Sultan Dharamshi

Biography

 

Sultan (AKA Chuck Bucket) was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1982, spent his youth primarily in Ontario, and is now based in St. John's,  Newfoundland and Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Raised in a musical family, he started his professional career at the age of 16 playing drums in his father’s band. He has toured and recorded extensively throughout Europe, Canada and the United States. A versatile multi-percussionist, Sultan has performed many different show formats, music genres, and varieties of drum/percussion instrumentation. With a solid background playing traditional American styles of Blues, Jazz, R&B, and Soul, he also has extensive experience playing world music, including Cuban, Middle Eastern, and African styles. In recent years Sultan has been developing expertise in experimenting with electronic/acoustic hybrid drumming, for recordings and live performances, using software such as Ableton Live and Avid Protools, along with drum trigger and midi technology. He is currently touring and recording for Sony Music recording artist, Ria Mae.  Sultan is also a Percussionist for the well-known Brookes Diamond Production, the DRUM! Show.

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Professional History: Teaching, Music Direction, Production and Recording

 

2018: Drummer for Ouroboros

2014 - Present: Music Director/Live Show Producer and Drummer - Ria Mae  (Sony Music)

2011 - Present: Percussionist, Percussion Writing and Arrangement – The Chronos Band

2008 - present: Percussionist – The DRUM! Show

2010-2016 - Drum/Percussion Instructor at Long and McQuade, Halifax, NS

2014 - Percussionist - Augusto Enriquez (Havana, Cuba)

2009 - 2013: Music Director and Producer - The Junkbeats

2009 - 2013: Drummer - Garrett Mason (Juno award winner)

2008 - present: Drummer - Keith Hallett

2008 - 2010: Drummer - Andrea Curry

2008 - 2010: Drummer - Big Dirty Orchestra

 

Performance Experience: Selected Artists

 

The DRUM! Show, Ria Mae, The Chronos Band, Garrett Mason, Keith Hallett, Classified, Steve Marriner (Monkey Junk), Augusto Enriquez, Jorge Chicoy (named "The Jewel of Cuba" by Fidel Castro), Avi Garcia, Dutch Robinson (The Ohio Players), Dolly Parton, Blue Rodeo, Keith Mullins, Maxim Cormier, Tomi Allen, Doris Mason, Brian Bourne, Mo Kenney, Silvio Pupo, Jim Henman (April Wine), Mike Trask, Buck Tingley, Big Dirty Orchestra, Andrea Curry, Dylan Guthro, Carleton Stone, Cyndi Cain, Port Cities, Andrew Hunter, Zuul’s Evil Disco, Dr. Fly and the Foundation, Chris Chown, Bill Durst (Thundermug), Robbie Antone, Chris Murphy, Trole

 

 

Audio Releases: 

 

Ria Mae - Stripped Down, 2016 - Sony - Drums and Percussion

Keith Hallett - Hell West and Crooked, 2015 - Indie - Engineering, Production, Drums

Cyndi Cain - Soul Food, 2013 - Honeybee - Writing and Arrangement 

The Chronos Band - Boots the Cat, 2013 - Indie – Writing, Arrangement, Percussion

Mike Trask and The Precious Memories - One Big Happy Family, 2013 - Indie - Drums

Mike Trask - Jamboree 2, 2012 - Indie - Drums

Jim Henman - Same Old Felling, 2012 - Indie - Drums

CodaComp Volume 1, with Big Dirty Orchestra and Andrea Curry, 2011 - Indie - Drums 

Keith Hallett - I Just Lost My Mind, 2009 - Indie - Drums

Andrea Curry - Four Letter Words, 2009 - Indie - Drums and Percussion

Leah Morise - Take Me Anywhere, 2006 - Indie – Drums

Dan Steven - Voices From God, 2003 - Drums, Percussion and Bass Guitar

 

Video Releases:

 

Ria Mae, CBC Music Festival, 2016 - Drums

Ria Mae, The Q on CBC, 2016 - Drums

Garrett Mason and Keith Hallett, CBC, 2013 - Drums

Keith Hallett, CBC, 2010 - Drums

DRUM! DVD, 2008 – Percussion

Rez Bluez, with The Robbie Antone Band, APTN, 2005 - Drums

 

 

Awards:

 

East Coast Music Award Nomination - Best Jazz Recording, 2014 – The Chronos Band

Galaxy Rising Star Award – Halifax Jazz Festival, 2012 – The Chronos Band

Juno Award Nomination - Best DVD, 2010 – The DRUM! Show

London Music Award - Best Hip Hop/R&B, 2004 - Dr. Fly and the Foundation

Jack Richardson Music Awards – Hall of Fame Inductee, 2003 - Zuul’s Evil Disco

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