Born in Paris to musician parents – his father Stephen plays drums, and his mother is Agnes Zsigmondi, a folk singer well known in
her native Hungary – McCraven also enjoyed the mentorship of saxophonists Archie Shepp and Yusef Lateef (both of them friends/colleagues of his
father) from a young age. By the time he entered the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, McCraven had already toured with Cold
Duck Complex, which he co-founded in high school as a merger of rock and hip-hop.

Looking for a larger stage, McCraven moved to Chicago when his wife received a tenure-track post at Northwestern University, but the
demand for his services kept him commuting between the east and midwest coasts for the next few years, during which he appeared on more
than a dozen pop, rock, and hip-hop releases. Knowing that he had to “work here to live here,” he also made a point of attending any session he
could find; learning about the cityÂ’s great players; and setting up his own sessions, until word got out about his crisply inventive and powerfully
soulful percussion, leading him to be one of the cities most in demand drummers.

Having recently recorded with Chicago guitarist Bobby Broom, and now preparing for a headlined showcase in this summer’s “Made In
Chicago” series at Millennium Park, as well as touring with Occidental Brother and Corey Wilkes, McCraven has cracked the upper echelon of Chicago jazz. But it hasn’t changed his basic philosophy. “I like
the music to be tight, even when itÂ’s loose, if that makes sense. I can play in a completely improvised situation, but I like to create the illusion
that it’s not completely improvised.” It’s a viewpoint that guarantees him continued access to the jazz and pop worlds alike.

Born in Paris to musician parents – his father Stephen plays drums, and his mother is Agnes Zsigmondi, a folk singer well known in
her native Hungary – McCraven also enjoyed the mentorship of saxophonists Archie Shepp and Yusef Lateef (both of them friends/colleagues of his
father) from a young age. By the time he entered the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, McCraven had already toured with Cold
Duck Complex, which he co-founded in high school as a merger of rock and hip-hop.

Looking for a larger stage, McCraven moved to Chicago when his wife received a tenure-track post at Northwestern University, but the
demand for his services kept him commuting between the east and midwest coasts for the next few years, during which he appeared on more
than a dozen pop, rock, and hip-hop releases. Knowing that he had to “work here to live here,” he also made a point of attending any session he
could find; learning about the cityÂ’s great players; and setting up his own sessions, until word got out about his crisply inventive and powerfully
soulful percussion, leading him to be one of the cities most in demand drummers.

Having recently recorded with Chicago guitarist Bobby Broom, and now preparing for a headlined showcase in this summer’s “Made In
Chicago” series at Millennium Park, as well as touring with Occidental Brother and Corey Wilkes, McCraven has cracked the upper echelon of Chicago jazz. But it hasn’t changed his basic philosophy. “I like
the music to be tight, even when itÂ’s loose, if that makes sense. I can play in a completely improvised situation, but I like to create the illusion
that it’s not completely improvised.” It’s a viewpoint that guarantees him continued access to the jazz and pop worlds alike.

In a new era of genre-bending music, Makaya McCraven pushes the boundaries of sound and rhythm to create categories of his own. Called "a sound visionary" (jazzinchicago.org) who is "not your everyday jazz drummer" (thewordisbond.com), McCraven is a beat scientist. Whether behind the drums or in the lab, mixmaster Makaya McCraven moves between genres at lightning speed. "You are listening to one incredible musician. His style and sound is unique, a heady, skillful, sophisticated and boldly uncompromising mix of jazz and hiphop" (UKVibe). Makaya's breakthrough debut 2XLP, "In the Moment" (International Anthem, 2015) has garnered international attention, earning critical acclaim from The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, BBC (Gilles Peterson's "Album of the Week"), and NPR. "In the Moment" is one of DownBeat and Pop Matters' Top Jazz Albums of 2015. UK's The Wire writes, "While Teo Macero's work with Miles [Davis] might seem the obvious reference point, ‘In The Moment' is closer in spirit to Madlib and J Dilla." Jazz Times calls "In The Moment" "mesmerizing" and "an important document."



Born in Paris in 1983 and raised in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts to jazz drummer Stephen McCraven (Sam Rivers, Archie Shepp) and Hungarian folk singer Agnes Zsigmondi, Makaya was exposed to broad ranges of influences from a young age. Makaya formulated his musical identity under the mentorship of jazz legends Archie Shepp, Marion Brown, and Yusef Lateef. In high school, McCraven cofounded Cold Duck Complex, a jazz hip hop band with a strong following in the Northeast through his years as a student at UMASS Amherst where he studied Jazz. At this time, Makaya played locally and opened for Wu-Tang Clan, Rhazel, Digable Planets, The Pharcyde, 50 Cent, Mixmaster Mike, and The Wailers. In 2007, Makaya McCraven moved to Chicago and quickly established himself in the city's rich music scene as he played with Bobby Broom, Corey Wilkes, Willie Pickens, Occidental Brothers, Marquis Hill, Jeff Parker and others. 2012 proved a landmark year for McCraven: he released his debut album, "Split Decision" (Chicago Sessions) and led a 13-piece All-Star band as the featured "Made in Chicago" performance at Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavilion.



McCraven has played in some of the world's best clubs, theaters, festivals and arenas. Makaya has shared the stage with a host of great artists such as Charles Neville, Lionel Louke, Soulive, Marcus Strickland, and Bernie Worrell. He has toured extensively, including a 52-city national tour opening for Steely Dan with The Bobby Broom OrganiSation. Makaya endorses Vic Firth sticks and Istanbul AGOP Cymbals.



Makaya McCraven layers his extensive experience with hip hop bands, African dance bands, Hungarian folk music, and indie rock on top of a deep history of "straight ahead" jazz, improvisation, and the avantgarde with beats, sampling, and electronics as a form of unique self expression.



In 2016 McCraven will perform at the Winter Jazz Fest in New York City and will embark in the Spring on his first headlining European tour.