AprilCadence2013

RATCHET
ORCHESTRA
HEMLOCK
DRIP AUDIO 00820
WINNOW / DUSTY / YIELD
/ WISH – PART 1 / WISH
– PART 2 / KICK / SAFETY
/ HEMLOCK – PART 1 /
HEMLOCK – PART 2. TOTAL
TIME: 52:55.
Nicolas Caloia – b; Jean
Derome - flt, b flt, picc; Craig
Dionne - flt; Lori Freedman
- clt; Gordon Krieger - b
clt; Christopher Cauley - ss;
Louisa Sage - as; Damian
Nisenson - ts; Jason Sharp
- bs; Gordon Allen - tpt;
Phillippe Battikha - tpt; Tom
Walsh - tbn; Scott Thomson
- tbn; Jacques Gravel - tbn;
Thea Pratt - E flat horn;
Eric Lewis - euph; Noah
Countability - sousaphone;
Gabriel Rivest - tu; Joshua
Zubot - vln; Guido Del
Fabbro - vln; Brigitte
Dejczer - vln; Jean Rene
- vla; Gen Heistek - vla;
Norsola Johnson - cel; Chris
Burns - g; Sam Shalabi - g;
Guillaume Dostaler - p;
Ken Doolittle - perc; Michel
Bonneau - conga; Isaiah
Ceccarelli - d; John Heward
- d. recorded 5/16-18/11,
Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
New Issues
127 | CadenCe Magazine | april May June 2013
T he Ratchet Orchestra is, in this incarnation, a 30+
member strong ensemble of players / improvisers
based in Montreal. Some are known to followers of the
improv music scene in Canada (flutist Jean Derome,
reed players Lori Freedman, Christopher Caulley, drummer
John Heward) but a large number of them are
probably Montreal-based musicians who are looking
for a different, creative outlet. The probably have found
it in the Ratchet Orchestra. This assemblage is brought
together under bassist / composer / arranger Nicholas
Caloia’s vision. Hemlock is their third release and it's a
brilliant, eclectic mix of modern big band music that's
quite unique.
The opener "Winnow" sounds a bit like a take on
Ellington-like jazz impressionism with its opaque
voicings. A plunger trombone solo reinforces that
Ellington connection but this is not mere mimickry.
It's a genuinely original piece of music with its own
character. On the longer pieces there's a constant
kaleidoscopic shift. The epic, nearly 13 minute
"Dusty" putters along at a loping gait until there's an
unexpected (but oddly logical) breach that turns into
a lengthy guitar shredding free-jazz blowout. A couple
of shorter pieces serve as breathers. But ”Yield” is a
three minute piece that still finds itself going through
three sections. "Kick" is a short take on a Byron Gysin
miniature poem that also inspired Steve Lacy back in
the 80s.
What's intriguing is that despite the size of his arsenal,
Caloia doesn't feel compelled to hit the listener over
the head with its power. There are some impressive
"large" moments but it's the detail that he packs into
these pieces that make them so great and keeps the
listener's attention. Caloia has a unique ensemble and
he knows how to use it. While there are some obvious
influences here (Sun Ra and Ellington and even a bit
of Gil Evans pass by), Ratchet doesn't necessarily wear
them on their sleeves so much as subsume them
into the total fabric to come up with something that
is uniquely theirs. Hemlock is almost compulsively
listenable and it rewards the listener with each pass
through.
Robert Iannapollo