Kalos

Kalos – Ryan McKasson, Eric McDonald and Jeremiah McLane

We’re excited to bring back a fan favorite – Kalos!  The trio spans three generations, three cities and two countries.  Pacific Northwest fiddler, Ryan McKasson, east coast guitarist and vocalist, Eric McDonald combined with New England accordionist Jeremiah McLane.  They make music inspired by the maritime traditions of Scotland, Ireland, Scandinavia and North America.

“Ryan, Eric and Jeremiah create music together that is at once energetic, sublime, pensive, thought provoking and jubilant.” — Steve Behrens, 67 music

Kalos prizes the magic of live performance. Like nature itself, their music is full of chaos and chance yet always feels spacious and balanced.  All three band members come from Scottish immigrant families, so even when they venture beyond the edges of traditional Celtic music, they remain deeply connected to past centuries and forgotten folkways.  The trio met over the years at highland games, contra dances and fiddle camps across North America.

Kalos first collaborated together as a trio in 2016, on a McKasson & McDonald album called Harbour, which Jeremiah also performed on. In 2019 they officially committed to being a trio and Kalos was born. Since then, they have traveled extensively promoting their most recent album Headland, and they are currently producing a new album!

Kalos is an ancient Greek word that means ‘beautiful’ or praiseworthy’.  Each musician in the trio possesses a profound attention to detail and form and yet they are inventive, finding new flourishes and experiencing spontaneity as they combine their talents together.  Kalos’ music asks to be shared and performing live is the band’s heart and forte.

“There’s a certain spontaneity at work as the three musicians alternately contest and duel, combine and coalesce to bring their talents together.” — Tim Carroll, Folkwords.com

Ryan McKasson has gained a strong reputation as a performer, composer,collaborator and teacher. In 1996 he became the youngest ever to win the US National Scottish Fiddle Championship and in 1997 he was awarded a Merit Scholarship for Viola Performance from the University of Southern California, where he studied with Donald McInnes. Ryan’s professional career took a step forward when in 2004 he spearheaded the formation and development of “The McKassons”. Over the years Ryan has recorded with a number of influential artists, namely his playing appears on fellow Scottish fiddle champion Hanneke Cassel’s three albums Silver (2006), For Reasons Unseen (2009), and Dot the Dragon’s Eyes (2013), as well as Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas’s recording Highlander’s Farewell (2011). In addition to McKasson & McDonald, other current projects include MAC, Ensemble Galilei and The Syncopaths.

Eric McDonald found his way to traditional music through the rich local music scene in his hometown Boston. Nearly a decade after studying at Berklee College of Music, he is now established as one of the USA’s premier accompanists in many styles. Eric cut his teeth playing for contra dances in New England, and can still often be seen from the dance floor. Nowadays he is an active session player, regularly recording and traveling with musicians of many stripes. Touring credits include The Outside Track, Andrea Beaton, Wendy MacIsaac and Katie McNally. In addition to McKasson & McDonald, he can currently be seen touring with the lively trio Daymark, Scottish powerhouse Cantrip, and award winning singer/songwriter Connor Garvey. In addition to guitar accompaniment, Eric’s debut solo album Rove features his unique style and approach to tunes on the mandolin, as well as carefully crafted deliveries of traditional ballads on voice and guitar.            (photo creidt:  Winsome Bye)

Jeremiah McLane was raised in a family with deep ties to both its Scottish heritage and its New Hampshire roots. Traditional New England music and dance were a part of his parents and grandparents generations. After an early formation in classical piano, Jeremiah spent his teenage years playing blues and jazz, studying with legend Gary Peacock in university. He then studied Indonesian Gamelan, West African drumming, and the music of minimalist composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass. It wasn’t until his mid twenties that Jeremiah began to immerse himself in the world of traditional Celtic and French music, studying accordion with Jimmy Keene and Frederic Paris. He then spent several decades traveling in Europe, doing field research that laid the groundwork for a Master’s degree from the New England Conservatory. In the early 1990s Jeremiah formed two bands: The Clayfoot Strutters and Nightingale.  Jeremiah has recorded over a dozen CDs with Nightingale, the Clayfoot Strutters, Bob & the Trubadors, Le Bon Vent, and with Ruthie Dornfeld.

“The narrative power of McDonald’s vocals joins the darker riffs of McKasson’s fiddle [and McLane’s soulful accordion] for an album with pluck, depth, and good reels aplenty.” — Rachel Lynne Wilkerson, folkradio.co.uk

Kalos never plays a song the same way twice! We invite you to join us for an evening of energetic, joyful and innovative music on September 27^th!

Get your tickets early!

Concert begins at 7:30pm.

Phinney Center Concert Hall, brick building. Doors open at 7pm. Concert starts at 7:30.

Tickets will also be available at the door, $28/$26/$10 cash or check,  See you there!

(Photo credit:  Dylan Ladds)