Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
By Sarah Killoran
Algonquin Times staff
Jason Sultan-Khan sits at a table with his girlfriend, drinking a cup of coffee before his set opening for Sarah Slean.
This is the second time in two days that Sultan-Khan has opened solo for Slean and he is enjoying every minute. He said that he hoped to learn from Slean’s dramatic on-stage presence and he sees her as an inspiration to his work. He says that one similarity they share is that they both write and perform their own songs.
He got the gig through a lot of networking and connections with Kevin Duffy, events planner for the SA. Duffy had booked him previously when he worked for the Carleton University Students’ Association.
Sultan-Khan is singer and songwriter for a local band called TWEAK. The band’s website explained that they play a form of acoustic-rock alternative, but this term does not entirely define the band’s music or intent.
In the past he has played solo and with his band at such venues as Barrymore’s, Mavericks, Breeze, Café Dekcuf and Grace O’Malley’s.
This was Sultan-Khan’s first time performing at the Observatory and he said he is glad to be debunking the feeling that when it comes to booking music artists, school’s stick to their own talent pool.
“It’s bigger that just your school, it’s the community that your school exists is,” he said.
Sultan-Khan has been performing on stage since he was four years old, and playing guitar for the last eight years.
“I’m still a hack when it comes to guitar, though. I make stuff up, but I like writing,” he said.
On playing solo, Sultan-Khan explained he writes a lot of songs, but not all of them are suitable TWEAK songs, and playing solo allows him to test out new material.
“I put my own twist on some of the songs,” he said.
He says he thinks one of the factors that makes his music unique is the lyrics, but that sometimes he can write too obscurely.
“If I want to get my message across maybe I’ve gotta compromise that just a bit,” he said.
Despite the obscurity that Sultan-Khan perceives in his lyrics, he still has a strong fan base, although he prefers to refer to them as “people who enjoy my music.”
“I’ve seen Jason about 300 times. There are people who have seen him more than that. He has some really, really hardcore fans – I’m dead serious,” said Duffy as Sultan-Khan smiled self-consciously.
When Sultan-Khan took the stage, he performed an acoustic set with strong, wide-ranged vocals and songs with titles such as Purple and Whore.
To find out more about TWEAK or Jason Sultan-Khan, visit their website www.tweak.ca.
- Algonquin Times
Discography
Awards!
"Little Lady Luck"
*Track of the Day on 28Jul2005 in Acoustic
*#6 Rocking Track in Acoustic, all-time
*Rocking Track in Acoustic, week of 20Jun2005
"Syndication"
*Track of the Day on 4Jun2005 in Acoustic
*"Syndication" by Sultan-Khan made its garageband.com debut at #90 on the Acoustic Chart and continues to steadily climb achieving a FIVE-Star Reviewer rating that same week.
*Debut Sultan-Khan EP in the works
*Visit www.sultan-khan.com
*Jason Sultan-Khan is a member of TWEAK (www.tweak.ca), Debut album available online at www.mymusic.com
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Refreshing...
"I have been listening to these tracks and reviewing for hours and this is the first song that I have Loved. This could possibly be the first 5 star rating I'm giving. Another first. I'm listening to the entire song. Man, so catchy. I wish all the songs on this site could be like this. man, i'm even singing along to the chorus now. You are unbelievable."
Review of "Little Lady Luck" by: imonfireburn from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
**
Silence shows brilliant confidence...
"The intro hits you in the face, spewing confidence with style and power. What really makes this song, though, is the creative use of silence throughout, a technique far too few artists have the bottle to use. After the punchy start, the artist shows incredibly sensitive guitar playing and vocal strength, with clever harmonies and great variation. This track is absolutely brilliant, and I'd give it six stars if I could."
Review pf "Little Lady Luck" by: silverline from Liverpool, United Kingdom
***
Born into a very multicultural society of Trinidad, West Indies, Jason Sultan-Khan was immediately exposed to eccentricities in musical styles that led to a passion for music of all genres and further ignited his drive to create flavors for the moods that are altered by the seasons. Co-founding member of the Ottawa Alternative-Rock band TWEAK (www.tweak.ca, the other being Francois Beecher of Chaotic Sound, www.chaoticsound.com), Sultan-Khan wishes to share material that, though perhaps not best suited for TWEAK repertoire, is none the less written and written to be heard. Having had the pleasure to work with such artists as Default, Swollen Members, Smoother, Not By Choice, Kathleen Edwards, Staggered Crossing, Stabilo, Doctor, Grindig, Morning Maker, Hennessey, Stuck on Saturn, Stone Melodies, Nine Mile, The Populars, Bif Naked, Sultan-Khan has learned and continues to learn that learning about this industry never ends, but it is refreshing to know that having met so many talented people thus far, one will get out of this journey whatever one is willing to put into it. Sultan-Khan, as more of a singer/songwriter, has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Danny Michel, Jian Ghomeshi, Chris and Kate, The Rockin Highliners, Jeremy Fisher, Craig Cardiff, Martina Sorbara, and most recently, as support on two consecutive nights for Sarah Slean. Educated by experience, but experienced enough to realize that its always the beginning of a new lesson, Sultan-Khan has an ambitious ugly agenda that involves debt, dues, and a lot of tired shoes. The secret of life lies in the essence of passion. Set me on fire once again. (from Empathy, by Jason Sultan-Khan)
Visit www.sultan-khan.com
Links
