The Family Band Album - an album that I have been dreaming up for some time and pulls together my life experiences of touring with my parents to school and festivals, teaching in the classroom, running school camps around south eastern Australia, and sharing music with my kids (jamming, writing, recording and touring).
Woody and kids live at the Spiegeltent, Melbourne.
I'm really excited about this project and I have assembled a great team of professionals: world class musicians, well credentialed engineers and industry professionals, and venues to launch the new album. The kids and I have been working on new material this past year and we aim to complete the recording by Mid 2016. 
As the name suggests, The Family Band album is a celebration of music making in the family home. I hope it will inspire parents to sing and play music with their kids, teachers to feel confident about sharing music in the classroom, and inspire a culture of creating music rather than consuming it. Children's lives are easily invaded up by a fake world full of plastic toys and pop culture. The family Band album aims to have real children, adults and musician playing real instruments and telling real stories  about adventures, relationships and the things that matter in an uncomplicated childhood.
Making an album is an expensive process. Studio hire, equipment, engineers, musicians, mastering, pressing cd's, will total well over $15,000. I am engaging a great artist for the artwork and booklet - Paul Summerfield - who has just completed his first childrens book "The Selfish Giant". http://www.psummerfield.com/
The creative team are a talented and passionate bunch which make me doubly excited!
This campaign will assist with the first part of the recording process. I have applied for (and will continue to apply for) grants to complete this project as they emerge and through determination, inspiration and a little help, The Family Band Album will come to life.

The funds raised will pay for musicians, engineer and mentoring kids.

Musicians: Dr Tom Fitzgerald, Tim Blake, Hue Blanes, Andrew Darling, Hiedi Rilstone, Michael Arvanatarkis, Daniel Tedford etc. Musicians will be mentoring Tali (violin) and Safin (cello) - my twins, who will be doing their first recording with instruments.
Engineer: Damien Clarles http://www.damiencharles.com/
Dr Tom Fitzgerald: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Fitzgerald_(c...
Hue Blanes: http://www.poundrecords.com/artists/hue-blanes/

A lot of the recording will happen at home with the help of Damien Charles and his portable studio equipment. This is great for my kids and local musicians who can record on the project. We will hire a Wagner U47 from a studio to get a warm vocal tone.

Recording a full length studio album is an expensive process. I am aiming for very high productions values, ulitising the best equipment and musicians and industry professionals. Without substantial grant funding to aid this campaign, the project will take a lot longer that I would prefer. Are there any grant writers out there???