Makaya McCraven

Drummer, composer, and producer Makaya McCraven melds multiple genres of creative music to pursue new directions. Commonly referred to as a "beat scientist," McCraven seamlessly melds vanguard, post-bop, and jazz-funk with hip-hop, rock, and global rhythmic traditions, then juxtaposes them with left-field beat explorations, as on 2015's In the Moment. A bandleader and noted sideman, his résumé includes stints with Bobby Broom and Marquis Hill. McCraven recorded 2018's Universal Beings live with an international cast. In 2020, he issued the tour's soundtrack as Universal Beings E&F Sides. For 2021's Deciphering the Message, the drummer explored Blue Note's vaults, subsequently remixing and appending 13 jazz classics from the catalog. 2022's In These Times was seven years in the making, and featured more than a dozen collaborators. In 2025, McCraven issued a new version of 2015's In This Moment (A11 Edition) that included an obi, additional photos, and new liner notes by engineer Dave Vettraino.