CANADIAN TOUR — FALL 2026

Squid in Chains is a Vancouver band featuring François Houle (basset clarinet and electronics), Douglas Schmidt (bandoneon and electronics), and John Oliver (synthesizers, samplers, sound processing). Founded in 2022, we have already published several albums. Listen at the links below.

Squid in Chains is a Canadian trio based in British Columbia. Informed by decades of practice as composers and improvising musicians, Squid in Chains takes the listener on a journey into the contemporary psyche and Zeitgeist. Our unique sound is the result of combining our common deep listening and inventive imaginations with different layers of sound transforming and generative instruments. Douglas Schmidt interacts solely with his bandoneon, emitting unique sounds, harmonies and counterpoint uncommon to those familiar with his instrument. François Houle brings together an evocative lyrical playing style with his enormous experience with avant-garde clarinet techniques that he dialogues with by transforming them via complex looping and processing. John Oliver plays a chameleon role, at times a clear third voice that may coexist with or morph into electronic textural and soundscape environments in which the group sound sits.

CANADIAN TOUR — FALL 2026

Squid in Chains is a Vancouver band featuring François Houle (basset clarinet and electronics), Douglas Schmidt (bandoneon and electronics), and John Oliver (synthesizers, samplers, sound processing). Founded in 2022, we have already published several albums. Listen at the links below.

Squid in Chains is a Canadian trio based in British Columbia. Informed by decades of practice as composers and improvising musicians, Squid in Chains takes the listener on a journey into the contemporary psyche and Zeitgeist. Our unique sound is the result of combining our common deep listening and inventive imaginations with different layers of sound transforming and generative instruments. Douglas Schmidt interacts solely with his bandoneon, emitting unique sounds, harmonies and counterpoint uncommon to those familiar with his instrument. François Houle brings together an evocative lyrical playing style with his enormous experience with avant-garde clarinet techniques that he dialogues with by transforming them via complex looping and processing. John Oliver plays a chameleon role, at times a clear third voice that may coexist with or morph into electronic textural and soundscape environments in which the group sound sits.

This wonderful trio is joined by legendary multi instrumentalist Vinny Golia for a special night of music as part of VanJazz’26 “A NEW KIND of Jazz Festival”. To celebrate, the trio is releasing a new album called “In The After” on Afterday Audio and Oval Window Records.

CANADIAN TOUR — FALL 2026

Squid in Chains is a Vancouver band featuring François Houle (basset clarinet and electronics), Douglas Schmidt (bandoneon and electronics), and John Oliver (synthesizers, samplers, sound processing). Founded in 2022, we have already published several albums. Listen at the links below.

Squid in Chains is a Canadian trio based in British Columbia. Informed by decades of practice as composers and improvising musicians, Squid in Chains takes the listener on a journey into the contemporary psyche and Zeitgeist. Our unique sound is the result of combining our common deep listening and inventive imaginations with different layers of sound transforming and generative instruments. Douglas Schmidt interacts solely with his bandoneon, emitting unique sounds, harmonies and counterpoint uncommon to those familiar with his instrument. François Houle brings together an evocative lyrical playing style with his enormous experience with avant-garde clarinet techniques that he dialogues with by transforming them via complex looping and processing. John Oliver plays a chameleon role, at times a clear third voice that may coexist with or morph into electronic textural and soundscape environments in which the group sound sits.

Thrilled to be revisiting and add on to the 2008 solo performance I gave at the Guelph Jazz Festival in 2008. The original recording was produced by legendary producer David Yeager for the CBC’s 2 New Hours. I am happy to release the original recording on my Afterday Audio label to celebrate my return to the festival on September 12, 2026.

The story that leads to this exciting set of music speaks to the kinds of magical synchronicity that tend to rise to the surface to let us know that things are meant to be. Last year, while going through the festival’s recorded archive looking and listening for sounds to use in the stunning “Six Turntables” workshop and performance that took place at GCVI, Christopher Willes came across a recording of François Houle playing solo at the 2008 Guelph Jazz Festival. François was elated to learn that the set had been recorded, so happy that he will revisit—with a twist we’ll leave as a surprise—the material he explored in Guelph eighteen years ago in celebration of an official release of that unearthed performance: Aerials, Guelph (2008) on his own Afterday Audio label.

François Houle clarinet, basset clarinet, composition
Gordon Grdina oud, guitars                                           
Myra Melford piano
Joëlle Léandre double bass  
Gerry Hemingway percussion

Canadian clarinetist, composer, and improviser François Houle leads a world renowned all star supergroup, presenting a suite of new compositions and arrangements inspired by British author Kassia St. Clair’s writing on colour. From ivory to obsidian, Houle explores the colour spectrum and its close historical connections to music, weaving a rich and suggestive tapestry of sounds.

Looking forward to playing at Kühlspot Berlin for the very first time! I’ll be joined by fantastic improvisers Emilio Gordoa vibraphone, Liz Allbee trumpet, and Alexander Frangenheim double bass. Thanks to Alexander for setting this up!

HELIOTROPE (Gordon Grdina and François Houle) are looking forward to performing compositions from their upcoming album, Byzantium (Afterday Audio 2501) at Jazztopad Festival. They are part of an incredible line up of artists, including Kris Davis, Sarah Murcia with Mat Maneri, Denardo Coleman, Michael Bates, Abdullah Ibrahim, and more…

For more info, go to the official JAZZTOPAD WEBSITE

Vancouver clarinetist François Houle is a long-time friend of the GJF, first appearing in 1999, presenting repertoire by the under-sung California composer and clarinetist John Carter. Here, he pays homage to another deceased west coast hero of creative music, Ken Pickering, founding Artistic Director of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Appropriately, it’s Carter’s rich, post-Ellington composing that informs Houle’s suite, which is recently released on Lisbon’s Clean Feed label and, in Guelph, will be played alongside Marco von Orelli (trumpet), Jeb Bishop (trombone), Benoît Delbecq (piano), Michael Bates (double bass), and Harris Eisenstadt (drums).

Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville

CANADA, ÉTATS-UNIS, ANGLETERRE
PREMIÈRE QUÉBÉCOISE

DIMANCHE 21 MAI    
CARRÉ 150 (Salle F. Lemaire)
15 H - 34  $  

François Houle : clarinette, électroniques
Kate Gentile : batterie
Alexander Hawkins : piano

Voici un trio d’improvisation de haute voltige qui réunit un vieux routier qu’on n’a pas vu à Victo depuis un bail et deux musiciens plus jeunes qui en seront à leur première visite chez nous.