Sultans Of String

http://mckhool.wordpress.com/

2010 Juno award-nominees and “Canada’s ambassadors of musical diversity”, Sultans of String, thrill their audiences with a tapestry of Spanish Flamenco, Arabic folk, Cuban rhythms and French Manouche Gypsy-jazz.  Their style combines acoustic strings with electronic wizardry to create layers and depth of sound.  The band is currently riding a wave of success from their sold out Yalla Yalla! Canadian CD release tour.  The group was nominated three times at the 2009 Canadian Folk Music Awards and was crowned ‘Instrumental Group of the Year’.  Their debut CD Luna soared to #1 across Canada on Top Ten national radio charts.  Sultans of String is led by 2009 Juno award-nominee, six-string violinist, and bandleader Chris McKhool.  McKhool grew up in a house bursting with music and diversity.  His passion for exploring the rhythms and melodies has led him to the far corners of the world, collecting instruments and styles everywhere he travelled.  His performances and musical workshops in the Canadian Arctic, Indonesia, Guatemala and the Indian Himalayas have added to his depth of musical and spiritual understanding of our global community.  When McKhool first heard founding guitarist Kevin Laliberté’s rumba rhythm, their musical mind-meld led to the creation of the Sultans of String.  The group includes guitarists Kevin Laliberté and Eddie Paton, bass masters Drew Birston and David Woodhead, Cuban master percussionists Chendy Leon and Alberto Suarez and master oud player Bassam Bishara.