Following last year's rework of Gil Scott-Heron's final album for We're New Again, Makaya McCraven will now remix jazz classics from the Blue Note Records catalogue on a new release. The drummer and producer will share Deciphering the Message on November 19.
Deciphering the Message — McCraven's first release for the venerable jazz label — finds the artist and his collaborators reimagining originals from Art Blakey, Eddie Gale, Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Dexter Gordon and more.
"De'Jeff's Tune," which is McCraven's version of Jack Wilson's "Frank's Tune," can be heard below, alongside a playlist of the Blue Note originals you can familiarize yourself with ahead of time.
Deciphering the Message also features guitarist Jeff Parker, bassist Junius Paul, guitarist Matt Gold, alto saxophonist Greg Ward, flautist De'Sean Jones, vibraphonist Joel Ross and trumpeter Marquis Hill.
McCraven's "De'Jeff's Tune" opens with a message sampled from the late drummer Art Blakey: "We want you to leave your worldly troubles outside and come in here and swing." The track features guitarist Jeff Parker and flutist De'Sean Jones.
"I always want to make music that will connect with people in one way, where it makes them nod or feel something or transport them somewhere," McCraven said in a statement. "I also hope this makes them check out the source of this music if they have it. The music that we're making now is part of the same route and is connected, so I want to honor tradition and release something that people can vibe to."
Last year also saw McCraven released an addendum LP to his acclaimed 2018 outing Universal Beings, which landed among Exclaim!'s Top 10 Experimental & Modern Composition Albums of that year.
Deciphering the Message:
1. A Slice of the Tap (a.k.a. Sliced Off the Top)
2. Sunset (a.k.a. Son Set)
3. When Your Lover Has Gone (a.k.a. When You've Left Your Lover)
4. Ecaroh (a.k.a. Revlis)
5. Tranquility (a.k.a. Corner of the World)
6. Wail Bait (a.k.a. Wait Bail)
7. Coppin' the Haven (a.k.a. At the Haven Coppin')
8. Frank's Tune (a.k.a. De'Jeff's Tune)
9. Autumn in New York (a.k.a. Spring in Chicago)
10. Monaco (a.k.a. Monte Negro)
11. Mr. Jin (a.k.a. Mr. Gin)
12. C.F.D. (a.k.a. D.F.C.)
13. Black Rhythm Happening
Deciphering the Message — McCraven's first release for the venerable jazz label — finds the artist and his collaborators reimagining originals from Art Blakey, Eddie Gale, Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Dexter Gordon and more.
"De'Jeff's Tune," which is McCraven's version of Jack Wilson's "Frank's Tune," can be heard below, alongside a playlist of the Blue Note originals you can familiarize yourself with ahead of time.
Deciphering the Message also features guitarist Jeff Parker, bassist Junius Paul, guitarist Matt Gold, alto saxophonist Greg Ward, flautist De'Sean Jones, vibraphonist Joel Ross and trumpeter Marquis Hill.
McCraven's "De'Jeff's Tune" opens with a message sampled from the late drummer Art Blakey: "We want you to leave your worldly troubles outside and come in here and swing." The track features guitarist Jeff Parker and flutist De'Sean Jones.
"I always want to make music that will connect with people in one way, where it makes them nod or feel something or transport them somewhere," McCraven said in a statement. "I also hope this makes them check out the source of this music if they have it. The music that we're making now is part of the same route and is connected, so I want to honor tradition and release something that people can vibe to."
Last year also saw McCraven released an addendum LP to his acclaimed 2018 outing Universal Beings, which landed among Exclaim!'s Top 10 Experimental & Modern Composition Albums of that year.
Deciphering the Message:
1. A Slice of the Tap (a.k.a. Sliced Off the Top)
2. Sunset (a.k.a. Son Set)
3. When Your Lover Has Gone (a.k.a. When You've Left Your Lover)
4. Ecaroh (a.k.a. Revlis)
5. Tranquility (a.k.a. Corner of the World)
6. Wail Bait (a.k.a. Wait Bail)
7. Coppin' the Haven (a.k.a. At the Haven Coppin')
8. Frank's Tune (a.k.a. De'Jeff's Tune)
9. Autumn in New York (a.k.a. Spring in Chicago)
10. Monaco (a.k.a. Monte Negro)
11. Mr. Jin (a.k.a. Mr. Gin)
12. C.F.D. (a.k.a. D.F.C.)
13. Black Rhythm Happening