GENERA SEXTET
With his 28-year association with celebrated jazz label Songlines Records, Canadian clarinetist François Houle presents an exciting International collaborative project with some of Canada’s most celebrated expatriates, and colleagues from New York City, Paris, Basel and Berlin.
“This is the record that many inventive musicians would like to have under their belt, as the ideas circulating there are so innovative.”
“François Houle’s sextet is the incarnation of what confounding beauty is: everything is sumptuous. As the builder of this unique work, this Canadian musician deserves more recognition.
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GENERA was in the studio in March at RSI’s Studio 2 in Lugano, Switzerland, to record it's second CD!:
This album pays tribute to and celebrates the memory of Ken Pickering, my best friend, mentor, and supporter of my work from the moment we met back when I first moved to Vancouver in 1990. The compositions were not intended as a suite but as the pieces emerged it became evident to me that there was a hidden narrative binding them together as a whole, such as a Requiem (an act or token of remembrance, the Latin accusative of requies, 'rest'). As I composed the music, echoes of brass band marches, motets, masses, and the Blues wove their way into the sound fabric. To quote Christine Fedina "Ken's untimely death was devastating and felt especially tragic for the members of Genera. This act of gratitude and love is a lasting tribute to a beautiful soul by this extraordinarily talented group of his dear friends. You may hear a tinge of nostalgia woven through these compositions here and there, but mostly you will hear the joy, humour andboundless love of the human spirit!"
The music’s quality is a given, but the musicianship and commitment are second to none. The sextet has crafted another wonderful disc but also a statement of intent, transcendence and ultimately of celebration.
—Marc Edwin, pointofdeparture.org
Now available on all digital stores Physical copies available here
François Houle 5 + 1
François Houle clarinet Vancouver, CAN
Marco von Orelli cornet Basel, SUI
Samuel Blaser trombone NYC-Berlin-SUI
Michael Bates double bass CAN-NYC, USA
Harris Eisenstadt drums CAN- NYC, USA
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Benoît Delbecq piano Paris, FR
one of the best-sounding clarinetists in improvised music…”
– Ben Ratliff, NY Times
About GENERA
“For this band and body of tunes, Houle cites late, great figures and bandleaders John Carter and Steve Lacy as influences in his thinking and compositional/improvisational plotting. Material-wise, Houle's writing works across boundaries and embraces ideas about voicing and structure from classical to jazz and back. On the jazz tip, he plots spiky-dissonant courses and Thelonious Monk-ish lines,…” —Josef Woodard, Downbeat
“The sextet...has immediately established itself as one of the most exciting new bands on the international jazz scene. In addition to its carefully constructed compositions, virtuosic soloists, and huge ensemble sound, the group brings surprising warmth to the stage, and its Ironworks set was among the most impressive of the entire festival.” —Alex Varty, The Georgia Straight
François Houle, un des clarinettistes Canadiens les plus reconnus sur la scene internationale de musique créative, fonde un remarquable groupe réunissant des figures de proue du jazz d'avant-guarde pour ce nouveau projet. Avec son collègue de longue date, le remarquable pianiste Français Benoît Delbecq, et de fréquent collaborateurs venant de la Suisse, de New York, et New Haven, il explore de nouvelles compositions préparées dans le but de mettre en lumière la virtuosité et l'originalité de chaque membre du groupe. Réunissant son penchant pour les musiques créative, la musique contemporaine, et le jazz, François Houle nous tisse une toile vibrante de couleurs, pleine d'audaces et d'astucieuse procédure compositionelle. Ses influences majeures, tel qu'Antony Baxton, Steve Lacy, Jimmy Giuffre et john Carter, sont ressenties.