Ratchet Orchestra

With creativity and rigour, Ratchet Orchestra explores the relationships and tensions between composition and improvisation, and between instinctive and intellectual approaches to making music. Bringing together some of Montréal’s most creative musicians, the ensemble imaginatively blends jazz, contemporary music, noise and musique actuelle. Hemlock, its album devoted to compositions by Nicolas Caloia, released in 2012 on Drip Audio, was nominated for Juno and GAMIQ awards and reached number one on the Earshot radio chart. The ensemble has produced its own concerts since 1995 and has performed at festivals including the Festival international de musique actuelle de Victoriaville, the Guelph Jazz Festival and Suoni Per Il Popolo.