Yea Big and Tatsu Aoki - The Hand and The Moon, Part One

The Hand and the Moon is the first duo recording from Yea Big and Tatsu Aoki, two improvised sets on their favorite instruments: bass clarinet (Yea Big), shamisen (Tatsu Aoki, Part One), and bass (Tatsu Aoki, Part Two). Its floating, nighttime vibes showcase a comfortable conversation between two musicians who are loving the process of getting acquainted.

Stefen says, "I learned of Tatsu's work through FPE, at which point I invited him down to play a show with me in Bloomington. Tatsu's solo set was amazing. Our first time playing together was actually in front of the audience at that show...

My goal with these recordings was to capture the two of us communicating with each other in as simple a form as possible, just our bare instruments, no effects, no touch-ups or redos. Just direct expression between two people who love attempting to communicate the ineffable through their music.

But it isn't really about the instruments at all. Our instruments are like the hand pointing toward the moon. Don't confuse the hand for the moon. What we want people to experience through our music is a glimpse of the moon."

Tatsu says, "Coolio!"

The Hand and the Moon, Part One will be available digitally from FPE Records May 24, 2024.