Kallisto, clarinet prog rock with a psychedelic twist

Kallisto is a Montreal-based quintet creating original progressive rock rooted in klezmer and Anatolian modal traditions. Led by composer and clarinetist Jossée MacInnis, the band uses these musical languages as sources of melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic exploration rather than as repertoire, transforming them into a contemporary rock vocabulary.

At the center of Kallisto’s sound is the clarinet, reimagined as a lead voice within an amplified ensemble of guitar, cello, bass, and drums. Through-composed structures, heavy textures, hypnotic passages, and psychedelic elements shape a sound that balances intensity with precision.

In 2026, Kallisto released its second album, Chameleon, marking a new chapter toward a heavier and more immersive progressive rock sound. Inspired by Montreal’s neighbourhoods, cultures, and constant movement, the album received coverage from Montreal Rocks and Pan M 360 and appeared in the ADISQ weekly palmarès. Its single “Yalla” was featured on Radio-Canada’s Tellement Courteau with Alexandre Courteau. Kallisto was also interviewed for Radio-Canada OHdio’s Y’a pas deux matins pareils.

In 2026, Kallisto performed at Festival Musique du Bout du Monde in Gaspé and the Ashkenaz Festival in Toronto, where the band presented its music to audiences across Québec and Ontario. The group has also shared the stage with artists including Socalled, Farzad Milani, Alice Bro, Zoe Aqua, and Friendly Frogs Freakshow.

Kallisto is currently developing its third album while expanding its touring network across Canada and internationally.

Kallisto brings klezmer prog rock to Toronto, blending clarinet-led progressive rock with Anatolian modal traditions, heavy grooves, and psychedelic intensity. Led by composer and clarinetist Jossée MacInnis, this Montreal-based quintet transforms folk-inspired melodies into immersive, hard-hitting original music, where hypnotic passages and unexpected turns meet the energy of amplified rock.

Featuring clarinet, guitar, cello, bass, and drums, Kallisto creates a sound that’s adventurous, unpredictable, and impossible to pin down. Come for the grooves, stay for the psych twist.

Jossée MacInnis – clarinet

Jefferson Perez – cello

Antoine Bensoussan – guitar

Patrick LeBrun – bass

Edward Scrimger – drums