Bonzai Suzuki
Bonzai Suzuki is a pop collective that revolves around material created by principal songwriters Dave Howard and Jaymz Bee as well as various members of the band. The group was formed in 2010 after Bee and fiddle/flutist/harpist Sahra Featherstone watched a DVD marathon of the BBC show The Mighty Boosh. Inspired by composing their first “crimp” (rap-poem) they agreed to make some music with a handful of good friends.
First in was Dave Howard, who had worked with Bee and Featherstone on a recording called “Sub Urban” by Jaymz Bee & The Deep Lounge Coalition, and was eager to write modern pop tunes with a slight eighties feel to it. Ballet dancer and actor Legs Mahoney (uh, not her real name) came next. She helped pen the band’s first song, Four is Four. Next came percussionist Great Bob Scott and later some featured guests including bassist Brandi Disterheft, BubzMagoo and Geegee.
The band released their debut CD in November of 2011 and have played low-key gigs at venues such as Lula Lounge, The Drake Hotel and The Painted Lady as well as a regular gig on New Years Eve each year at Massey Hall, opening for comics such as Scott Thompson and Andrea Martin. Currently the band members are creating more videos to add to the three currently featured on YouTube. The self-titled debut CD is available now through iTunes and CD Baby with a second disc coming out later this year.
