Putting to good use his grant for creative individuals from the Minnesota State Arts Board, last year Minneapolis percussionist Steve Hirsh organized this unconventional session with two long-time New York area associates, baritone saxophonist Dave Sewelson and guitarist/bassist Matt Hollenberg. Known for his work with multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter, bassist William Parker and other timbre magnifiers, Hirsh's partners as the Remergency trio on Wave Benders are other players who regularly slide through varieties of improvised music that encompasses free jazz, avant rock and other perhaps yet unclassified genres.

Electric guitarist and sometime electric bassist Matt Hollenberg has been part of John Zorn's progressive metal discs as well as a member of rock-oriented bands like Tachyons and Cleric. More often found on the jazz side of the equation, baritone saxophonist Dave Sewelson has been involved in a long-time low-pitch group with bassist Dave Hofstra, as well as playing with everyone from trombonist Steve Swell to guitarist Ava Mendoza.

Bringing more than basement tones to Wave Benders' four extended tracks Sewelson amplifies his expected honks, slides and smears by adding respiration from what he calls the "psychedelic electric blues harmonica". These otherworldly tones fit perfectly with Hollenberg's pyrotechnical, ringing chords and elevated drones as well as the steady pulse of Hirsh's backbeats and ruffs.

The bellicose attacks of the session's first three tracks, especially on the extended "Pumpkins", where wah-wah effects and ascending metallic flanges almost pull the piece into guitar hero territory, are nicely offset by the near acoustic interaction on the title track. There a combination of intermittent drum ruffs, finger-patting string slaps and basement level horn snarls together suggest yet another unique sound mutation.

Taking into account the unexpected sonic twists and turns that brighten the improvisations here, they add up to yet another reason why Wave Benders calls for listeners' serious investigation.

Ken Waxman, Toronto January 2026