Sultana
Sultana is the duo of musicians and songwriters Jon and Li Waterman. They perform together on the Live Music Making History Live programs “A Journey through the Roots of Popular Music”, “History and Legends through Song” and “Music and Veterans”, and on other shows as well. Li is a classically trained guitarist and singer who has played in the band Alien Tesh.
Sultana on vinyl
Sultana’s new self-titled album is now available! 12 original songs with lyric sheet and download code.
“Northbound Train” from the album ‘Sultana’
The new 12 song lp, Sultana, by the acoustic duo of the same name, is a loose concept album of songs woven from history and literature. The album opens with an homage to the first known author, Mesopotamian high priestess, Enheduanna, as the first voice of the individual. Next comes the legend of the 1389 Battle of Kosovo and how the resulting ripples of history lead to World War 1 and the 1990s war in Bosnia. The record proceeds along these themes: one of the last kings of the fading Akkadian Empire, the last French soldier to fall in WW1, the tragic last ride of a 19th century evangelical preacher. Here we have the words of James Joyce, and here we have the voice of the Arthurian character Elaine of Astalot, as told by Tennyson; There is a song about the Korean War and a statement on paranoia encased in a song about the 1930 “War of the Worlds” broadcast. A song about the 10,000 year old site Gobekli Teppe imagines the beginning of civilization and cautions about the coming end. The album ends with a note of optimism with a song about the Great Migration.
Minimally produced with sparse arrangements, the emphasis here is less on the vocals than the gestalt of the song with the interplay of the acoustic guitars having equal prominence in the mix. The music is non-commercial and occupies a genre defying region influenced by traditional folk, prog rock, blues, pop punk, and metal. The album comes with a lyric sheet and a free download code. The artfully hand drawn cover depicts the Mesopotamian seal of Enheduanna as the sun with its rays shining on the characters and happenings of the songs.
Videos
Live Music Making History Live
Sultana performs programs that use music to inspire enthusiasm for and a desire to explore history. The shows consist of carefully researched original and traditional songs, stories and narratives and a slide show. Each program has a historical theme, and further themes are being developed. Currently the themes are:
- History and Legends through Song
- A Journey through the Roots of American Popular Music
- Popular Music and Veterans
“History & Legends through Song” explores a rotating selection of intriguing characters, events and legends from ancient Sumer to the present day: the first author, a character from Camelot, an epic medieval battle, the Old West, historic New England and more.
“A Journey through the Roots of American Popular Music” explores characters & events at the origins of the blues, rock & country music.
“Popular Music and Veterans” is an offshoot of the “Roots of American Popular Music” program with an exploration through songs of some of the experiences and sacrifices of veterans throughout American history- the Revolution, the Civil War, World Wars I and II, Korea and Vietnam- alongside some related popular music history.
Exploring history promotes an appreciation of diversity and culture by helping us understand each other and ourselves. Celebrating history brings individuals together as a community, giving them a sense of identity from shared stories and experiences. History as a source of entertainment promotes critical thinking and an awareness and understanding of contemporary issues.
