"Between rigor and delirium, his compositions offer a stimulating challenge to both his musicians and his public. His multifaceted music, almost cubist, is extremely alive and rich from all points of view: form, rhythm, harmony, and melody."
Jean Derome - Maison de la culture Côte-des-Neiges program 2011
"While imbued with a certain edge, reminiscent in some ways of the 1960s, this music is neither nostalgic nor backward-looking. Caloia's musical aesthetic places him at the crossroads of late hard bop - with its simply crafted themes and rhythmic intensity - and early free jazz, characterized by long exploratory solos. This ensemble is devoid of the habitual veneer that characterizes so many jazz performances nowadays, a strength that makes this group qualify as a direct descendant of the best free bop bands of yore. As a result,this music is never slick, but full of vital energy."
Off the record, la Scena Musicale, Marc Chénard February 9, 2011
"Montréal bassist Nicolas Caloia is best known for leading his rambunctious thirty-piece Ratchet Orchestra, whose performances at the Guelph and Victoriaville Festivals have affirmed Caloia's bona fides as one of Canada's truly original bandleaders and composers. His Quartet reflects many of the same musical priorities as Ratchet - compelling interlocking rhythms, the juxtaposition of structure and open improvisation, a range of compositional moods from introspective to raucous, for instance - through the voices of three key members of the Orchestra, and of Montréal's creative music scene more generally: Jean Derome, woodwinds; Guillaume Dostaler, piano; and Isaiah Ceccarelli, drums."
Scott Thomson, Guelph Jazz Festival Program 2011
