The project started with Clark's idea to get Ron Sexsmith to sing "Starry Eyed," which was a very good idea; Sexsmith's signature croon is harnessed over an irresistible waltz, and if you're not slow dancing halfway through, then I just don't know about you. 

Scott Thomson also appears on another recent recording that may be the least abstract CD of the year. Led by drummer Dave Clark, the Woodshed Orchestra is a joyous musical free-for-all, part brass band and part parody thereof. On Brass Bandit (Independent, thewoodshedorchestra.com), the 11-member group includes other distinguished improvisers like bassist Michael Herring and saxophonist Karen Ng.

The Woodshed Orchestra

Brass Bandit

By Glen Hall

Published Jun 30, 2015

Engaging, rough-hewn and warm-hearted, the Woodshed Orchestra make music that is unremittingly cheerful, even when laced with a twinge of something to the contrary. With an overall feel of a New Orleans second line band, their music is loose, enthusiastic and brimming with energy.

The Woodshed Orchestra: Brass Bandit (2015) 

by BRUCE LINDSAY, 

Published: August 17, 2015 | 1,806 views

"Curiouser and curiouser!" cried Alice. She was opening out like the largest telescope ever, at the time, but she could equally well have been listening to Brass Bandit, the third release from Canada's Woodshed Orchestra. An eccentric collection of curiosities, featuring musical genres as diverse as Politicized Poetry Love Scatting and Football Funk and checking in "at a Punk Rock 26:26" according to the press release. 

The Woodshed Orchestra was among these performers, with nine out of 12 members of the band present at the festival. The band plays a variety of funky and upbeat musical genres, either as an electric band or as a full brass band with a New Orleans jazz style. 

For Dave Clark, writing music is a way of life.

“I just love writing music,” he says. “I sit down and I just kind of let things come out. I’ve written songs about personal things to do with my own relationship with my wife over years and years. I’ve written things about cats.

East Side Boom brings live music series to Little India

Writing by Lori Steuart / Photos by Morgan Yew

After last Saturday's raucous event, I step into Gerrard Art Space (GAS) on Sunday morning and Joanne Filletti, director of GAS, is airing out the space. "It stinks like beer in here. Don't you smell it?" I guess my nasal faculties have become too accustomed to the rock-and-roll war-torn smell of stale beer, because I don't notice a thing.