Credit: Chris McKhool
The members of the classical crossover act Sultans of String possess some impressive resumes. Bassist Drew Birston has played with acts such as Chantal Kreviazuk and Melanie Doane, guitarist Kevin Laliberté spent five years travelling around the globe performing with Jesse Cook, percussionist Rosendo “Chendy” Leon can play a number of world music instruments and violinist Chris McKhool spent a few years performing with the Gypsy-jazz band Club Django.

The band will roll into town later this month on its 10th Anniversary Celebration Tour that supports last year’s aptly titled album 10. The disc centers on the theme of “embracing differences while finding common ground across culture, land and time.”

“Over the decades, I’ve worked with numerous top ten and No. 1 Billboard artists,” says manager and Dave Wilkes (Bela Fleck, Emmylou Harris) in a press release announcing the show. “ In all that time, I have not worked with composers more talented than McKhool and Laliberté from Sultans of String. Not only are they a superb writing team, but they are also amazing arrangers and performers.”

The concert takes place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30, at Nighttown. It also serves as a fundraiser for the Outreach Foundation.

This article appears in May 16-22, 2018.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.