The Woodshed Orchestra is a multi-headed celebration emancipation experience. The Woodshed will take you higher and make you feel the love you need to succeed. Yes it will. The Woodshed will light up your tree and push all the right buttons. You'll sing. You'll dance. Yes, you’ll shout in happiness and cry tears of joy over them. Legendary Toronto drummer, Dave Clark (Rheostatics, Gord Downie, WoodChoppers Association...) pilots the band through numerous classic dance music styles including New Orleans Jazz and Funk, R&B, Ska, Soul, Punk, Rock, Reggae, Blues, Country, Tex-Mex, and Calypso, in an extraordinary celebration. The Woodshed Orchestra regularly plays for at least three hours straight, and the crowds dance and dance. With a five-piece horn section and full-ensemble vocals, this is not your everyday bar-band. It is a funky, uplifting, joyful experience every time. The Woodshed Orchestra Recipe: Take a bowlful of New Orleans second line, add a spoon of Tom Waits, drop in a dose of Sly Stone, a bone of Leonard Cohen, a hit of the scene from Al Green, add some Blossom Dearie theory, a pinch of Loretta Lynn, a dollop of Asleep at The Wheel, a wallop of NRBQ, a sprinkle of vintage Rush, a bucketful of the Sun Ra Arkestra, a bushel of Monk, some essence of Randy Newman, a peck of the Fairfield Four, a blast from the Who, a shot of Dr. John, a hint of Ginsberg, a strand of Skatellites, a packet of Prince, a taste of the Klezmatics, a teaspoon of the Ramones, a cup of Stevie Wonder and a good measure of Howlin’ Wolf. Mmm. The Woodshed Orchestra was founded in 2005 by Toronto musician and composer Dave Clark in order to celebrate friendship and love through music. Clark called upon some of the finest folks he knew to make the gumbo boil and the people dance. It took a while to get the flavour just right, but it came to be and now the Woodshed has come to say to one and all, “There is love, there is hope, live your dreams, it’s not what it seems. Don’t get weighed down by low rent clowns. You are good, look into your heart, come with us, it’s time to start, let’s think of peace, let’s try to be kind, let’s give what we’ve got, it’ll bring peace of mind. You know after the show when the lights are dark there’ll be that spark, that right connection in the direction towards love and affection.” The Woodshed Orchestra Players Dave Clark - drums/vocals Michael Herring - bass/vocals Karen Ng – saxophone/vocals Joe Lapinski – guitar/vocals Miss Julia Hambleton – clarinette/vocals Jason Kenemy – piano/vocals Tania Gill - piano/vocals Nick Buligan – horns/vocals Scott Thomson – trombone/vocals Susanna Hood – vocals/dance Rebecca Hennessey – trumpet/vocals Ken McDonald - bass/vocals Paul Kolinski - strings/vocals What Folks Are Saying About the Woodshed Orchestra: "Dave Clark and the Woodshed Orchestra have this amazing ability to make real life sound like the best musical in the world. I can't name another group of people who sound so joyous together, get to some essential truths about living, and dance their pants off doing it. Love them. They're my favourite parade." – Vish Khanna – CBC Radio3 – Exclaim Magazine. “Most recently, at the 2011 edition of our festival, I hired Dave’s excellent Woodshed Orchestra to perform as part of our all-night Nuit Blanche event. Their late night concert drew a large and energized crowd that danced, sang, and celebrated alongside the joyous performers. The positive and uplifting energy of the group’s music, in fact, acted almost as an anthem for the spirit of the Guelph Jazz Festival’s Nuit Blanche 2011.” – Ajay Heble, Artistic Director, The Guelph Jazz Festival, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. “I’m listening to the Woodshed Orchestra’s self-titled new album for the first time as I write this and it’s a riot, too. Funk, soul, country, New Orleans blues, slinky jazz, Stones-y rock n’ roll and just about everything else you can imagine impeccably played and rendered in several garish shades of joy. Smiles abound.” – Ben Rayner – Toronto.com. “Simply put, the Woodshed Orchestra was a key component in making SappyFest Six the best, and most successful event we've ever produced. From acoustic marching band parades to their explosive and endearing set on the Mainstage, the group was delightfully everywhere, all weekend. They are up for anything, always, with a smile and courtesy.” – Paul Henderson, Creative Director, SappyFest, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada. “The Woodshed Orchestra seems to have the knack of bringing the festival audience to celebrate en mass – they really got folks singing, dancing and creating a huge buzz…this type of band is priceless.” – Sam Baijal, Artistic Director, Hillside Festival, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. “The Woodshed Orchestra is like eating blackened fish for the first time while standing in a tent on a fairground in New Orleans listening to gospel groups with people you don't know, but really is this the time to get picky about religion when this guy is showing me how to dance.” – Julian Brown – Fiest – The Apostle of Hustle -Montreal "The Woodshed Orchestra is a tour de force of nature, an indomitable spirit of beautiful abandon." – Jason Collett – solo artist – Toronto “These Woodshed songs are fucking great. I love that there doesn't seem to be a lead vocal though it's obvious that there is one. You know what I mean. It's like I happened into a bar where there is a band playing songs I've never heard but everyone else seems to know the tune. Yet by the one minute I'm singing right along. I fucking love that. You can't tell if these songs were written last week or 40 years ago. That's a good thing. These songs are from no time, which I guess makes them timeless. Seriously, you can take that to the bank and cash it.” – Mike Plume – Mike Plume Band – Nashville USA “Dave Clark is the hoser's Sly Stone and the David Byrne of the north. With his newest incarnation, the Woodshed Orchestra, Dave Clark has brought together a vocal-heavy, rhythm-happy sound, every bit as joyous, honest and adventurous as the man himself. Clark is, without exaggeration, a Canadian legend. He is a living example of every musician's deep, and often unrealized desire: to get better with age.” - Michael Johnston – the Skydiggers - Toronto “The Woodshed Orchestra trade in exuberance and might, a glistening thunderslap on the hind of musical atrophy. These songs leap from disc to lap, a many-legged beast trundling with joy and vision.” – Dave Bidini – Rheostatics – Bidini Band – Toronto “The Woodshed Orchestra, that bumper collection of truly exceptional persons who are also truly exceptional players, sounds like a party I really wish I were at.” – Selina Martin – solo artist – Toronto “The giddy exuberance and master craftsmanship of the Woodshed Orchestra makes me want to run barefoot, write a soul song, and hug my enemies all at once. Their live show slays. Everybody needs it.” -Kris Demeanor – The Crack Band – Calgary “I walked into the Pepper Jack at 9 pm and the Woodshed Orchestra was just picking up its instruments. The place, sadly, was almost empty. No matter. The nine musicians that occupied the stage proceeded to make complete and total magic together...All night. It was overwhelmingly good.... God, it was the most fun I’ve had sitting down in an almost empty bar ever. You should have been there! It was magical... Triumphant!” – Mike Bell – Steel City Music “Neitzsche once said, “Life without music would be a mistake.” This quote kept intruding into my thoughts as I listened to Dave Clark and the Woodshed Orchestra on a recent night at the Tranzac Club…As a songwriter, Clark can be described as a modern troubadour inspired by world-weary romanticism...tempered by an appealing measure of optimism in the innate goodness of humanity.” – Josef Hochleitner – Nightviews “The Woodshed Orchestra tick all of my boxes - particularly the one marked 'friendly cosmic groove machine'. They tick that one with a big orange highlighter pen made of weapons-grade friendliness and liquid spontaneity.” – Pete Flood - Bellow Head – London UK “The Woodshed Orcheatra features…sounds that range from avant gard noise to beat poetry and even some “beer hall ballads.” Clark’s solo project is very alluring as the songs are excitingly new, but also vaguely familiar.” – Jordy Yack – Pulse Niagara "The Woodshed is a big fat joyous orchestra of funk that dares you not to smile and jiggle. I don't know anyone else making music like The Woodshed Orchestra. These songs are a rare combination complex and organic, but mostly what comes across is joyous music that makes you want to dance. " – Pete Bowers – The Gertrudes – Kingston "Dave Clark has been one of the major forces in creative music in this country for close to two decades, certainly a huge influence on my own music and how I approach it, and his latest work with The Woodshed Orchestra continues this trajectory." - Chris Eaton – Rock Plaza Central - Toronto “The Woodshed Orchestra is funky and fun, with great instrumentation and heartfelt songs....it's good for the soul!” – Tannis Slimmon – solo artist - Guelph "Dave Clark's Woodshed Orchestra unique musical uplift blends off-kilter pop romanticism with keen emotional insights and a powerful sense of spontaneous play. This is music to jumpstart your frozen February heart." Phd. Daniel Fischlin – U of Guelph - Improvisation, Community and Social Practice. The Woodshed Orchestra is brave and beautiful. I love the way they love music.” – Culture Reject – solo artist –Toronto "Damn, this is great. The Woodshed Orchestra really warms the cockles of the heart." – Kirk Hudson – Tres Biens Ensemble – Toronto “If you find yourself in need of laughter and dancing then look no further than The Woodshed Orchestra.” – Peter Moller – solo artist – Calgary "The new Woodshed Orchestra tracks are like a sexy pair of leggings. Tight, yet totally comfy, oh yeah!" Jeff Barber - Sonic Boom Records - Toronto " I guess there were a couple extra chords in the woodshed this winter, the result is (heart) warming and wonderful!" - Shotgun Jimmie – solo artist – Sackville “Dave Clark's Woodshed Orchestra’s album, Live Snapshots September 23/05 (available now at Zunior.com) is just as remarkable and varied. (To review this record is to run a gauntlet of styles, sounds, genres and eras.) It is a daring and uncanny record, moments of thrilling experimentation and sonic gymnastics of freewheeling jazz (“Momento”) are weaved amidst boozy blues ballads and spoken word, all brought to life with imagination and dexterity.” – Tim “Bif” MacKay 50River.com “River Chats” "Listening to the Woodshed Orchestra warms my soul to the core. They make my heart swell and my mind soar. It brings a smile to my face and leaves me feeling like the world's an amazing place" Carlie Howell – The Deharms – Toronto "Maestro Clarkie and his woodsplitters -sic [Woodshed] cook up a spicy downhome southern gumbo in the hinterlands of Toronto that delivers..." – Dale Morningstar – the Dinner is Ruined – Producer - Toronto “This is an orchestra of fine, fine humans who know how to throw it down in style, and play their asses off.” – Chris Dadge – Bug Incisions – Calgary “If you haven’t had the opportunity to experience Dave Clark’s Woodshed Orchestra live, which I highly recommend, this album is the next best thing. It offers an array of musical styles presented by an eclectic band of delightful, creative and talented souls.” - Ken Aldcroft – Convergence Ensemble – Toronto "Johnny's secret is out: Everyone needs the Woodshed Orchestra as much as they need Love & Affection!" - Dwight Schenk – The Slipper Orchestra - Toronto