Part of the magic of drummer/bandleader Makaya McCraven’s jazz-funk-hop fusion is that it sounds both dense and casual at the same time—think the rhythmic imperative of mid-’70s Miles Davis meets the mellow utility of a good beat tape, or whatever else you space out to while doing dishes. One of four live EPs released in 2025 (alongside Techno Logic, Hidden Out!, and The People’s Mixtape), PopUp Shop features recordings made shortly after McCraven’s 2015 album In the Moment, the inception point of a now-signature sound. The Dilla-like “Sweet Stuff” is a highlight, as is guitarist Jeff Parker’s playing on “Venice” and “Los Gatos,” which privilege texture and rhythm over the intricacies of voice—a guiding quality of McCraven’s music in general. Taken in aggregate, the EPs capture not only the excitement and collectivity of the modern alt-jazz scene, but its essential accessibility. Like Charles Mingus’ Blues & Roots, this is jazz as folk music with progressive intent, born of thought but easily felt.