Deux ensembles, dont le nombre de participants peut varier, et dont certains gravitent dans les deux! Créé à la veille du présent millénaire, l’Ensemble SuperMusique rassemble une vingtaine de musiciens, compositeurs, interprètes de la scène de Montréal. Si l’ossature est formée essentiellement des musiciens du collectif D.A.M.E., il en agrège d’autres encore selon les projets, avec à la clef un album tous les quatre ans (l’année 2016 connut toute foi deux productions, Jeux de Pistes et Les Accords intuitifs). Si les compositions des premières productions émanaient surtout des membres fondateurs (Derome, Tétreault, Roger, St-Onge, Hétu), l’ensemble s’évertue aussi à interpréter des compositions issues de la musique contemporaine établie (Tempest de John Rea, par exemple). Avec Voir dans le vent qui hurle les étoiles rire, et rire, l’ensemble s’attache à une seule œuvre et à un seul compositeur, et pas n’importe lequel Symon Henry est en effet un personnage assez singulier, qui dans ses compositions use des arts visuels en proposant des partitions faites de dessins (168 pages en ce qui concerne cette œuvre), en s’inspirant de Cornelius Cardew et de quelques pratiques plus actuelles comme celle de Jennifer Walshe, et en laissant aux interprètes le choix d’user de techniques non conventionnelles dans leur jeu instrumental. Si la pièce avait été préalablement interprétée (en 2016) par l’Orchestre symphonique du Québec, elle trouve sa véritable dimension avec cette version proposée par l’Ensemble SuperMusique, sous la direction de Danielle Palardy Roger, lors de l’exposition de l’œuvre graphique, un écran projetant celle-ci pour permettre au public de la suivre… Le Ratchet Orchestra, plus vieux que l’Ensemble SuperMusique de presque une décennie, rassemble aussi compositeurs, interprètes et improvisateurs de la scène montréalaise (quoiqu’accueillant aussi un musicien originaire de l’Ouest canadien, Josuah Zubot). Il est dirigé par Nicolas Caloia, par ailleurs contrebassiste et principal compositeur de l’orchestre (comme dans ce Coco Swirl), même si à l’occasion il peut se mettre au service d’un autre compositeur (Malcolm Goldstein, in Soweto Stomp, cf. R&C No. 109). Une dizaine de titres, dont une suite en six parties [«Before Is After»] concluant l’enregistrement, offre à certains instrumentistes l’occasion d’œuvrer en petites formations (notamment dans les deux premiers titres), mais ces interventions sont ponctuées voire dramatisées par l’ensemble avec des stridences et certains effets bruitistes faisant naviguer l’auditeur entre différents climats, parfois presque contemplatifs, avant de s’aventurer vers des terrains plus angoissants. L’orchestre emprunte les chemins d’un jazz improvisé expérimental, souvent proche de l’écriture contemporaine, dans une approche toutefois un peu plus aisée que celle de Symon Henry.

This orchestra was started in 1992 on the initiative of Montréal-based composer, double bassist and bandleader Nicolai Caloia. He is into improvised as well as composed music and the combination of both, for small and very big line-ups. With his big-sized Ratchet Orchestra, he wants to explore improvised ‘chamber jazz’. For the Hemlock project in 2012 over 30 performers were part of the orchestra. For Coco Swirl he chooses for a smaller crew. But with following 19 musicians we can still speak of an ensemble of big band proportions: Lori Freedman (clarinets), Jean Derome (flutes, baritone saxophone), Yves Charuest (alto saxophone), Aaron Leaney (tenor saxophone), Jason Sharp (bass saxophone), Ellwood Epps (trumpet), Craig Pedersen (trumpet), Scott Thomson (trombone), Jacques Gravel (contrabass trombone), Julie Richard (tuba), Joshua Zubot (violin), James Annett (viola), Jean René (viola), Guillaume Dostaler (piano), Ken Doolittle (percussion), Isaiah Ceccarelli (drum set) and Nicolas Caloia (double bass, conductor). So we are in the company of some very pronounced and experienced players who bring in a lot of ideas and experience and make this a very lively and enjoyable recording. Caloia delivered the compositions. The last one, Before is After, is a suite in six parts. Term ‘improvised chamber jazz’, describes very well what he is aiming for. Jazz and improvisation make an organic whole with features of academic composed music. His intelligent compositions are of fascinating complexity and relevance. They make up an ideal starting point for excellent and expressive improvising. Many intriguing moments pass by in this eclectic universe that is bursting of musical ideas. The instrumentation is very diverse and colourful assuring fine contrasts like the one in Blood between the blowers and the experimental electric guitar played by Shalabi. This is more than an excellent release in a transparent recording.

From Nimmons ‘N’ Nine Plus Six to Vancouver’s NOW Orchestra, despite the economics, Canadians have somehow produced highly creative big bands. Montréal’s Ratchet Orchestra was a quintet in 1993; today its founder-composer-bassist-conductor Nic Caloia leads a 19-member ensemble with the breadth and force of Sun Ra’s Arkestra or a Charles Mingus big band. Like them, it invokes Duke Ellington’s legacy of rich textures and intense turbulence while emphasizing distinctive solo voices. It has a traditional big band’s power, with five reeds and five brass, but expands its palette with violin, two violas and the eerie profundity of bass reeds and tuba.

Caloia’s compositions range from the traditionally modernist to the avant-garde, with a band composed of individuals who define Montréal’s free-jazz community. The opening Tub features the brilliant alto saxophonist Yves Charuest, as abstractly evasive as Lee Konitz. The rousing Raise Static Backstage, fuelled by Isaiah Ciccarelli’s rampaging drum solo, might appeal to any fan of Dizzy Gillespie’s legendary bebop big band, while Blood, an atmospheric setting for Sam Shalabi’s distorted guitar, touches on the later works of Gil Evans.

Caloia’s most personal and ambitious work is saved for the conclusion, the six-part Before Is After, a weave of compound rhythms and evasive fragments knit together with unlikely matchings of instruments and forceful soloists, including violinist Joshua Zubot and bass saxophonist Jason Sharp. Ratchet Orchestra is both a distinctive Montréal institution and national standard bearer for a creative tradition.

La caractéristique première du Ratchet Orchestra, ce n’est pas tant d’être un big band que d’être un groupe d’improvisateurs. Le nombre de musicien-ne-s (17 ou 18 selon les pièces) sert surtout à colorer la sonorité de l’ensemble et à produire des trames texturées. En ce sens, on est plus près d’une musique contemporaine abstraite que du jazz auquel on pourrait s’attendre de ces émules de Sun Ra. Petit who’s who de la scène de musique actuelle montréalaise, l’orchestre compte parmi ses membres Lori Freedman (clarinettes), Jean Derome (sax), Joshua Zubot (violon), Isaiah Ceccarelli (batterie) et Sam Shalabi (guitare), entre autres, ainsi que le contrebassiste Nicolas Caloia, qui en est le chef et qui compose les canevas desquels sort la musique, comme une brume diaphane.

Coco Swirl is out now on “Ambiances Magnetiques”. The Ratchet Orchestra had recorded all the music. The orchestra is formed from great and famous musicians of avant-garde jazz and contemporary academical music scene — here together plays Lori Freedman (clarinets), Jean Derome (flutes, baritone saxophone), Yves Charuest (alto saxophone), Aaron Leaney (tenor saxophone), Jason Sharp (bass saxophone), Ellwood Epps (trumpet), Craig Pedersen (trumpet), Scott Thomson (trombone), Jacques Gravel (contrabass trombone), Julie Richard (tuba), Joshua Zubot (violin), James Annett (viola), Jean René (viola), Guillaume Dostaler (piano), Ken Doolittle (percussion), Isaiah Ceccarelli (drum set) and Nicolas Caloia (double bass, conductor). The compositions by Nicolas Caloia are performed here. The Ratchet Orchestra is famous for extraordinary and innovative interpretations, bright and expressive style, unique sound and enchanting musical language. Musicians are fusing together dozens of styles, expressions and sounds — they get a fantastic result.

Coco Swirl is filled with original and bright ideas. The music is filled with concepts and modern ideas. Each musician has its own way of improvising and playing — all of them are marvelous improvisers. The music is always somewhere between arranged composition and improvising. Solid, evocative and academical pieces gently fit together with sparkling, furious, bright, expressive or moving free improvisations. Vivid, many-layed, wide and colorful musical pattern is created. It contains dozens of expressions, styles, timbres, sounds and other elements. The wide variety of styles is created — the compositions are an organic place to mix up together absolutely different music styles. Contemporary academical music, the ideas of modernism and post-modernism, electronics and experimental music, academic avant-garde are mixed up with free improvisation, experimental and avant-garde jazz, the streams of Canadian, American and European jazz. The soft intonations of bebop, post bop, hard bop and other modern jazz styles also are heard in the compositions. This huge variety of styles, rhythms and sounds makes colorful, enchanting and bright sound. The music is moving and vivid. Melody line is kept by saxophones, clarinets, flutes and trumpets. All kinds of reeds create marvelous melody line. Soft and whistling flutes have romantic, tight and calm mood who sometimes burst on furious, dramatic or passionate culminations. Vivid and expressive saxophones are full of impressive blow outs, tremendous culminations, passionate, moving and trembling excerpts, incredible riffs, strange timbres and special effects. Flowing, light and expressive melodies by clarinets are filled with energy and drive. The melodies are contrasting with deep, dark and solemn tunes of bass line. Vigilante, thrilling and growling trumpets certainly bring the energy and drive to the compositions. Stitching, sharp, aggressive, thrilling, furious, roaring and wild improvisations are accompagnied by fabulous ornaments, gorgeous textures, dizzy passages, weird timbres and special effects. Woodwinds and trumpets make a great combo — all kinds of colors, textures and sounds are mixed up to one place and make solid and independent melody line. Breaking sessions, enchanting solos, wild fast and furious culminations, sharp and vigilante sequences of chords — these elements are the main compounds of piano music. Piano gently fit together with all kinds of instruments — it’s the source of life, joy and inventive musical decisions. The strings bring in the compositions the academical sound. Sharp and dramatic culminations,shrieky tunes, stitching and aggressive sounds who are contrasting with soft pizzicatto, deep solos, calm and lyrical contemplations and other elements. The sounds of trombones and tuba keep deep, tight and solid bass line along with double bass. Musicians also don’t hesitate to get on research of strange timbres and weird sounds. Drums and percussion contain great rhythmic section. Modern, extravagant and passionate rhythmic sessions meet minimalistic, repetitive and ascetic series, breaking and wild improvisations and typical rhythmic forms of various jazz styles. There’s no line between academic avant-garde and avant-garde jazz — musicians fuse these styles together in organic and natural way. They manage to make a fantastic interpretations of Nicolas Caloia music. Nicolas Caloia demonstrates his own, driving and unique composing style — here meets innovative ideas, expressive decisions, driving solos, solemn, deep and evocative academical music, sound experiments, the newest tendencies of modernism, incredible and universal instrumentation, composing and improvising and the roots of avant-garde jazz. The music has inspiring, vivid and bright sound.

Composé par le contrebassiste et chef-d’orchestre Nicolas Caloia, Coco Swirl mélange les forces de l’avant-garde pour offrir un instantané de la musique contemporaine, où free jazz et expérimentale rentrent en collision pour donner naissance à un cosmos délirant.

Les instrumentistes présents, ont la place de donner libre-court à des salves d’improvisation, conférant à Coco Swirl un goût d’expérience auditive à la croisée des genres, faisant se percuter cuivres, cordes, xylophones, piano électrique et rythmiques sur des murs du son aux avancées mélodiques en mode hors-cadre.

L’autre grande force de Ratchet Orchestra, est de conjuguer les pistes et de donner à chacun un espace qui lui est propre, capable de s’isoler ou d’appuyer musicalement le reste de l’ensemble, permettant à la narration de gagner en énergie et en densité.

La richesse de Coco Swirl réside dans son approche très accessible pour un néophyte curieux, tout en développant une écriture pointue à la recherche musicale intense, qui sait puiser intelligemment dans le passé pour catapulter le tout dans un rétro-futurisme en constant mouvement. Très fortement recommandé.