French folk-pop combo Alaska were formed in Bonn in 1988 by musicians of French and German descent; the group's original members included Hervé Parent, Jean-Marc Lobjeois, Roman Metzner, Jimmy Crochet, Jack Ada, and Danny Vriet. In 1994, their single "Bleu dans l'Âme" won a Radio France award, which in turn allowed Alaska to record their first album, Sally...et Autres Histoires, released in 1996. Since then, the group has alternated between concerts or festival appearances and long periods of hibernation. Their sophomore album, Seconde Nature, only saw the light in 2004, and by the time Vers le Soleil appeared in 2010, Alaska included only Lobjeois and Ada from the original lineup, plus new members Roger Machado, Philippe Blanchet, and Jérémie Jouniaux. The group's music, however, has remained a blend of different folk traditions, such as French, Cajun, Celtic, Latin, and country. ~ Mariano Prunes