Kalos is drawn to water. Every performance is like stepping into a river—they never play a song the same way twice. They make music inspired by the maritime traditions of Scotland, Ireland, Scandinavia and North America. Their album titles—Harbour and Headland—honor the meeting point between the land and sea and they sing songs about shorelines, seafarers and drownings. They revel in the driving danceability of Irish tunes, but also take inspiration from the pastoral melodies and naturalistic metaphors of Scottish music. But while the music they write is forged in tradition, it is nonetheless cast and tempered in new and unexpected ways.

The trio spans three generations, three cities and two countries. Ryan McKasson (violin, viola, voice), Eric McDonald (guitar, mandolin, voice) and Jeremiah McLane (accordion, piano, voice) met over the years at highland games, contra dances and fiddle camps across North America. They made their first recording in 2016 and have been touring together since 2019. Kalos prizes the magic of live performance—breathing, dancing and weaving together like high-wire acrobats. They are as generous as they are virtuosic. Like nature itself, their music is full of chaos and chance yet always feels spacious and balanced. Their concerts are more an exposé than a performance—they are immersive, trance-inducing experiences.

Kalos is an ancient Greek word that means “beautiful” or “praiseworthy.” It’s the root of the English words “calligraphy” and “calisthenics.” Like a fine calligrapher or adept gymnast, each musician possesses a profound attention to detail and form. But within the exquisite architecture of their compositions, they remain inventive—finding new flourishes and discovering unseen ley lines in the fertile ground of traditional music. Folk Worlds magazine says, “There’s a spontaneity at work as the three musicians alternately contest and duel, combine and coalesce to bring their talents together.”​​