Makaya McCraven in New York

Makaya McCraven is an American drummer, composer and producer, born in Paris, raised in Massachusetts and based in Chicago. He is known for contemporary jazz shaped through ensemble improvisation and extensive post-production, particularly on the albums In the Moment, Universal Beings, Deciphering the Message and In These Times. At The Bedford in Chicago, Makaya McCraven recorded improvised sets that supplied the source material for In the Moment. He later brought a small ensemble to NPR’s Tiny Desk in Washington, D.C., presenting music from Universal Beings with the drums at the center of the performance.