Mercury

Montréal duo Mercury is the product of a longstanding collaboration between two of the city's most notable proponents of improvised music; Lori Freedman (clarinets) and Nicolas Caloia (double bass).

After sharing 15 years' worth of performance, recording and conversation, the pair decided to develop their own concert repertoire that welds composition and improvisation into seamless, contrapuntal wholes. Each of their pieces is uniquely dynamic, conversation, and playful, enlivened by the rich experience accumulated by each player.

Freedman is hands down one of Canada's most singular experimental musicians, having worked with the likes of Steve Lacy, Roscoe Mitchell, Misha Mengelberg, Joe McPhee, Toshimaru Nakamura, Rohan de Saram, John Butcher, Joëlle Léandre, George Lewis, Axel Dörner, Phil Minton, Frances-Marie Uitti and Richard Barrett.

Meanwhile, in addition to his work as as composer and bandleader Caloia has enjoyed work with the likes of Tristan Honsinger, Joe McPhee, Matana Roberts, Malcolm Goldstein, Sam Shalabi, Jean Derome, Joshua Zubot, and Yves Charuest, Marshall Allen, Hassan Hakmoun, William Parker, and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.