BY DAVID DeROCCO

 To truly reflect the spirit of the season, your Christmas gift is supposed to come with no strings attached.  This holiday season, however, the gift being offered by Ridgeway’s favourite concert venue comes with nothing but strings -- and plenty of bows.

 December 10^th, you’re invited to celebrate the season at The Sanctuary with two-time Juno Award winners Sultans of String, Canada’s pre-eminent purveyors of world music delivered via stringed instruments with virtuosic intensity.  What’s truly special about this appearance is the Sultans will be performing their Christmas Caravan concert, a unique seasonal offering of world-music inspired classics, original compositions and holiday favourites designed to put the “holly jolly” into your Christmas.

 The tour provides an advance opportunity to hear the group’s currently-being-recorded holiday-themed CD, which features the Sultans’ unique take on songs like “Jesu,” “Joy of Man’s Desiring,” “The Huron Carol (with translated Indigenous lyrics), “Little Drummer Boy,” a ska-inspired “Feliz Navidad” and a Flamenca-fuelled “Jingle Bells.”  And while there are polarized views on the ability of Christmas music to lift the spirits during this joyful/stressful time of year, there is always room for a fresh take on the classics according to founding Sultan Chris McKhool.

 “It’s a good point and one that’s not lost on me,” laughed McKhool when asked about the love/hate relationship people have with Christmas music. “There’s a lot of Christmas music that’s already recorded. There’s one part of me that’s ‘oh really, do we need yet another recording of this or that song?’ But what we tried to do with this album and the live show is bring the energy of the world music we love to play to those Christmas songs in a way that reflects the multicultural diversity of Canada, and also to put our own original stamp on those kinds of songs.”

 While this is Sultans of String’s first foray into the festive CD market, McKhool agrees that the success of holiday-themed productions like Trans Siberian Orchestra proves there’s a market for innovative approaches to redefining the sound of modern Christmas music.

 “What they’ve done, bringing their kind of rock energy to it, is what we’re trying to do, capturing the world music energy with our band and our songs in the same way,” he said. “I think anytime you approach songs that are so well known you have to do something different, otherwise what’s the point. We do a couple mash-ups which is fun for us, and we’re working with a number of special guests.”

 Although logistics prevent them all from joining the tour, guest musicians on Sultans of String’s upcoming Christmas Caravan CD include The Chieftains’ Paddy Moloney, singer Alex Cuba, all-femal, African-American a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey In The Rock, The Good Lovelies, multi-instrumentalist Waleed Abdulhamid, blues singer Crystal Shawanda,  a Turkish orchestra and more. The meshing of such divergent

influences means the CD will feature the Sultan’s usual kaleidoscope of sounds, from fiery violin bursts and aggressive strings to funky bass, groove-laden percussion and evocative arrangements. McKhool says that opens up opportunity for the Sultans to deliver a show that swings from manic to melodic and all points in between.   

 “I think one of the things people enjoy in a Christmas concert is, they enjoy the high energy but they also like the intimate moments. So there are a few sweet quieter reflective moments in the show. We’re going to take people on a whirlwind tour of styles and hopefully get them singing.”

 Regardless of your feelings about Christmas carols, world music or stringed instruments, McKhool is confident that anyone looking for a night of inspired musical performance would do well to be in the audience at The Sanctuary December 10^th. Given the success they’ve had turning country-music-loving Albertans into fans during their recent tour through the west, Sultans of String are one group of wise men whose December appearance in Ridgeway could result in you becoming a faithful convert to world music.    

 “I had a farmer come up to me after a concert who said ‘I have no idea what kind of music that was, but I really liked it.’ And that to me is the best kind of compliment, because you’re not playing to your typical world-music hipster crowd that knows who you are and why you’re doing what you’re doing. This is an audience that has a lot less exposure to world music, but if you can get those people on board you’re really doing well. What I want people to take away from this is not that they’ve seen the world music Christmas show. I want them to feel energized and feeling like they’ve gotten something different and experience an original take on Christmas songs. I hope they walk away loving our versions.”

 For tickets and show info visit. http://www.thesanctuaryarts.org/

For info on Sultans of String visit: http://sultansofstring.com/