A Minneapolis outfit built on rhythm, feel, and restraint, The Hi-Bridge Band brings together a circle of longtime collaborators led by producer and drummer Cy Pierpont for Secret Stash Records.

Their limited-edition debut 45, “Cannonball” b/w “Nuevo Cose,” features guitarist Blair Krivanek alongside Pierpont and Riley Helgeson, reuniting three former full-time members of Sonny Knight & The Lakers—not to recreate that band’s sound, but to carry their shared musical language into a looser, more improvisational setting. Helgeson composed both sides and plays Hammond organ on “Nuevo Cose,” a departure for the seasoned trumpeter. Connor Carroll, a regular substitute with the Lakers, plays flute and baritone sax, while Kevin Gastonguay—an occasional Lakers sub—adds B3 to “Cannonball.”

Recorded at Pierpont’s home studio overlooking Saint Paul’s High Bridge, the recordings have an easy, unforced immediacy that comes from the comfort of players who trust one another. Nothing feels overworked. The rhythm section hits hard, the arrangements leave space around the parts, and there’s a deep, stubborn funk running underneath it all. The result is lean, soulful instrumental music with just enough grit around the edges.