François Houle
Vancouver's François Houle has justifiably found much acclaim for his dazzling and unique approach to the clarinet. The LA Times' Mark Swed calls him “a spectacularly versatile clarinetist who appears to have no limitations stylistically or sonically.” Though his enviable technical prowess is always apparent regardless of whether he's playing jazz, contemporary music, free improv or in other settings, it's unparalleled musicality within this vast palette that has established him as such a sought-after collaborator.
Among countless others, Houle has been heard with the likes of Joëlle Léandre, Benoît Delbecq, Evan Parker, Samuel Blaser, Marilyn Crispell, Harris Eisenstadt, Michael Bates, Myra Melford, René Lussier, Alexander Hawkins, John Butcher, Kris Davis, Mark Dresser, Georg Graewe, Jerry Granelli, and Eyvind Kang.
He has released over twenty recordings as a leader, and is found on disc from respected labels such as Songlines, Leo Records, Drip Audio, PSI, Spool, hat[now]ART, Redshift, CRI. He has composed numerous works for small and large ensembles, including a concerto for clarinet which he went on to record with the Turning Point Ensemble on the ATMA Classique label. Among his many accolades, Houle has been listed on numerous occasions in Downbeat magazine’s Readers and Critics’ Polls as “Talent Deserving Wider Recognition” and “Rising Star.”
Houle will be heard throughout the festival in both established bands and ad hoc contexts. He'll be presenting the François Houle 4 (with Mark Helias, Gordon Grdina and Gerry Hemingway) on July 3rd, while also performing in Zula groupings such as the bass-heavy Big Bottom, the aptly named Clarinet Summit and in the quartet borne out of Alien Radio trio with Ted Crosby, James Meger and Joe Sorbara.