Rising bassist Brad Miller, keyboard/synth virtuoso BIGYUKI, and Lettuce bandmates Adam Deitch (drums) and Eric “Benny” Bloom (trumpet) will join forces for a new quartet set to make three stops in Florida in January 2024. The brief run is due to begin on January 19th at Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton before heading to Terra Fermata in Stuart on January 20th and Dunedin Brewery/Moon Tower in Dunedin.
BIGYUKI, real name Masayuki Hirano, has made a name for himself with his forward-thinking fusion of jazz, soul, hip-hop, and electronica. His unique sound has led him to produce and collaborate with a host of influential artists ranging from A Tribe Called Quest to Kamasi Washington to J-Cole to Lauryn Hill.
The freshest face in the bunch is 29-year-old bassist Brad Miller. After spending the early years of his career immersed in New York City’s progressive jazz, rock, and punk scenes, Miller has made his way into the jam world and its adjacent circles via collaborations with artists like Oteil Burbridge & Friends, Blaque Dynamite, Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, Roosevelt Collier, and Nikki Glaspie as well as performances at events like Suwannee Hulaween. Earlier this year, he joined Deitch as part of the ensemble for the Okeechobee Fest 2023 PoWoW! alongside members of Goose, The Free Nationals, and more.
Neither Deitch nor Bloom need much in the way of introductions for the extended funk and jam scenes. Beyond their years of collaboration in Lettuce and a slew of other projects, both boast extensive resumes in creative circles across the stylistic spectrum. Those circles continue to expand, too: Deitch recently released a new album with his eponymous jazz-funk quartet (of which Bloom is a member) and continues to make inroads with his solo producer project, while Bloom is currently ramping up his new country band, Benny & Taylor’s Honkytonk Express.
As Miller said of the eclectic new combo, “This new project is a combination of today’s top musicians in different genres all away from jam to hip hop to jazz. It will feature original and familiar hits from everyone in the band.” This will include tributes BIGYUKI’s work in Animus Rexx, the innovative early-2010s live producer project led by the late James Casey.
Of note, Miller and Deitch recently crossed paths at the 2023 edition of North Beach Music Festival in Miami Beach, FL, where Miller lead a quartet featuring Oz Noy, Thomas Pridgen, and Nick Hetko and Deitch played both a producer set and a jazz quartet set in addition to sitting in with The Disco Biscuits and Electric Kif. Check out a full recap of North Beach Music Festival 2023 here.
Tickets for the three January 2024 Florida dates by the new Adam Deitch / BIGYUKI / Eric “Benny” Bloom / Brad Miller project are now on sale. For tickets to the Boca Raton show (1/19), click here. For tickets to the Stuart show (1/20), click here. For information on the free Dunedin show (1/21), click here.
