Steve Dawson (of Dolly Varden) & Funeral Bonsai Wedding are returning on May 8th with their latest album, Last Flight Out, on May 8th. They recently released the album’s title and opening tracking which is accompanied by the Joel Benjamin and Diane Christiansen animated video below.
The core of the Funeral Bonsai Wedding are the talented local jazz greats Jason Adasiewicz (vibraphone), Charles Rumback (drums), Jason Roebke (bass and string arrangements). Through out the album he is also joined by a string section consisting of Inger Carle, Andra Kulans, Vannia Phillips, and Melissa Bach.
When asked about the album’s title track Dawson had this to say; "The more I think about this song, and the whole album, really, it seems to be about the feeling that we are all living through a giant collective ending. With climate change, global rage and violence, the undoing of the fabric of society it feels like an ending. So, the next thought is, “how can I best use the time that’s left?” This song feels like an acknowledgement of the situation. The song purposely has no tonic – no clear home base chord – and the strings wind through it like vines searching for places to hang on."
Photo by Matthew Gilson