THE NU JAZZ
These Genre-Bending Artists Are Reshaping Jazz
Makaya McCraven, Robert Glasper and Esperanza Spalding are just some of the contemporary jazz musicians who are pushing boundaries and rewriting the rules to suit their styles. Jazz is a music of freedom, of permanent revolution. Ever-expanding and ever-evolving, it changes with the times and in the hands of the musicians playing it.
MAKAYA MCCRAVEN
Chicago-based drummer and producer Makaya McCraven is one of the most original and innovative artists in jazz. Dubbed a “beat scientist,” he essentially created his own genre of music that includes elements of rock, jazz, hip-hop and world music. What makes McCraven unique is how he assembles his music in the studio, a process that entails splicing and remixing his live performances and adding in new rhythm tracks. His new release, “We’re New Again: A Reimagining” has McCraven applying his post-production wizardry to Gil Scott-Heron’s final studio album, 2010’s “I’m New Here,” and the result is arguably the most important jazz album of 2020 thus far.
ROBERT GLASPER
With the release of his Grammy-winning masterpiece “Black Radio” in 2012, Robert Glasper established himself as one of the most forward-thinking musicians and producers of the 21st century. An amalgam of jazz, soul, R&B, rap and rock, and featuring Erykah Badu, Yasiin Bey, Lupe Fiasco, Bilal and Meshell Ndegeocello, the album is a benchmark in contemporary music. Glasper continues to push boundaries and defy classification, right up through his most recent release, 2019’s “Fuck Yo Feelings.”
KRIS DAVIS
At the forefront of the Brooklyn jazz scene, the classically trained, Vancouver-born pianist and composer Kris Davis has been creating some of the most sophisticated and revered music since her debut recording, “Lifespan” (2004). A visionary, her style blends elements from both the modern classical and free-jazz genres. Her sensibility is on full display on her 2019 release, “Diatom Ribbons.” This is far-reaching, adventurous music. The curious will be rewarded.
MARK GUILIANA
A wildly innovative drummer, New Jersey native Mark Guiliana has emerged as a leading practitioner of nu jazz, a subgenre of jazz that incorporates electronica, improvisation, trip hop and funk, as on his Grammy-nominated 2019 release “Beat Music! Beat Music! Beat Music!” David Bowie chose him to play on what would be his final album, Blackstar, which helped cement Guiliana’s reputation as a versatile musician comfortable in a wide array of settings.
ESPERANZA SPALDING
When virtuoso jazz bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding took home the Best New Artist trophy at the 2010 Grammy Awards, beating the likes of Justin Bieber, Drake, Mumford & Sons and Florence & The Machine, it marked the arrival of a game-changing artist. Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Spalding picked up the violin at age 5, switched to the double bass at 15, and at 25 years old became the youngest-ever faculty member at Boston’s famed Berklee School of Music. To get a sense of the range and creative evolution of Spalding’s music, sample a track off each of her six albums, starting with her debut, “Junjo” (2006) up through her last release, 2018’s “Twelve Little Spells.”
JAIMIE BRANCH
Having performed with bands Spoon and TV On The Radio, Brooklyn-based jazz trumpeter Jaimie Branch has emerged as an in-demand musician due to her versatility. An avant-garde, free-jazz player and composer by nature, she offers a compelling, highly accessible hybrid of improvisation and alt-rock on her two albums, 2017’s “Fly or Die” and her most recent, “Fly or Die II: Bird Dogs of Paradise,” released last year.
