Folk music doesn’t stand still. It moves, breathes and changes with each passing generation—a truth Celtic folk trio Kalos understands better than most. When asked about their innovative approach to Celtic music, accordionist Jeremiah McLane balks and answers modestly: “We’re nothing particularly unique,” he tells SFR. “We’re basically carrying on a tradition.”
But that statement belies the sophisticated artistry at work when it comes to the Kalos sound. Listen to their debut album Headland and you’ll discover what sounds like centuries-old melodies paired with harmonies that wouldn’t sound out of place in a contemporary jazz club. And it’s this subtle transformation of traditional materials that defines their singular sound.
“The melody makes people associate it with a tradition, whether it’s Irish, Scottish or even Scandinavian, but underneath that, the accompanying rhythms and chords and the arrangements reference a wide variety of things—classical music, jazz, or modern...even minimalism finds its way into the accompaniment,” McLane continues. “I think it’s important to not overlook that when you’re writing a piece of music, whether it’s a Scottish jig, an Appalachian reel or a Cajun waltz. You’re trying to evoke a style, but you’re still trying to write something that makes musical coherence, too.”
The band’s creative process reveals patience and precision.
“We are essentially master tinkerers,” McLane explains. “We are relentlessly taking things apart and putting them back together.”
That tinkering approach involves playing a tune “a million different ways, recording it, then going away for a month before coming back to it,” according to McLane.
“The way you blend the instruments,” he notes. “That’s our thing. It’s the color of the sound.”
Of course, it’s not a singular effort. Kalos brings together three musicians of remarkable caliber. Ryan McKasson—who made history as the youngest winner of the US National Scottish Fiddle Championship in 1996—handles violin and viola; Eric McDonald—a much-in-demand session musician—provides guitar and mandolin. McLane, whose musical journey spans classical piano, blues, Indonesian gamelan, and West African drumming, rounds out the trio on accordion and piano. Each player can all croon like there’s no tomorrow.
For McLane, the path to traditional music runs deep.
“I’m from a family in New Hampshire that were of Scottish origin going back to the Isle of Mull,” he says.
His grandmother’s passion for their Scottish heritage meant family gatherings complete with bagpipers, kilts, music and dancing.
“My mother, bless her heart, she put up with all this McLane stuff, this Scottish stuff,” he recalls with a laugh.
And though there’s a certain Scottish foundation to the Kalos sound, the band’s name—a Greek word meaning “beautiful”—was deliberately chosen to avoid being pigeonholed as a strictly Celtic genre act. Their musical archaeology has a particular emphasis on rediscovering overlooked treasures from the folk revival era of the 1960s and ‘70s which has helped them to unearth gems like “Standing on the Shore,” a 1970s composition by Johnny Moynihan. Despite Moynihan’s prestigious affiliations with outfits like De Dannan and the Fleadh Cowboys, this particular piece remained unrecorded.
“In the folk revival… a lot of musicians who were playing traditional music were also writing their own more modern songs,” McLane notes, “but they weren’t recording those songs with the bands they were playing in.”
Kalos’ take on Moynihan’s song, then, becomes a great example of the hidden repertoire McLane and company seek to preserve. It also highlights a certain shared social impact inherent in folk music from around the globe. Beyond that, McLane explains, the true magic lies in the live experience.
“Our performances are about creating a shared moment with our audience,” he says emphatically. “It’s their experience and ours shared with them. It’s essential to be in front of people and to be able to see and hear them. Occasionally we’ll play a larger venue where you can’t see anybody, but there’s something about being in a space where you can get a sense of people. We do really well in that environment because a lot of our stuff is fairly nuanced.”
This commitment to connection is evident in Kalos’ meticulous attention to instrumental arrangements, which translates well to both recorded and live performances. As for whether McLane has a preference for how the music reaches the listener?
“Oh, it’s definitely not either/or,” he says, “but in a recording, you certainly do want to capture that live feeling. The instruments we play are specifically selected because the sonic qualities of these instruments work well when we record, but even better when we’re in front of people.”
Currently working on their second album, scheduled for recording in April, Kalos continues to push forward while looking back. Headland proves that innovation doesn’t necessarily require dramatic genre-bending or radical reinvention. McLane, McKasson and McDonald are thus parts of a long line of musicians who understand tradition isn’t about preservation in amber, but about keeping the music vital and relevant. Just, please, don’t ask them to play “Danny Boy.”
Kalos
7:30 pm Thursday, Jan. 16.
$15-$20.Paradiso, 903 Early St.,
(505) 983-3690