From the prolific mind of Mike Dillon comes Mike & Beignet Go to the Zoo, an 11-track, multi-dimensional percussion and vibraphone album. What began as an exploration of loss, would transform into a celebration of life, friendship, and the enduring spirit of a 5.6 pound Papillon named Beignet, a tiny pup who became Dillon’s constant tour companion, by his side for thousands of miles.

The compositions were born from the grief of losing friends and influences. In a pivot to find light in the dark, Dillon decided to metaphorically transform those humans into animals, reimagining the LP as a joyful trip to the zoo with his dog.

Highlights include the ghostly yet elegant “Honey The Peregrine,” a stately tribute to the late Ellis Marsalis entitled “Ellis the Penguin,” and “Puma & The Spider Monkey,” an analog synth Cumbia. It winds through psychedelia like “Gorilla & Zebra Birthday Party,” the electro-jungle boogie-funk of “Gibby Plays Possum” and closes with the mournful elegy “Beignet Greets the Owl.

Mike Dillon is a longtime collaborator of artists like Les Claypool and Rickie Lee Jones. This latest effort completes a loose trilogy of solo instrumental releases following Functioning Broke (2016) and Rosewood (2020).