On Jan. 30, the Juno-nominated Sultans of String release their high-octane world beat-jazz-symphonic mashup, Symphony, presented by the Creston Concert Society.
Known for dizzying roots music jams, polyrhythms and revved up riffs, the Sultans of String sound can’t be pinned down — it’s Sable Island meets the Silk Road, with detours through the Gypsy-jazz coffeehouses of Eastern Europe, next an East Coast kitchen party, over to the majestic Arctic, then to the bustling markets of Lebanon!
Fiery violin dances with kinetic guitar, while a funky bass lays down unstoppable grooves. Throughout, acoustic strings meet electronic wizardry to create layers and depth of sound. Kicking things off as a dynamic duo playing tiny cafes in 2007, this fiercely talented and hardworking indie act has been on a meteoric rise, with an astonishing number of awards and accolades in tow.
Invitations to play world stages and with such legendary artists as the Chieftains and David Bromberg are recent highlights. The Chieftains’ very own Paddy Moloney also appears on Symphony, which is distributed across North America by Red River Entertainment through the Sony Network.
“I have worked with numerous top 10 chart songs and No. 1 pop Billboard and country music hits”, said acclaimed promoter and former A&R man David Wilkes (Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez). “In all that time, I have not worked with composers more talented than Chris McKhool and Kevin Laliberté from Sultans of String. Not only are they a superb writing team, they are also amazing arrangers and musicians. Symphony is a gigantic leap forward.”
The band is led by Juno-nominated six-string violinist Chris McKhool (Jesse Cook, Pavlo) who grew up in a Lebanese-Egyptian (Makhoul) house bursting with music and diversity. Growing up, McKhool was fed a steady diet of delicious musicality alongside Middle Eastern cuisine and violin lessons. When McKhool first heard founding guitarist Kevin Laliberté’s rumba rhythm, their musical synergy created Sultans of String’s signature sound — the intimate and playful relationship between violin and guitar.
From this rich foundation, the dynamic duo has grown, featuring such amazing musical friends as second guitarist Eddie Paton (Robert Michaels), bass master Drew Birston (Chantal Kreviazuk, Amanda Martinez), and Cuban percussionist Chendy Leon (Parachute Club, Alex Cuba), as well as special guests such as folk-pop darlings Dala, the Chieftains’ Paddy Moloney, ukulele giant James Hill and others.
Classically-schooled McKhool thought, “Why stop there?” With Symphony, Sultans of String have brought the glorious and majestic sound of a full orchestra to their feisty world-jazz compositions, to create the ultimate crossover album.
“The fusion is of a sort that could come from few places other than highly multicultural Canada,” said AllMusic.com. “The Symphony album includes, as the name suggests, a full orchestra, apparently assembled for the occasion rather than borrowed from an existing ensemble (which tells you something in itself about how this group has caught on in its Canadian homeland). Still, the vaguely Arabic six-string violin of leader Chris McKhool remains central to the sound, adapting itself effortlessly to Gypsy music, flamenco, and various kind of Canadiana jazzed up with ethnic percussion.”
The Sultans of String play at the Prince Charles Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30. Tickets are $22 in advance at Black Bear Books, and $25 at the door. For more information, visit www.sultansofstring.com.
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