Skip to main content

Maverick Ad

Home

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Cover Stories
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Legacy Awards
  • Past Covers
  • Weekly Archive
3x JUNO Award Nominees & 3x CFMA Winners Sultans of String Release New Single, “Mi Santuario”

Breadcrumb

  • Home
  • 3x JUNO Award Nominees & 3x CFMA Winners Sultans of String Release New Single, “Mi Santuario”
Sultans of String
Fri Sep 24, 2021
Cashbox Canada

Toronto, ON-based NY Times and BILLBOARD-charting global music supergroup Sultans of String have released their brand-new single, “Mi Santuario”.

This song features the four core Sultans, as well as an incredibly talented and inspiring special guest Juan Carlos Medrano, who co-wrote the music with the band, and sings his original lyrics, as well as performing on gaita, the traditional flute.

Check out “Mi Santuario” on YouTube here:

Originally from Cartagena in the north coast of Colombia, Juan Carlos moved to Canada in 2006 as a refugee. “It was tough back home, lack of opportunity for people like me, people that look like me, Afro-Colombian” says Juan Carlos. “We were not comfortable with the system, the rules, and how they treat their people.”

He knew since he was 15 that he would leave Colombia, even though it’s the place he loved most on Earth. “I love the culture; I love the music; everything,” he shares. “But in my head was the idea that I need to leave this place because I want more…

“Internal peace, and being happy doing what I love — that was to go to school, to go to university... To just make it to university was a big deal.”

Juan Carlos likens existence in his home country like living in a concrete jungle, “where you have to survive, where you don't think about ... You don't plan.

“People like me, people that look like me, we don't plan,” he continues. “We just live day by day, and are looking for a future.” 

In “Mi Santuario,” Juan Carlos expresses in his lyrics how everyone doesn't have the luxury to utilize the legal immigration process as he did. “I'm screaming ‘run, run’ because the immigration is coming, and they are coming sometimes to kill you because no one sees anything on the border.”

Now Juan Carlos is an educator after having attended York University to become a teacher and says “it's time for me now to give back to this beautiful country.

“Back home, people don't talk about native people, aboriginal people, or how they struggle inside this beautiful country. So the way for me to pay back [is to] inspire these little kids. And my main goal is to bring music, to bring art together, and give these kids hope.”

“Mi Santuario (feat. Juan Carlos Medrano)” is released in standard stereo as well as Dolby Atmos, and also kicks off a new Friday lunchtime livestream series led by producer Chris McKhool and band members — with Juan Carlos as the first guest; Backstage with Sultans of String is a free series that features in-depth connections, behind the scenes footage, fan interactive conversations, up close and personal stories behind the songs with their stories of both struggles and success, and live music.

“Mi Santuario (feat. Juan Carlos Medrano)” is the first single off Sanctuary, the highly anticipated eighth album from Sultans of String, and the second instalment in their Refuge Project. The first, simply entitled Refuge, was heralded as "a fantastic, moving, dreamlike, epic, timely album” by Ken Micallef (Jazz Times, Stereophile, Downbeat), and won many awards including Producer of the Year at the 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards for bandleader and violinist Chris McKhool.

This ambitious, diverse, inclusive and passionately political album puts the band face-to-face with a VIP roster of global ‘ambassadors’, some of whom are recent immigrants and refugees to Canada, as well as important Indigenous voices. All are masters of world music that communicate with each other through the global language of sound.

Addressing the struggles of life on Mother Earth has always inspired Toronto-based quintet, Sultans of String. On Sanctuary, Sultans of String bring their unique brand of musical synergy and collaboration to bear on 11 songs that speak to the challenges facing the world’s displaced peoples–their stories, their songs, their persistence and their humanity.

Joined by an international cast, some of whom are recent immigrants to North America, the celebrated quartet immerses themselves in the plight of the international refugee on Refuge, and the humanitarian response that should greet everyone in search of a home.

“The larger Refuge Project is centred around the positive contributions of refugees and new immigrants to Canada,” bandleader Chris McKhool explains. “We are bringing in special guests that are newcomers to this land, as well as global talents that have been ambassadors for peace.  We wish to celebrate the successes of those who make the journey here and bring their extraordinary talents with them, in this case, music. Each one of us has a remarkable story to tell, and we are excited to share the beauty of these collaborations with you.”

Sanctuary features seven new tracks with stellar performances by Tara and Ahmed Moneka from Iraq, Amchok Gompo from Tibet, Donné Roberts from Madagascar with partner Yukiko Tsutsui from Japan, Algeria’s Fethi Nadjem, Juan Carlos Medrano, Syrian refugee Leen Hamo, Iran’s Padideh Ahrarnejad, Nyckelharpa player Saskia Tomkins.

It also includes three stunning new versions of songs off Refuge. These include an astonishingly gorgeous orchestral version of “The Power of the Land” featuring Indigenous performers Duke Redbird and Twin Flames, Turkish mega-pop star Suat Suna singing Hurricane, and flamenco dancer and singer Tamar Ilana singing a version of “Asi Soy” that will rip your heart out.

For more info:
sultansofstring.com/
instagram.com/sultansofstring/
facebook.com/sultansofstring
twitter.com/sultansofstring
open.spotify.com/track/3TF4RWvdTpnty94d5CCfqt?si=6c3848e8d5f3460f&nd=1

Reviews
Album
Sultans Of String
Month: Jul 2022
SymLa-3000 Rock-Metal Artist SymLa-3000 Sings About Lost Love in Melancholy New Single…
Award-Winning Rockers WILDSTREET “Say Goodbye” with Release of New Single Award-Winning Rockers WILDSTREET “Say Goodbye” with Release of New Single
Travis Dolter Country Artist Travis Dolter Glances Back Fondly While Looking Ahead in…
Alt-Country Duo Fresh Breath Release Bluesy, Harmonica-Studded New Single, “Find Your Way Home” Alt-Country Duo Fresh Breath Release Bluesy, Harmonica-Studded New Single, “…
Astrid Tanton Pop Songstress Astrid Tanton Takes Us On A Journey of Self Respect with New…
Before The Dinosaurs Canadian Indie Alt-Rockers Before The Dinosaurs Have the “Cure For A Heartache”
Francesca Panetta Francesca Panetta Walks the Fine, Blurred Line Between Excitement and Fear…
Harriet Chung Pop Artist Harriet Chung Explores the Longing Ache of Fairytale Lovers on…
Blue Moon Marquee Roots-Blues Duo Blue Moon Marquee Release new album “Scream, Holler &…
Russell Sprout Award-Winning Kindie-Rocker Russell Sprout Inspires with Supercharged New…
Masha and The Fam Los Angeles Alt.Rockers Masha and The Fam Are Putting You On “Notice” with…
Tortured Soul Dance / Soul-House Artists Tortured Soul Know One Thing For Sure: “Your…
Taming Sari Taming Sari Get Vulnerable in a Hyper-Exposed World with Supercharged “No Shelter”…
Laranah Phipps Ray and La Funkalicious Laranah Phipps Ray & La Funkalicious Release New Single, “Jazz Crimes”
Mark Wihlidal Singer/Songwriter Mark Wihlidal Releases Debut Single “Life Can Be A Mystery…

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • …
  • Page 72
  • Page 73
  • Page 74
  • Page 75
  • Current page 76
  • Page 77
  • Page 78
  • Page 79
  • Page 80
  • …
  • Next page Next ›
  • Last page Last »

CEO/PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF
SANDY GRAHAM

email:sandygrahamemg@gmail.com 

Canadian Journalists:

Contributing Journalist - Canada and Global
Don Graham
email: dongrahamwriter@gmail.com

Contributing Journalist - Canada and Global
Lisa Hartt
email: lisahartt87@hotmail.com

Contributing Journalist - Canada 
Michael Williams
email: greydread@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

International Journalists:

Contributing Journalist - Sweden
Malin Osth
email: malin@musicdays.se

Contributing Journalist - Sweden
Jonas Tancred
email: jonas@musicdays.se

Contributing Journalist - USA
Rob Durkee 
email: rockster2746@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Web Developer/Technical Support
Chris Wardman

email: info@chriswardman.com
website: chriswardman.com

Cashbox Cover Design and Graphic Artist
Jain McMillan

email: jainmcmillan@gmail.com

Contributing Photographer 
Tracey Savein - South Paw Productions
southpawproductions@rogers.com

 

 

 

Footer menu

  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Archive
  • Issue Archive
  • Past Covers