Woodshed Orchestra getting the party started at NAC
This is one orchestra you can bring your dancing shoes to.
When Dave Clark of The Rheostatics formed The Woodshed Orchestra nearly 20 years ago, he had no notion of genres or preconceptions. Or even a regular lineup. His orchestra is like a random trip through the record store, mixing ska, rock, country, polka and everything in between. Dance music without borders.
And the door is open to anyone who wants to join in. The guest list through the years includes Ron Sexsmith, Sarah Harmer, Suzie Vinnick and Stephen Fearing, adding to the impromptu party atmosphere.
As the collective packs its gear for Niagara Artists Centre this coming Saturday, Clark took a moment for some Q&A with The Review.
The Woodshed Orchestra seems like a musical hotel with guests popping in and out all the time. Is that more fun than having a standard lineup every show?
“Well, I love all of the folks that I get to play with. It’s a privilege to be surrounded by such loving and masterful artists. That makes the shake and bake method of cooking up a gig pretty fun indeed. There are a core of folks who have been at the centre of the band for a long time. That said, I build the band to suit the gigs and I love a large band. So, I build big whenever it’s possible.
“The players in the band are almost all leaders of their own bands and in-demand side players in a myriad of situations and many of them are parents who juggle child care. That means I have to be ready to celebrate their good fortunes when they arrive and to get other super groovy folks to get the good times rolling. I built the ‘musical hotel’ — as you so aptly named it — to be a haven for musicians. I want to play a lot and this is the best way for me to do it.”
The Rheostatics have always been a wonderfully hard-to-peg band. Was that the aim with the Orchestra as well?
“I definitely feel that the Woodshed O is a reflection of the open esthetic that the Rheos have. NRBQ, Duke Ellington and Prince were also a big influence as they could turn on a dime stylistically and freak you out at any time. To that end, I write without any idiom or goal in mind, treating my songbook as a diary of sorts and I feel free to be me. I listen when the ‘Cosmic Raydeo’ sends me signals and I follow the muse.
“Fun times.”
Did you need to form a whole new band to accommodate all those songs you had in storage?
“Yup. And they just kept coming. I’m grateful for every one of them. They’ve been so good to me. Each song is an invitation to be with friends and to parse through them in front of folks who we hope to commune with.
“I just started another band called Western Slang for the same reason.”
People hear ‘orchestra’ and think of classical music. What are they in store for when they come see you?
“The Woodshed O is going to put on a dance party for the folks to shake off the tail end of winter and to usher in the flowers and sunshine of a new spring. There’ll be a mixed bag of tunes played that go around the globe stylistically from funky New Orleans grooves, to West African vibes to Klezmer sounds and beyond.”
Is there more stuff in store with the Rheos or is this band occupying you full time now?
“My time is occupied by many things. This allows me to enjoy myself and to make a living. I run bands and play as a side person in many groups. I co-write with and for other folks. I run a small recording studio (Bon’s Cave) where I track, mix and master for projects. I am deeply ensconced in education and have been teaching various aspects of music privately and in workshops from kindergarten through to university classes for decades now and I love all of it.
“The Rheos are starting in on a cool film project over the next while. It’s sounding good. I have a solo career and run my Dave Clark Presents! residency at the Tranzac in Toronto. My solo disc ‘Cosmic Raydeo’ is out on Bandcamp right now. The Woodshed Orchestra has a bunch of gigs in the works and I’m always adding to the catalogue of tunes and looking to the next gig. My Western Slang country band is a very esoteric band that plays a pile of country tunes that I have written.
“It is a gift to be able to play with so many lovely people. I am grateful for it all.”
The Woodshed Orchestra plays Niagara Artists Centre, 354 St. Paul St., St. Catharines, Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 at www.nac.org.