MAKAYA MCCRAVEN
Makaya McCraven
Makaya McCraven is a Paris-born, Chicago-based drummer, composer, and producer widely regarded as one of contemporary jazz's most inventive forces. Known as a 'beat scientist' and 'cultural synthesizer,' his creative process involves recording live improvised sessions with his band, then digitally reworking and layering those recordings into cohesive albums — a technique that bridges jazz improvisation with hip-hop production sensibility. He produced a landmark posthumous reimagining of Gil Scott-Heron's 'I'm New Here' titled 'We're New Again' (2020, XL Recordings), demonstrating his gift for transformative production work. His own releases on International Anthem Recording Company — including 'In These Times' (2022), 'Universal Beings' (2018), and 'Off the Record' (2025) — have drawn widespread critical acclaim from NPR, The New York Times, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and the Guardian. He has collaborated with Kamasi Washington, Joel Ross, Nubya Garcia, and Jeff Parker, among others. DownBeat named him a Rising Star Producer in their 2020 Critics Poll.
Bio
Makaya McCraven is a Paris-born, Chicago-based drummer, composer, and producer widely regarded as one of contemporary jazz's most inventive forces. Known as a 'beat scientist' and 'cultural synthesizer,' his creative process involves recording live improvised sessions with his band, then digitally reworking and layering those recordings into cohesive albums — a technique that bridges jazz improvisation with hip-hop production sensibility. He produced a landmark posthumous reimagining of Gil Scott-Heron's 'I'm New Here' titled 'We're New Again' (2020, XL Recordings), demonstrating his gift for transformative production work. His own releases on International Anthem Recording Company — including 'In These Times' (2022), 'Universal Beings' (2018), and 'Off the Record' (2025) — have drawn widespread critical acclaim from NPR, The New York Times, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and the Guardian. He has collaborated with Kamasi Washington, Joel Ross, Nubya Garcia, and Jeff Parker, among others. DownBeat named him a Rising Star Producer in their 2020 Critics Poll.
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