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.
Across three distinct environments — portraiture, the movement of the city, and the open landscape — the installations observe human life from different perspectives: face-to-face, in motion through urban space, and from above within the natural world. Each work captures a different scale of observation, revealing how small transformations unfold within ordinary moments.
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.
CANADIAN TOUR 2026 — SALT SPRING ISLAND — OF SOUND MINDS
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.
To celebrate the new release of my duo with pianist extraordinaire Noah Franche-Nolan, we will perform a double bill at Tyrant Studio in Vancouver.
Noah and I recorded in Montreal last summer and came up with a pretty cool set of music, which we will perform for the first time live as part of Tyrant’s piano duo series at 8pm.
This will be followed by my (not so new at this point) new 4et, featuring Noah on piano, James Meger on bass, and the ever ebullient Kenton Loewen on drums.
A not to be missed event in the fall/winter calendar!
HOULE GRDINA LOEWEN Play South African Free Jazz Composers
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.
Thrilled to be headlining the Guelph Jazz Festival 2026 edition. not only do we get to present TSLOC on the main event, each members of the band will be presenting solo concerts and participating in the GJF Colloquium.
The Jazz & Sonic Arts program is an innovative development opportunity for early and mid-career jazz and sound artists. It encourages participants to explore new directions in their artistic practice, become changemakers, and advance their creative potential as performers, collaborators, and creators.
Engage with sound in innovative ways, using improvisation, experimentation, and technology to expand the sonic possibilities of music. Jazz and Sonic Arts are ever-evolving and diverse genres, creating a powerful synergy that inspires creativity and leads to multidimensional, transcendent artistic experiences. They serve as catalysts for cultural dialogue, empowerment, societal change, and ecological awareness.
Houle’s work continues to push artistic boundaries, enriching the landscape of modern music.
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.
Born into a family steeped in music, Turkish kanun player and composer Didem Başar started her music education at Istanbul Turkish Music State Conservatory when she was 11 years old. Since arriving in Canada in 2007, she has pursued the creation of her own music. She has released two albums of original music, ‘Levantine Rhapsody’ for mixed chamber quintet, and most recently ‘Continuum’, featuring her concerto for kanun with the string orchestra I Musici de Montréal. For her appearance on December 17th at the Orpheum Annex in Vancouver, Didem will present her compositions reimagined in an intimate trio format, featuring two outstanding musicians: percussionist Patrick Graham from Montréal and the renowned Victoria-based clarinetist and composer François Houle.
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
9-piece Ensemble performance of The Secret Lives of Colour, featuring Basel’s finest improvisers, and visiting guest artists Gerry Hemingway (USA/CH), Andrea Grossi (ITA), and Gordon Grdina (CAN). This event will be recorded for future release on Afterday Audio!
First time performing with wonderful Italian bass player Andrea Grossi, as part of his avant-garde under-ground unconventional series of improvised music. Hosted by Rete Culturale Cantosospeso.
SoHo (François Houle & Joe Sorbara) are thrilled to be performing at this year’s Sound Symposium in St-John’s NFLD. From the 16th to the 24th of July they will be presenting their music and collaborating with several artists in attendance at this latest edition of this legendary festival.
Résidence artistique avec Lamia Yared dans le cadre du Festival d’Été de Vancouver.
Heliotrope (François Houle & Gordon Grdina) present their latest works at Site Jazz Festival in Italy.
Italian Premiere of The Secret Lives of Colour, with an all-star line up!
A rare duo appearance with master pianist Georg Graewe in Vienna
Solo in Vienna, Monday Improvisers Sessions @ Celeste
Creative Clarinet Strategies Masterclass
Performing Liquid by John Korsrud with Turning Point Ensemble
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).
Twenty years ago, memorably, the great American composer and saxophonist Steve Lacy played some of his last concerts in Guelph. Saxophonist Jorrit Dijkstra and clarinettist François Houle are kindred in their deep investigation of Lacy oeuvre, having both studied with him personally. Their Coastlines Duo is a thoroughly wrought, loving exploration of key works from the master’s vast catalogue, those that the spare combination of their instruments can activate in their contrapuntal richness. Like Lacy’s long-time collaboration with saxophonist Steve Potts, Coastlines Duo explores his singular pieces with poise, precision, joy, and animating energy.
Transact Club Duos and more!
Inspired by the great tandems in the history of creative music, such as Carter and Bradford, Coleman and Cherry, the duo music of François Houle and Marco Von Orelli pushes the boundaries between styles, genres, and aesthetics to Forge a unique repertoire that will surprise any avid listener of jazz and new music. Houle and Von Orelli are recognized masters of their instruments, and bring to the table a vast amount of expertise as band leaders, composers, and practitioners of creative avant-garde music.
Make That Flight Album is available HERE or all digital music platforms!
Trav Short and Shane Krause have started a music series for improvised and experimental music, called The Orange Light, and I'll be playing with Marco von Orelli.
Safa is back! With Amir Koushkani, François Houle, and Hamin Honari. Thrilled to be presenting our new compositions, on a shared bill with Gordon Grdina’s The Marrows
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.
World premiere Trio featuring spectacular musicians from Canada, France and the United Kingdom! Presented by Hélène Aliza’s Galerie 19 jure Paul Fort in Paris.
The fusion of composition - improvisation and improvisation - composition as well as the exploration and extraction of new sounds on her instruments are points of contact in her works.
Two wind instruments at the same time, one tandem? Yes, inspired and in admiration for John Carter and Bobby Bradford. The clarinet and cornet create tonal textures and colors, creating an intimacy that is incredibly appealing!
Make That Flight
François Houle - basset clarinet
Marco von Orelli - cornet/trumpet
Strong from a recent release on the Swiss label ezz-thetics, Houle and von Orelli are touring Switzerland this April to present the latest from this collaboration that now spans almost 5 years.
In their playing, the two skilful musicians extract new sounds from their instruments and explore them. The fusion of composition and improvisation always revives and nourishes their work.
Inspired by the great duos in the history of creative music, such as Carter and Bradford, Coleman and Cherry, the music of the duo François Houle and Marco von Orelli crosses the boundaries between styles, genres and aesthetics to create a unique repertoire that will surprise any avid listener of jazz and new music.
Both Houle and von Orelli play their instruments masterfully and have been active for many years as bandleaders, composers and performers of creative avant-garde music.
““ With a real sensitivity to tone, technique, and creative context, they embody the spirit of Carter and Bradford while avoiding mere imitation.”
— Jason Bivins - Point of Departure”
