Sultans Of String – New York CD Release Le Poisson Rouge

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On June 4, 2014, JUNO (Canada's Grammy) Nominees/2x CFMA winners, Sultans of String, bring their high octane folk-jazz-worldbeat mash-up to NYC music hotspot, Le Poisson Rouge! For this special performance, these string wizards meet the electricity of special guest, sitar master Anwar Khurshid. Anwar's music has been featured in Oscar-winning film Life of Pi as well as The Love Guru. He's performed across Europe, North America and Asia – and with musicians from a bevy of stylings, including Jazz, African, Middle Eastern, Blues, Japanese and Chinese music. This innovative collaboration with Sultans of String serves up a spicy musical passport that defies categorization.

Since forming (lucky) 7 years ago, Sultans of String have been on a meteoric rise with an astonishing number of awards and accolades in tow, including 1st place in the ISC (out of 15, 000 entries), Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal, SiriusXM Indies Award, plus invitations to play with such legendary artists as The Chieftains and David Bromberg. The Chieftains' very own Paddy Moloney guests on Symphony.

Sultans of String are represented in the US by acclaimed promoter and former A&R man, David Wilkes (Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez, Bela Fleck). "I have worked with numerous top ten chart songs and #1 Pop Billboard and Country music hits", Wilkes says. "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 & musicians. Symphony! is a gigantic leap forward."

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

• 2014 2014 SiriusXM Indie Awards- World Group of the Year Winner
• 2014 IMA Independent Music Award Finalist – Instrumental Song —winners tba
• 2014 IMA Independent Music Award Finalist Chris McKhool - Music Producer - "Symphony!" – winners tba
• 2013 Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal – Chris McKhool
• 2013 Festivals & Events- Performer of The Year
• 2013 SiriusXM Indie Awards – World Group of the Year
• 2013 Folk Music Ontario-Songs of the Heart Award Winner - Instrumental
• 2013 ISC International Songwriting Competition Finalist (out of 19, 000 entries)– Instrumental –winners tba
• 2012 ISC International Songwriting Competition Finalist – Instrumental
• 2012 Canadian Folk Music Awards winners– World Music Group of the Year
• 2012 Canadian Folk Music Awards nominees – Instrumental Group of the Year
• 2012 Canadian Folk Music Awards nominees – Pushing The Boundaries
• 2012 Festivals & Events-Entertainer of The Year
• 2011 Ontario Contact - Artist of the Year
• 2011 International Acoustic Music Awards Finalist – Instrumental
• 2011 Independent Music Award Finalist – Instrumental Album
• 2011 Independent Music Award Finalist – World Beat Album
• 2011 ISC International Songwriting Competition Finalist - Instrumental
• 2011 ISC International Songwriting Competition Finalist - World Music
• 2010 JUNO Nominees - "Instrumental Album of the Year"
• 2010 International Songwriting Contest 1st Place Winners - Instrumental
• 2010 Indie Awards Nominees - Favorite World Artist/Group
• 2009 Canadian Folk Music Award winner - Instrumental Group of the Year
• 2009 International Songwriting Competition winner – Instrumental

"Sultans of String are one of Canada's hottest new musical exports, dynamically embodying their homeland's values of tolerance and respect for diverse cultures. … they weave a gorgeously-hued tapestry of Folk, Spanish, Arabic, Latin, French and gypsy strands."
International Celtic Connections Festival, UK

"A new fusion of roots and classical…the results are mind blowing. Even though the instrumentation is different, you get the feeling this is Strunz & Farah or Willie & Lobo or Gypsy Kings taken to the next level of the game, sometimes all at once… any fan of world beat or contemporary instrumental music is sure to absolutely flip for this gem. Hot stuff throughout and a sure bet to notch a Juno and any other award winning hardware to come its way."
Midwest Record, Chicago IL

"If there's a string, chances are these guys can tear it up!"
Vue Weekly

"What this band does is not only good fun, it's stocked wall-to-wall with irresistible international musics – gypsy jazz classics, flamenco music, Inuit melody, ukulele raveups, visiting musicians from the Chieftains…Lebanese music, you name it. If it's got strings and fingerboards, count them in. What they never forget to provide, though, is enough melodic charm to beguile almost anyone. The large orchestra certainly does give them gravitas but, on their own, they've got as much charm as they need."
Buffalo News

"Impressive... the fusion is of a sort that could come from few places other than highly multicultural Canada. The Symphony! album includes, as the name suggests, a full orchestra…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."
AllMusic.com

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