Jazz Articles about Nate Smith

About Nate Smith

Catching Up With

Nate Smith can't sit down! After headlining with two of his bands at the 2022 Newport Jazz Festival, The Fearless Flyers and Nate Smith + Kinfolk he is off to New York for a one week run at the Blue Note followed by Los Angeles, Europe and then back to the United States where he is on the road for the rest of the year. For the past 20 years Smith has worked with the biggest names in jazz, rock, ...

Album Review

Somi: Zenzile: The Reimagination Of Miriam Makeba

Read "Zenzile: The Reimagination Of Miriam Makeba" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
March 21, 2022

Il legame musicale e simbolico con l'Africa resta centrale nella produzione artistica di Somi, la vocalist e cantautrice statunitense dai genitori africani giunta al successo con gli album The Lagos Music Saloon e Holy Room. Il suo nuovo progetto è dedicato a Miriam Makeba, che avrebbe compiuto 90 anni il 4 marzo, data di pubblicazione del presente album. I brani in scaletta, tutti presi dallo storico repertorio della cantante, sono condivisi col musical Dreaming Zenzile, che Somi ...

Radio & Podcasts

New releases from Protocol, Mark Lockheart, Nate Smith and Clerq

by Len Davis
January 23, 2022

Featuring Chad Wackerman, John Novello and new releases from Simon Phillips and Protocol, Nate Smith and Mark Lockheart. Playlist Chad Wackerman"Spiral" from Legs Eleven (Self Produced) 00:00 OHM"Ohmage" from OHM (Black Note) 06:08 John Novello"Journey To Nowhere" from Threshold (Holographic) 12:23 {J K Kleutgens “5 For Eddie" from Cave Men (J2K) 18:27 Protocol"Jagnnath" from Protocol 5 (Phantom) 24:44 Gustavo Carmo"Gradient Descent" from Gustavo Carmo (Self Produced) 30:57 Mark Lockheart"Jagdish" from Dreamers (Edition) 37:13 Nate Smith"Altitude" from Kinfolk 2: ...

Radio & Podcasts

The Legendary Nate Smith: What's the story?

by Leo Sidran
October 4, 2021

Drummer, composer and bandleader Nate Smith is known and celebrated in many circles. In recent years his drumming has become as influential as it has been ubiquitous. Transcription books of his playing have been written, and any drummer trying to play funk or pocket oriented music today will have to confront Nate's playing one way or another. He has a very specific and personal way of drumming, both deeply reliable and rooted, and also very fluid and flexible.

Album Review

Nate Smith: Kinfolk 2: See The Birds

Read "Kinfolk 2: See The Birds" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
September 10, 2021

If there were brick & mortar establishments called record stores today, one could imagine the challenge Nate Smith's Kinfolk projects would pose for an employee trying to file his latest releases. Those familiar with the drummer's work in the bands of Chris Potter, Dave Holland, or Alex Sipiagin might place the discs in the jazz section, but then again he's worked with the jazz/pop/soul singers José James and Norah Jones and he heads up the funk/soul band The Fearless Flyers. ...

Album Review

Walter Smith III: In Common 2

Read "In Common 2" reviewed by Paul Rauch

by Paul Rauch
June 1, 2020

The musical paths of saxophonist/composer Walter Smith III and guitarist/composer Matthew Stevens have crossed on many occasions over the years, touring and recording together in their respective bands and those of Esperanza Spalding, Ambrose Akinmusire, Terence Blanchard, Dave Douglas and Terri Lynne Carrington. They first recorded together in 2017, convening a stellar band to interpret original compositions written for the session. In Common (Whirlwind, 2018) was well received for its original sound and spontaneity. They've reconvened for In ...

Album Review

Nate Smith: Kinfolk: Postcards from Everywhere

Read "Kinfolk: Postcards from Everywhere" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
August 28, 2017

In aggiunta alla brillante carriera nei gruppi di Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Jose James e molti altri, il quarantaduenne batterista debutta da leader presentando un jazz fresco e immediatamente gradevole ma allo stesso tempo fantasioso negli impasti timbrici e nei ritmi. Un risultato ottenuto grazie alle cantabili composizioni originali (profumate di aromi soul e hip-hop con accattivanti leggerezze pop) e alla presenza di magistrali ospiti come gli stessi Holland e Potter, ma anche di Lionel Loueke e Gretchen Parlato. Il ...