The prolific Chicago-based drummer, composer, and producer Makaya McCraven is a cultural synthesizer with a unique gift for blending past, present, and future into jazz-rooted 21st-century folk music. “McCraven has quietly become one of the best arguments for jazz’s vitality,” says The New York Times. “His ability to wrap his albums in the dark allure of a club show, the timeless texture of an old Folkways record, and the sonic layering of a hip-hop producer has turned Mr. McCraven into the most discussed young musician on a Chicago jazz scene teeming with fresh energy.”

Born in Paris to a Hungarian singer and flutist and an African American expat jazz drummer, McCraven was influenced by an enticing blend of cultures that helped establish his philosophies around jazz as folk music, as well as the role of music in building and reflecting communities. He headlined New York’s Winter Jazz Festival in January 2025, performing in four different configurations over the course of a single week. This performance ties in with a new album release following In These Times, his phenomenally successful 2022 recording.