How Makaya McCraven is breathing fresh life into jazz
As the genre moves into the mainstream conservatoires, the drummer seeks to preserve its communal spirit
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2019/02/27/cs_20181129_makaya-mccraven_0017-5bc620708a6e27bfa9dfccbed292a212a45f11e4.jpg)
Drummer Makaya McCraven brings Universal Beings to Chicago : NPR
![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5778f8e9d1758e240171815e/1543882654576-BYA74QPBJO1GRFPT22SE/Screen+Shot+2018-12-03+at+6.14.44+PM.png)
MAKAYA MCCRAVEN — BIG FISH
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/media/medium/e/1/c/346db4269e62bb6308a10d23b0436.jpg)
Makaya McCraven Musician - All About Jazz
Makaya McCraven (@MakayaMcCraven) / X
![](https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1603116662022078466/vXji647B_400x400.jpg)
Makaya McCraven (@MakayaMcCraven) / X
![](https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/c_fill,h_468,q_75,w_1400/v1/clients/bloomington/Makaya_McCraven_by_Sulyiman_Stokes_72dpi2_2_1c842595-d400-4034-9d66-9411eb9f8f06.jpg)
Know Before You Go: Makaya McCraven concert on June 15
![](https://best-fit.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/albums/Gil_Scott_Heron_Were_New_Again_-_a_Reimagining_by_Makaya_McCraven.jpg?w=1200&h=1200&q=100&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1643647467&s=16dc293652ac3a9b81db5d50d98fbd08)
Makaya McCraven breathes new life into the work of Gil Scott-Heron
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dmaNvzBClUc/maxresdefault.jpg)
Makaya McCraven - What's In My Bag?
![](https://www.ft.com/__origami/service/image/v2/images/raw/https%3A%2F%2Fd1e00ek4ebabms.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Feeec1597-e40b-4617-9b39-5c9f021e6085.jpg?source=next&fit=scale-down&dpr=2&width=340)
How Makaya McCraven is breathing fresh life into jazz
![](https://best-fit.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/images/PRESS-SHOT-1_-Terra-Twin-Jan-2024-c-Rory-Dunn.jpg?w=600&h=398&q=100&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1706564505&s=a06df5e1f8d225ddceed3270eaa82604)
Makaya McCraven breathes new life into the work of Gil Scott-Heron