THE BAND
Five individuals. Hover each one to learn more than they'd like you to know.
"Five instruments. Five dogs. One artistic vision so profoundly intentional
it has moved audiences to sustained, genuine applause."
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Miami Music Gazette | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Duke's Mum
Instrumental jazz · No lyrics · Definitely by choice · We took a vote · It was close
The Stray Dogs Orchestra was convened on a Tuesday afternoon when five dogs discovered they were all standing in the same parking lot on Ocean Drive and each owned an instrument. No auditions were held. No resumes reviewed. Musical compatibility was assessed through prolonged eye contact.
They play exclusively instrumental jazz — not because the music speaks for itself, but because all five members had irreconcilable lyrical disagreements by the end of the first rehearsal. The disagreement is ongoing. They describe it as productive.
Their sound has been described as "deliberately complex," "aggressively soulful," and on one occasion, simply "a lot." They consider every review a triumph. They have framed all of them.
"I have attended many jazz performances. This was, unambiguously, one of them."
— Bernard Howell, Miami Music Gazette"Rusty's saxophone solo lasted eleven minutes. I did not check my phone. I considered it. I did not."
— Audience Member, Coconut Grove Jazz Night"Sam played keyboard with a focus I can only describe as accusatory. I felt personally addressed. I bought a t-shirt."
— TripAdvisor, 4 stars"Max maintained eye contact with me for the entire duration of 'Blue in Green.' I have since moved."
— Anonymous Feedback Card, Dave's Jazz Club
This illustration took considerably longer than the first album to produce. We consider it our finest visual work. It captures the essence of who we are: five dogs, on a stage, with instruments, looking like we know exactly what we're doing.
Shirts and hoodies run S through 3XL, in a few different cuts and colorways. There's also a full lineup of mugs, for supporters who prefer to express loyalty through caffeine rather than fabric.
All proceeds go directly toward new guitar strings for Charlie (he breaks them at a rate that concerns the rest of the band) and toward the ongoing parking dispute with the venue on Ocean Drive.
We do not take requests. We do not play "Fly Me to the Moon." We are aware it is a good song. This changes nothing. We have addressed this in a formal statement. We will not share the statement.
Every pause is intentional. Every moment of quiet is a compositional decision. If it seems like someone forgot their cue, it was Rusty, and it was still intentional.
We begin when the music is ready, not when the audience is seated. These are different moments. We respect both. We prioritize the first one. Duke enforces this.
Our pre-show tuning lasts 8 to 22 minutes. It is not negotiable. Several audience members have described it as the highlight of the evening. We are unsure how to feel about this.
The show ends when it ends. What was said has been said. *We have done three encores. We do not discuss those occasions. They were artistically inconsistent and deeply enjoyable.
| Date | Venue | City | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OCT 4 | Third Dumpster From the East Corner | Behind Randy's Muffler Shop, Hialeah, FL | Charlie insists the acoustics improve after the second dumpster. We have chosen to trust him. | Sold Out |
| OCT 19 | The Gravel Patch Next to the Ice Machine | Big Chief Coin Laundry, Key West, FL | Set times are subject to the dryer cycle. Sam has reviewed the humidity forecast fourteen times. | Sold Out |
| NOV 8 | The Parking Lot Where We Formed (Now a Chipotle) | Miami Beach, FL | Homecoming show. We will visit the exact parking space solemnly, then order a burrito. | Sold Out |
| NOV 22 | Loading Dock, Employees Only Entrance | Bird Road Art District, Miami, FL | Formal attire requested. Max has agreed to wear a collar. It will be a very good collar. | Sold Out |
| DEC 13 | That One Alley With Surprisingly Good Acoustics | Off Ocean Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL | Largest venue to date, technically still an alley. We are treating it with the same energy as the dumpsters. This is a philosophy. | Sold Out |
Got a gig? Great. Got a question? Fine. Got a heartfelt declaration of how our music changed your life? We will read it aloud at rehearsal and pretend it didn't affect us. It will affect us.
info@straydogsorchestra.com