A major player on the Vancouver new music scene, classically trained clarinettist Francois Houle was a relative latecomer to jazz and free music. Influenced by players such as Evan Parker - with whom he studied - and Steve Lacy, he has since established himself as an extraordinary improviser and has performed solo recitals worldwide. He has also recorded and performed with pianist Marilyn Crispell and with his own larger ensembles. Tonight's concert, introduced by Jez Nelson, was given last summer in the Czech Republic and showcases the seemingly endless flow of ideas that make Houle a gripping performer in any context.