In this concert of Houle's compositions, the 'serious' clarinetist not only played and soloed, he frequently conducted and cued in the members of his octet.

Houle explained that the first tune, "Guanera", was dedicated to his kids; it had a deep and ancient sound, with pianist Jon Ballantyne up front, priest-like and presiding over his chordal vamps and dissonances. Out of this emerged Jeremy Barkman's trombone tour de force. His solo voice in the mid and upper registers was so mellow that it merged with his singing through his horn. This was so pleasurable, especially when it became a curtain of vibrating, glistening sound.

"Albatross" — his personal tribute to cell phones and Blackberries — revealed François Houle to be fearless. Instead of worrying about beautiful playing, he pressed on like Trane's soprano and kept reaching for the next cycle, the next feeling, the next idea ...