Biography
Makaya McCraven is a French-born, American jazz drummer, composer, and producer celebrated for his innovative approach to jazz and genre-blending artistry. Born in Paris in 1983 to Hungarian singer and flutist Ágnes Zsigmondi and American jazz drummer Stephen McCraven, Makaya was immersed in music from an early age, performing in his father's drum ensemble by age five. Raised in Northampton, Massachusetts, he absorbed a rich tapestry of musical influences from his parents and their creative community, which included jazz luminaries such as Archie Shepp, Marion Brown, and Yusef Lateef.
McCraven’s early career saw him forming the jazz-hip hop band Cold Duck Complex in high school, opening for acts like Wu-Tang Clan and Digable Planets. He studied jazz at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he became part of the university's jazz orchestra and received DownBeat student awards. In 2007, he relocated to Chicago, quickly establishing himself in the city’s vibrant jazz scene and collaborating with artists such as Willie Pickens, Jeff Parker, and Marquis Hill. His breakthrough came with the 2015 album 'In the Moment,' which showcased his signature technique of blending live improvisation with hip-hop-inspired production, earning him international acclaim.
McCraven’s musical style is marked by a seamless fusion of jazz, hip-hop, and electronic music, often described as 'nu jazz' or 'free jazz.' He is recognized for his 'beat scientist' approach, using studio techniques to collage and recontextualize live recordings. His albums, including 'Universal Beings' (2018) and 'In These Times' (2022), feature collaborations with musicians from New York, London, and Los Angeles, and have helped redefine the boundaries of contemporary jazz. McCraven’s legacy is that of a cultural synthesizer, bridging generations and genres while inspiring a new wave of jazz musicians to explore the possibilities of improvisation and production.
Fun Facts
- Makaya McCraven played in his father's drum ensemble, the CMSS Bashers, at age five.
- His high school band, Cold Duck Complex, opened for legendary hip-hop acts including Wu-Tang Clan and Digable Planets.
- McCraven’s wife, Nitasha Tamar Sharma, is a comparative race studies scholar at Northwestern University.
- He is known for transforming hours of live improvisation into studio albums by editing, looping, and layering recordings—a process likened to Teo Macero’s work with Miles Davis.
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Stephen McCraven - Father and early teacher; exposed Makaya to jazz and avant-garde traditions (CMSS Bashers ensemble) [1983–present]
- Archie Shepp - Mentor during studies at UMass Amherst; influential avant-garde saxophonist (University jazz orchestra, private study) [early 2000s]
- Marion Brown - Mentor and family friend; influential in shaping Makaya’s musical philosophy (Community performances, private study) [early 2000s]
- Yusef Lateef - Mentor during university studies; renowned multi-instrumentalist and composer (University jazz orchestra, private study) [early 2000s]
- Pete Rock - Stylistic influence; hip-hop producer whose jazz sampling techniques inspired Makaya’s production style (Sampling and beat-making approach) [influence ongoing]
Key Collaborators
- Jeff Parker - Frequent collaborator in Chicago jazz scene (Live performances, studio recordings) [2007–present]
- Marquis Hill - Trumpeter and bandmate in Chicago ensembles (Live performances, 'In the Moment', 'Universal Beings') [2010s–present]
- Willie Pickens - Veteran pianist; performed together in Chicago (Live performances) [2007–2018]
- Tomeka Reid - Cellist featured on 'Universal Beings' ('Universal Beings') [2018]
- Shabaka Hutchings - Saxophonist featured on 'Universal Beings' ('Universal Beings') [2018]
- Brandee Younger - Harpist; collaborated on her album 'Brand New Life' and performed together ('Brand New Life', 'In These Times') [2022–present]
- Joel Ross - Mallet percussionist featured on 'In These Times' ('In These Times') [2022]
- De’Sean Jones - Wind player featured on 'In These Times' ('In These Times') [2022]
- Kamasi Washington - Performed together in live settings (Live performances) [2015–2016]
- Nubya Garcia - Saxophonist; collaborated on various projects (Live performances, studio sessions) [2018–present]
Artists Influenced
- Junius Paul - Bassist and frequent collaborator; McCraven’s production and compositional style have influenced Paul’s solo work ('Universal Beings', Paul's solo albums) [2018–present]
- Ashley Henry - Pianist; has cited McCraven’s approach as influential on his own genre-blending style (Collaborative performances, studio work) [2018–present]
- Cassie Kinoshi - Saxophonist; inspired by McCraven’s fusion of jazz and electronic music (Collaborative performances) [2018–present]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Deciphering The Message | 2021-11-19 | Album |
| In The Moment (IA11 Edition) | 2025-03-11 | Album |
| In the Moment | 2015-01-20 | Album |
| In the Moment | 2015-01-20 | Album |
| We're New Again - A Reimagining by Makaya McCraven | 2020-02-07 | Album |
| Universal Beings | 2018-10-26 | Album |
| Universal Beings | 2018-10-26 | Album |
| Gilles Peterson presents International Anthem | 2025-06-17 | Album |
| In These Times | 2022-09-23 | Album |
| In These Times | 2022-09-23 | Album |
| In The Moment (IA11 Edition) | 2025-03-11 | Album |
| Where We Come From (Chicago x London Mixtape) | 2018-07-27 | Album |
| Moving Cities | 2019-12-06 | Album |
| Universal Beings | 2018-10-26 | Album |
| Where We Come From (Chicago x London Mixtape) | 2018-07-27 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Autumn In New York (Deciphering The Message)
- Butterscotch (In the Moment)
- Inner Flight (Universal Beings)
- Inner Flight (Universal Beings)
- Butterscotch (In the Moment)
- When Your Lover Has Gone (Deciphering The Message)
- Sweet Tooth (In The Moment (IA11 Edition))
- Sweet Tooth (In The Moment (IA11 Edition))
- hills (Acoustic)
- I'm New Here (We're New Again - A Reimagining by Makaya McCraven)
External Links
Tags: #contemporary-jazz, #jazz, #nu-jazz
References
Heard on WWOZ
Makaya McCraven has been played 12 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station. Showing the 10 most recent plays.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 8, 2026 | 07:52 | The Beat Upfrom Off The Record | The Morning Setw/ Scott Borne | |
| Jan 6, 2026 | 17:44 | sweet stufffrom pop up shop | Jazz from Jax Breweryw/ T.R. Johnson | |
| Dec 26, 2025 | 08:47 | News Feed (feat. Junius Paul)from Hidden Out! - EP | The Morning Setw/ Dave Dauterive | |
| Dec 19, 2025 | 07:20 | Awaze (feat. Josh Johnson)from Hidden Out! - EP | The Morning Setw/ Dave Dauterive | |
| Dec 5, 2025 | 07:08 | Awaze (feat. Josh Johnson)from Hidden Out! - EP | The Morning Setw/ Dave Dauterive | |
| Nov 18, 2025 | 16:56 | Autumn In New Yorkfrom DECIPHERING THE CODE | Jazz from Jax Breweryw/ T.R. Johnson | |
| Nov 14, 2025 | 07:26 | Battleships (feat. Jeff Parker)from Hidden Out! - EP | The Morning Setw/ Dave Dauterive | |
| Nov 13, 2025 | 08:03 | Gnawafrom In The Moment | The Morning Setw/ Scott Borne | |
| Oct 14, 2025 | 17:03 | Autumn In New Yorkfrom DECIPHERING THE CODE | Jazz from Jax Breweryw/ T.R. Johnson | |
| Oct 2, 2025 | 06:57 | The Jauntfrom In The Moment | The Morning Setw/ Scott Borne |