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Rocking to world beats

Coldsnap welcomes exotic royalty to this year's festival. The Sultans of String have been announced as one of the acts local fans will be bowing to when the annual winter concert series opens next month. They will headline a show on Jan.

Coldsnap welcomes exotic royalty to this year's festival. The Sultans of String have been announced as one of the acts local fans will be bowing to when the annual winter concert series opens next month. They will headline a show on Jan. 22 at Art Space.

Already announced as special guests: String Bone, Nicole Aube. Others may be on the bill as well.

Since their formation four years ago, Sultans of String have been riding a wave of success, from their debut CD "Luna" and second offering "Yalla Yalla" both hitting No. 1 on world/international music charts in Canada, to their triple 2009 Canadian Folk Music Award nomination, winning Instrumental Group of the Year. They are also 2010 Juno nominees for Instrumental Album of the Year.

Describing their sound requires words like "flamenco" and "gypsy jazz" and "middle-eastern folk" all stewed together. They will basically play anything that has the beat of the world in it.

They have been called "Canada's ambassadors of musical diversity" and the band is comprised of a bit of a supergroup lineup. Members include six-string violinist Chris McKhool (Jesse Cook and Pavlo), guitarist Kevin Lalibert (The Chieftains), bass master Drew Birston (Chantal Kreviazuk), and Cuban percussionist Chendy Leon whose work has been called "jaw dropping" by critics.

Their appearance in Prince George is made possible in part by the ArtsCan Circle, an association that dispatches engaging live music and creative talents across Canada, especially to indigenous audiences.

For more information on the Coldsnap events coming up in the early new year, visit www.coldsnapfestival.com online.