Makaya McCraven

A rhythm-forward live set rooted in improvisation and studio experimentation brings one of contemporary jazz’s most forward-thinking bandleaders to the stage on Miami Beach. Drummer, producer and sonic collagist Makaya McCraven arrives with his ensemble for a performance shaped by groove, repetition and real-time transformation, blurring the line between live jazz and beat-driven production.

McCraven’s Off The Record tour draws from a newly compiled release that brings together four interconnected EPs: Techno Logic, The People’s Mixtape, Hidden Out! and PopUp Shop. The material reflects his signature approach to “organic beat music,” a process that treats live performance as raw material to be reshaped, layered and reimagined. Long associated with Chicago’s experimental jazz and improvisation scenes, McCraven has built an international reputation for music that moves fluidly between jazz, hip-hop, electronic and global rhythmic traditions.

Makaya McCraven takes place Thursday, February 26 at the Miami Beach Bandshell. The concert is presented by the Rhythm Foundation in association with Brainville.