PAPATAMUS REDUX

MAHAKALA MUSIC (RELEASED SEPTEMBER 24, 2026)

The music of saxophonist Nathan Hanson and drummer Steve Hirsh is not about notes. It’s not about beats. It isn’t even about bars and measures. The three spontaneous compositions that comprise Memory Is Subjective are all about moments. There are moments of exhilaration as these two master improvisers become caught up in the excitement of conversing on the spot and in the moment, without a preconceived plan. There are moments of contemplation as they reflect on what has just been played and consider where to take the music next. There are complex moments as Hanson and Hirsh intertwine in the art of collective improvisation, Hanson’s saxophone singing while Hirsh’s drums swing. There are also simple moments, as the two luxuriate on melodic passages they discover during their interaction. Hanson expresses moments of pain as he reaches for ever-higher notes or effusive passages, yet finds comfort in the silence of a breath. Hirsh experiences moments of pure joy as he unleashes his full arsenal of percussive accents. At other times, he conveys sadness through the deep tones of his tom-toms. The 65-minute Memory Is Subjective is packed with these and many other musical moments that unfold as Hanson and Hirsh simply go with the flow. It’s as if they are taking their cue from the Buddha: “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” Memory Is Subjective is an album of meaningful, mesmerizing and masterfully performed moments from Nathan Hanson and Steve Hirsh. Give them a moment of your time and you’ll be rewarded with moments of exhilaration and contemplation, complexity and simplicity, pain and comfort, joy and sadness.

BOTTOM LINE: Captured live at 210 Gallery & Art Space in Sandstone, Minnesota, Memory Is Subjective brings together saxophonist Nathan Hanson and drummer Steve Hirsh. Although the two have worked together in various musical settings, this is their first duo session — and it is a mesmerizing and meaningful performance that might just put  Sandstone on the map as a center for the art of spontaneous improvisation.