Re Imagined: Makaya McCraven – Sunset

The Chicago-based drummer, producer, and beat scientist Makaya McCraven shared another single Sunset from his forthcoming new remix album, Deciphering The Message. Makaya digs through the vaults of the legendary jazz label Blue Note Records to put a modern bounce on classics by Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Kenny Burrell, and Eddie Gale, among others. The album will be released on November 19^th on Blue Note Records. The track Sunset remakes a deep cut by the under-recognized trumpeter and composer Kenny Dorham from his 1961 album Whistle Stop featuring Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Kenny Drew on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums.

McCraven has always been a collaborative artist and Deciphering The Message features newly recorded elements from vibraphonist Joel Ross, trumpeter Marquis Hill, alto saxophonist Greg Ward, guitarists Matt Gold and Jeff Parker, bassist Junius Paul, and De’Sean Jones on tenor saxophone and flute. In that way, Deciphering The Message connects the past and present, proving that musicians become legends by trekking the same roads with like-minded creators all moving toward the same goal.

Across numerous albums and mixtapes, McCraven has proven his mastery of the loop akin to hip-hop’s most celebrated beatmakers like J Dilla and Madlib, both of whom also found inspiration in the Blue Note catalog. With acclaimed releases like In The Moment (2015) and Universal Beings (2018), McCraven created his own lane in jazz by sampling his band playing improvised sessions throughout the world, then molding the audio several times to pull contrasting moods from it. For his most recent project McCraven remixed Gil Scott-Heron‘s final album I’m New Here into the equally emotive LP We’re New Again (2020).

Matthew Halsall – Harmony with Nature – Live at Hallé St Peter’s

Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O – Umkhumbi kaMa

Web Web, Max Herre, Mulatu Astatke – Meskel Flowers – Alternate Version

Nicholas Payton – Hangin’ in and Jivin’

Sercan Debelec, Fırat Ağacık, The Kankas – Draco

BADBADNOTGOOD, Arthur Verocai – Love Proceeding

Robert Glasper, D Smoke, Tiffany Gouché – Shine

Poppy Ajudha – Change Your Mind

Substantial, Funky DL – Gift Raps 2.0 – Instrumental

Makaya McCraven – Sunset

Nubya Garcia – Together Is A Beautiful Place To Be – Nala Sinephro Remix

Potatohead People – Bonzai View

Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Marcos Valle – Gotta Love Again – Kaidi Tatham Remix

Chelsea Carmichael – Bone And Soil

Ill Considered – The Lurch

Tenderlonious – Song for My Mother

Robert Walter, Jake Najor – Wet from the Press

The Bamboos – Bad Line – Deluxe Edition Bonus Track

Izo FitzRoy – Thelma & Louise (We’re Not Looking Back)

Nas – Big Nas (Original Song from MasterClass)

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