Wassabi Collective

Wassabi Collective is a progressive tribal electro-funk band from Nelson, British Columbia that formed in 2000 and spent over a decade crisscrossing Canada in a converted school bus before stepping away in 2012. The five-piece lineup consists of Melissa Meretsky on percussion and vocals, Brent 'Gisto' Hongisto on guitar and vocals, Jimmy Lewis on drums and vocals, keyboardist Rahj Levinson, and bassist Scott Milne. They create a unique sound that is progressive and dynamic, bouncing on a reggae groove or launching into a pulsating tribal soul shakedown, switching with ease between hip hop punches and organic electro textures, ribbons of soul and trance winding throughout. The band incorporates tribal jazz, folk music and soul to create a positive vibe and progressive energy. Wassabi Collective has shared the stage with Michael Franti and Spearhead, Femi Kuti, Hot Hot Heat, Randy Bachman of The Guess Who, Bedouin Soundclash, and K-OS. They won Toronto Exclusive magazine Provincial Awards for Best World Song ('One Day'), World Album ('Stories Not Forgotten'), World Group, and Website in October 2007. The band capped off their initial run with a standout performance at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics before taking a well-earned hiatus. They returned for their 25th Anniversary Reunion in 2025, marking their comeback after more than a decade away from performing.

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