Here's what the media have said about The Caliban Quartet and our sister group, Musica Franca:
(Re Musica Franca:)
"The performances are light and transparent... fast movements wonderfully weightless...bassoonist Nadina Mackie Jackson handles [them] adeptly and with clear relish... Fraser Jackson plays contrabassoon with alacrity and lightness.... These players clearly have a great affection for this entire repertoire and the instruments chosen to express it... freedom with tempo and phrasing... deep feeling to the music...Tone throughout the bassoons' register is delicious... This is ensemble playing of great mutual respect and undeniable musicality."
Alex Baran, WholeNote Magazine, February, 2006
(Re Caliban Does Christmas:)
"A completely crazy, out-of-this-world Christmas CD... A real pick-me-up cocktail." (Claude Saucier in the LCBO magazine, A Bon Verre, Bonne Table, 2005)
"The Caliban Quartet is pretty handy around these honking musical beasts... My favourites were Tom Lehrer's satirical "A Christmas Carol" and the Fred Silver-written "The 12 Days After Christmas," both sung by Fallis. The Calibans are brilliant in an all-instrumental rendition of the original "Twelve Days of Christmas." The five gold rings? Five cellphone tones. Very funny. There's something here for everybody." -- John Terauds, Toronto Star, Dec.8, 2005
"A perfect balance between traditional pieces, comedy, and surprises." – La Scena Musicale, December 2005
"I just don’t know how they can play the instrument as well as they do, with tongues in cheeks… Most of this disc is light and fun but there are more serious tracks. You’d be surprised how well some things work for bassoon quartet, like Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson, or selections from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky. It’s all expertly played and recorded. Five [stars] out of five." – Rick Phillips, Sound Advice, CBC Radio (December 3&4, 2005)
"A cheerful and accomplished CD." – The WholeNote Magazine, December 2005
