Japanese keyboardist and songwriter Masayuki Hirano is referred to in the industry as “NYC’s secret weapon.” He’s the musical equivalent of a savant linguist with a talent for all the vernaculars. Wild juxtapositions inhabit BIGYUKI’s performances: heavy beats laced with classical flourishes; techy low-end bleeps expressed through a heart-shaped sieve.
Best known for composing three cuts on A Tribe Called Quest’s most recent album and recently found on tour with Kamasi Washington, Masayuki is knee-deep in both the jazz and hip-hop vanguard as a highly sought-after session player. As a composer and bandleader, he uncorks an infectious and beautifully weird palette of music on his audience. If you saw him perform at Barbès in the Woods this Summer, well, then you know already.
“I made my name as a session player in New York, where I was known for keeping my feet in every genre that I love,” he explains. “My own music is a collage, but it definitely has a groove. I want my music to stimulate your mind and move your lower body.”
This New England tour marks the release of his latest album on Verve, “Neon Chapter.” His performance at BOMBYX will begin with a solo set on grand piano, followed by a trio set with Randy Runyon on guitar and Tim “Smithsonian” Smith on drums.