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 With his own engaging style and grace, Kurt Rasmussen is in great demand with musicians and other artists of many different genres. His numerous CD projects include "Amigos," a compilation of duets by Ricky Martin, Julio Iglesias, Juan Gabriel, Jose Jose, Celine Dion, Tom Jones, Patty Labelle, and Barry Gibb, featured as a soloist on Steve Allen's "Fast Cars and Fascinating Women," and has added percussion punch and texture to Debbie Yeager's "Mood Swings" and to vocalist Barbara Morrison's runaway hit album "I'm Gettin' 'Long Alright."
Kurt has been the percussionist for Paul Anka and has toured with him worldwide for almost ten years. He feels honored to have had the opportunity to perform several times with Quincy Jones - including playing in Quincy's big band at the star-studded Frank Sinatra Memorial Benefit Concert. Kurt has also showcased his talents on the much-acclaimed debut CD by The Young Dubliners.
Kurt is devoted to teaching and has found time for clinics, including the Summer Arts Program at the University of California at Long Beach. He enjoys writing and has written several articles for the LP website, among them Tuning
in on Bongos, Candombe
- The Drumming of Uruguay, Kids
and Clave, Your
Hands: The Complete Owner's Manual and How
to Play Caixa.
But now, suddenly, after a lifetime of touring and performing with Sergio Mendes, Poncho Sanchez, David Foster, Tania Maria, and others - Kurt has run away to join the circus. The circus! Cirque du Soleil, that is. Kurt joined in 1999 and moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. He is now the percussionist for "O" by Cirque du Soleil at Bellagio. The original score, composed for "O" by Benoit Jutras, lets Kurt use the entire range of his experience with Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian, Middle Eastern, and "legit" percussion techniques. The percussion setup for "O" is tremendous: three LP congas, LP bongos, three LP batas, LP timbales, and many, many other drums, hand percussion, and effects.
Although busy with Cirque du Soleil, Kurt finds time to keep up his Los Angeles recording career. He continues to add to his long list of recording credits, which includes a myriad of projects for film and television, like the award-winning IMAX film "Everest" with ex-Beattle George Harrison. Among his newest projects are recording for Disneyland's new theme park "California Adventure" and for Universal Studio Tours in Southern California.
Kurt's recently released CD projects include the debut album, "Baila," also featuring Jonathan Moffet on drums; the new CD from salsa pianist Fred Ramirez; and the long-anticipated CD by piano whiz Quinn Johnson. This last project was particularly fun for Kurt as it gave him the opportunity to record with long-time friend and fellow LP-endorser Ron Powell.
And, Kurt is still traveling to Brazil to perform with his Escola de Samba VAI-VAI. He is the only North American to have been accepted into the Escola, and he has become a three-time champion there, winning in 1998, 1999, and 2000. At Carnaval 2000 he received the ultimate honor: he was named "linha de frente" ("front line") of the bateria (drum section).
Equipment
list: LP
Galaxy Giovanni Series Congas, LP
Galaxy Giovanni Bongos, LP
Djembe, LP
Mini Timbales, LP
Patato Model Congas, LP
Bongos, and assorted LP
cowbells, chimes,
blocks,
rattles
- and let's not forget the indispensable
LP percussion table
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