after graduating from high school, attended the Victorian College of Arts.
In late 1999, Monro met and began playing in a trio with Ollie McGill on keyboards and Felix Reibl on percussion and vocals. Calling themselves "The Cat Empire", they started playing a wide variety of gigs in clubs like Dizzy's and Bennett's Lane in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. The band soon expanded in 2001 adding Harry James Angus
Harry James Angus
Harry James Angus is an Australian singer-songwriter, trumpet player and guitarist. He is one of the lead vocalists in the Melbourne band The Cat Empire along with Felix Riebl. He joined the group in early 2000...
on trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, Will Hull-Brown on drums and Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwala as a DJ.
Monro is also a compulsive blogger: he has written the band's online tour diary since mid-2004 and has also blogs every cup of coffee he drinks at Ryan on Coffee.