MAKAYA McCRAVEN
ABOUT:
Makaya McCraven | Avant-Garde Jazz
Makaya McCraven is a Chicago-based drummer, composer, and producer widely recognized as one of the most forward-thinking voices in contemporary jazz. Often described as a “cultural synthesizer,” McCraven blends live improvisation, hip-hop beat science, and jazz tradition into a sound that collapses past, present, and future into one fluid musical language.
His 2022 album In These Times (International Anthem) marked the culmination of more than seven years of compositional and performance evolution. Built from expansive ensemble writing and refined through years of global touring, the album represents McCraven’s most fully realized artistic statement—rooted in jazz, informed by hip-hop, and shaped by collective musicianship. The New York Times has called him “one of the best arguments for jazz’s vitality.”
McCraven is known for transforming live performances into new works through sampling and reconstruction, a process first widely recognized on In the Moment and further developed across releases like Universal Beings, Highly Rare, and Deciphering the Message (Blue Note). His recent projects—including We’re New Again, his reimagining of Gil Scott-Heron’s final album—have cemented his reputation as a producer who honors legacy while pushing Black improvised music forward.
Equally at home in jazz clubs, concert halls, and festival stages worldwide, McCraven stands at the forefront of a generation redefining jazz as living, communal, and deeply connected to contemporary culture.