The Squid's Ear Magazine

Houle, Francois

Au Coeur du Litige [2 CDs]

Houle, Francois : Au Coeur du Litige [2 CDs] (Spool)

Inspired by the ice storm that ravaged large parts of Quebec and Ontario, "Au Coeur du Litige" is a radiophonic work consisting at its core of a series of solo clarinet improvisations.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Francois Houle-tape realizations, voice, clarinets, prepared piano, flutes, electronics

Therese Champagne-voice

Robert Zajtmann-voice

Paul Shatto-voice

Sheila McDonald-violin

Helene Prevost-ice storm recording

Nicole Brossard-reader

Ron Samworth-electric guitar, electronics

Chris Tarry-electric bass, voice, electronics

Dylan van der Schyff-percussion, electronics

Tony Wilson-electric guitar

Dan Gagnon-turntable, sampling

John Korsrud-trumpet

Catriona Strang-reader

Nancy Shaw-reader


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UPC: 778224112921

Label: Spool
Catalog ID: SPF302
Squidco Product Code: 15059

Format: 2 CDs
Condition: New
Released: 2000
Country: Canada
Packaging: 2 CDs in a Triple Jewel Tray Box, Unsealed
CD 1 recorded on October 19th & 20th, 1998 at Radio-Canada Studio 12, Montreal by Pierre Leger. CD 2 recorded on February 10th & 11th, 2000 at Blue Wave Productions, Vancouver by Shawn Pierce.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"Au Coeur du Litige is a radiophonic work consisting at its core of a series of solo clarinet improvisations. Subsequently stripped of their innocence and simplicity through digital manipulations these solos become a dense web within which there is a multiplicity of threads to explore. The project, inspired by the ice storm that ravaged large parts of Quebec and Ontario, makes use of an innovative live interactive electroacoustic set-up inspired by current works in the field of audio research. Technically speaking, the work aims to free the instrumentalist from the electroacoustic domain's usual constraints, and to generate a sound world more akin to improvisation-based environment, in which the performer plays a decision making role." -Excerpt from François Houle's liner notes

"Au coeur du litige is a masterpiece, a bomb and a revelation. ... With this work, Houle delivers one of his most important and meaningful accomplishments. There is no doubt in my mind that this album will be one of the most significant ones in 2000. This is worth my strongest recommendation." -François Couture, Unheard


Artist Biographies

Francois Houle (born August 17, 1961, Lachine): "I am a Canadian clarinetist who embraces pretty much any music where the clarinet is present, or has a bit of profile or history. Although I am classically trained, I have not followed the traditional career path associated with the kind of classical training I came out of.

I studied at McGill University with Emilio Iacurto (the legendary, long-time principal clarinetist of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra) and at Yale University with Keith Wilson (whose contribution to the clarinet world is unparalleled). I've had the privilege of participating in masterclasses with some of the world's finest clarinet players, including David Shifrin, Richard Stoltzman and Alan Hacker.

It was Alan Hacker who actually opened the door for me to explore new technical and musical possibilities on the clarinet. Having been part of Fires of London and a close collaborator with composers such as Peter Maxwell-Davies, Alan's insatiable curiosity and deep scholarship inspired me to look for my own personal approach. Following a brief visit to his home in the UK in the late 80's I spent some time in Paris practicing and researching clarinet new music repertoire. At that time I still didn't know what I was going to do with my life, except that I had a deep desire to "make it" in the music scene. It was during this period that I discovered the music of Steve Lacy.

Steve Lacy's career actually began as a dixieland clarinetist, eventually shifting to the soprano saxophone, an instrument very few jazz musicians had investigated since the great Sydney Bechet due to its range, smaller embouchure and faulty intonation. Steve dedicated his life to bringing this instrument at the forefront of creative music (legend has it that he turned John Coltrane on to the soprano's expressive qualities).

At the time I had one occasion of hearing him play live at the New Morning jazz club, and bought a newly released duo recording called "Paris Blues" (Owl Records, 1987) with the great Gil Evans on piano. Heading back to Canada, that was the only music I could listen to for quite a while, being transfixed by Lacy's and Evan's telepathic playing. It was the first time that I had found a jazz performance that rivalled with the finest chamber music making I was then more familiar with. It was a game changer as far as I was concerned. It opened the door for further exploration and discoveries; Anthony Braxton, John Carter, Jimmy Giuffre, all important figures in the development of creative music on the clarinet. It is interesting and deplorable to note that not once were these names ever mentioned in all my years of university clarinet seminars and lessons. It was only a few years later that he agreed to meet with me for one on one lessons at his Paris apartment. His main advice to me was to stick with the clarinet, and forge ahead with my musical thoughts and ideas, no matter how difficult the road ahead may be.

After a stint at the Banff Centre, where I worked on my technique and practiced improvisation (the centre has a great library with an extensive jazz and creative music collection), I relocated to Vancouver in the winter of 1989, where I began playing on the creative music scene and met many musicians who eventually became fantastic collaborators; Claude Ranger, Roger Baird, Tony Wilson, amongst many others. At the time, the New Orchestra Workshop Society was approaching its golden years, with the founding of the legendary Glass Slipper, the "go to" venue for creative music on the West Coast. The Vancouver Jazz Festival was well on its way to establishing itself as one of the most innovative international music happening, not only programming some of the biggest names in the business, such as Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis, but also the most creative musicians on the planet; Cecil Taylor, Evan Parker, John Zorn, Dave Douglas, Anthony Braxton, William Parker, and a whole sleuth of European 1st generation of improvisors such as Misha Mengelberg, Han Benning, ICP, AMM, and the Italian Instabile Orchestra. It was at the 1992 Jazz Festival that I had my first high profile gig, my first band "Et Cetera" sharing the bill with the Steve Lacy Sextet!

As I was making my first steps in the improvised community, I also became involved with the contemporary music scene, collaborating with composers such as John Oliver and Paul Dolden, as well as freelancing with established organizations; Vancouver New Music, Vancouver Pro Musica. In 1992 I became a founding member of the Standing Wave ensemble. My activities in both creative music and new music allowed me to forge a strong profile, eventually expanding to collaborations with international musicians, and getting international touring opportunities. Some long standing collaborations were forged during that fruitful period, with luminaries such as Benoît Delbecq and Joëlle Léandre among others.

I have since been constantly involved in the advancement of creative music, pursuing collaborative projects with composers and musicians of all persuasions. My work continues to test the boundaries, looking for new vistas and connections with listeners everywhere."

-Francois Houle Website (https://www.francoishoule.ca/about)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Vancouver-based guitarist/composer Ron Samworth is a high profile presence on the Canadian scene, equally at home playing in the jazz tradition or the extended sound worlds of new and improvised music. Nominated for the 2002 National Jazz Writers Award "Best Jazz Guitarist", he leads the acclaimed quartet Talking Pictures and co-leads the 15-piece NOW Orchestra. He has appeared at all of the major jazz festivals across Canada, the Jazzfest Berlin, Chicago Jazzfest, New York's Knitting Factory, Vienna's Let's Cool One Chamber Jazz Festival, and at prestigious venues in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. He has performed and recorded with many leading international artists including John Zorn, John Medeski, Han Bennink, Marc Ribot, Wayne Horvitz, Butch Morris, Bobby Previte, Marilyn Crispell, George Lewis, and Canadian jazz legend Claude Ranger. His inter-disciplinary work includes composition, performance and sound design for theatre, spoken word, film, and dance."

-Capilano University (https://www.capilanou.ca/jazz-studies/bios/Ron-Samworth/)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Dylan van der Schyff was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1970. He now makes his home in Vancouver, Canada, where he lives with his wife, cellist Peggy Lee, and their two children. Van der Schyff attended the schools of music at the University of Victoria and, briefly, McGill University; and he studied military drumming while with the Band of the Ceremonial Guard in Ottawa. He received his MA from Simon Fraser University and is currently engaged in graduate research in music psychology at the University of Sheffield in the UK.

As a performer and producer, van der Schyff has appeared on close to 100 recordings spanning the genres of jazz, electro-acoustic, improvised, experimental and new music; he has performed in almost every major centre in Europe and North America including international festivals in Berlin, Lisbon, Stockholm, New York, Chicago, Montreal, Trento (Italy) and Molde (Norway); and he has collaborated in numerous interdisciplinary projects involving theatre, dance and film. A partial list of notable performance and recording collaborators includes: George Lewis, Joelle Léandre, Dave Douglas, Mark Helias, Peggy Lee, Eyvind Kang, Nicole Mitchell, Brad Turner, Tony Wilson, Wayne Horvitz, Marilyn Crispell, Torsten Muller, Robin Holcolmb, Michael Moore, Ellery Eskelin, Sylvie Courvoisier, Rob Mazurek, Talking Pictures, Ken Vandermark, Paul Rutherford, John Butcher, Tobias Delius, Louis Sclavis, Evan Parker, Mark Dresser, Fred Frith, and Gary Peacock. Van der Schyff has also performed as a sideman with Roswell Rudd, John Zorn, Butch Morris, Misha Mengelberg, Georg Graewe, Oliver Lake, Wadada Leo Smith and the Kenny Werner Sextet with Randy Brecker.

Van der Schyff has served on the music faculty at Capilano University in Vancouver, Canada, since 2009. He also served on faculty at the Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music between 2002-2005, and at the Vancouver Institute for Creative Music in 2006. Additionally, he has given seminars and workshops at the University of Indiana and at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Van der Schyff has appeared on Austrian television and Swedish radio as well as NPR, the CBC and Radio Canada. Articles about his work as an improviser have appeared in publications such as Downbeat, Jazz Times, The Globe and Mail, The New York Times, The Village Voice, The Chicago Reader, The Wire, Coda, and MUZIK."

-Capilano University (https://www.capilanou.ca/jazz-studies/bios/Dylan-van-der-Schyff/)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Vancouver's Coastal Jazz and Blues hails him as "unquestionably one of the most original guitar stylists on the Canadian scene". Down Beat Magazine entitles him as "...a talismanic West Coast figure." Tony Wilson has studied with many acclaimed jazz musicians including Dave Holland, John Abercrombie, Kevin Eubanks and Steve Coleman and has shared the stage with well know international artists such as William Parker, Gerry Hemingway, Han Bennink, Toby Delius, Benoit Delbecq & Eric Boeren. As a composer, he has been commissioned by Standing Wave, Joe Trio, the Little Chamber Music Society, New Orchestra Workshop and the Hard Rubber Orchestra. He has released six CDs under his own name for the Drip Audio recording label. Favourable reviews of his work have appeared in Downbeat, the Wire, Exclaim and Signal to Noise among other publications."

-Pugs and Crows (http://pugsandcrows.com/about/)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



CD 1

1. Au Coeur Du Litige: Gresil 1:20

2. Au Coeur Du Litige: Black Triangle 4:25

3. Au Coeur Du Litige: Mon Coeur 5:39

4. Au Coeur Du Litige: L'Immigrant 1:49

5. Au Coeur Du Litige: Allegories 6:31

6. Au Coeur Du Litige: Epilogue 2:47

7. Blinks: Blink I 3:52

8. Blinks: Air Froid 3:03

9. Blinks: Blink II 2:35

10. Periode Monochrome 8:21

11. Cryogenic Nightmare 11:58

12. En Attendant La Neige 3:49

CD 2

1. Brace 2:17

2. Skronk I 1:10

3. Ice 6:06

4. Snowbirds 6:58

5. Watt 2:17

6. Ghosting 8:39

7. Skronk II 5:15

8. The Woodcarver's Wife 7:44

9. Rive Sud 15:04

10. Fleur De Peau 5:18

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Electro-Acoustic
Electro-Acoustic Improv
Free Improvisation
Turntablists
Instruments with Preparations
Vancouver and Western Canada

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