Jim Wisp is (left to right): Matt on bass, Elinor on cello, James vocals/guitar/keys, Hedda on violin and David on drums.

The story of Jim Wisp

Jim Wisp began as a drum and guitar recording session in an old Masonic Lodge in Island Bay. This was released as their debut album Momentum in 2013.

Since then the band has evolved into a lush classical post-rock sound consisting of violin, cello, bass, drums and guitar/keys/vocals. Within a song they travel from tiny, fragile moments to powerful cathartic releases.

Jim Wisp has a unique sound and every performance is a journey of complexity and significance. They are currently working on their upcoming EP Silhouettes which they sincerely hope will knock your socks off.

James dabbles in many different things and is an 'ideas man'. He sings and plays keys and guitar in the band and is notorious for building very dodgy prototype music gear involving a lot of tape. He studied composition at NZSM, played sax in The Aviators with Dave and is responsible for most of the weird and complicated bits in the songs.

Elinor's real name is Cellinor. She hasn't written a bio yet. From memory, her most defining moment was when she fought 16 evil flautists armed with nothing more than her cello bow and a piece of manuscript paper.

Matt sings bass and plays bass. He was originally based in the deeep South. He works in the film industry and buys stuff for making stuff.

Hedda has played the violin in numerous groups and orchestras in New Zealand and overseas. During daylight hours she works in interior acoustics and non-structural structural design. She is also responsible for making sure there are some bits in some of the songs that aren't weird or complicated.

David McGurk has been drumming for 20 years. He has played with several Wellington acts including popular Eastern European dance orchestra The Balkanistas (now Balkany), heavy-handed prog bands Mangle and Gruff and Planet Hunter, and funk legends The Aviators. He has also been involved in various musical escapades in Malaysia and Thailand. David spends his days as a mature student of public relations at Massey Wellington. He funds life by repairing brass and woodwind instruments at Vanguard Orchestral.

Photography by Abbie Dorrington from Big Mark & Co