Ratchet Orchestra

Founded in 1992, Ratchet Orchestra brings together some of the most active musicians from Montreal’s improvised music scene. A large, ever‑shifting ensemble, the Ratchet creates dense collective music in which raw sonic power is inseparable from human vulnerability.

Drawing on voices, winds, strings, guitar and percussion, Ratchet Orchestra explores the dynamic tension between composition and improvisation, intensity and sensitivity. Each performance becomes a shared act of risk‑taking, where sound emerges through close listening, momentum and collective presence.

Current line-up:

Kim Zombik : voix

Lori Freedman : clarinettes

Jean Derome : flûtes et sax baritone

Yves Charuest : saxophone alto

Aaron Leaney: saxophone ténor

Andy King: trompette

Émilie Fortin : trompette

Kalun Leung : trombone

Julie Richard : sousaphone

Julie Houle : tuba

Hélios Paradis : violon

Adrianne Munden-Dixon : violon

Guido Del Fabbro: violon

Jean René : alto

Chris Burns : guitare

Ken Doolittle : percussion

Jahsun Promesse: batterie

Nicolas Caloia : contrebasse