Winter JazzFest: Makaya McCraven, Arooj Aftab, SML at Music Hall of Williamsburg

Winter JazzFest: Makaya McCraven, Arooj Aftab, SML at Music Hall of Williamsburg
Jan. 11. 6PM. $85+up

Makaya McCraven began his music career by producing hip hop beats; he then became the go-to drummer on Chicago’s jazz scene. But in his own records, he combines the worlds of jazz improvisation with hip hop production techniques; so he records many of today’s leading musicians playing together, grabs the best moments, and through sampling, looping, and the like, creates a body of work that has a recognizable song form while still having an improvisatory feel. Makaya McCraven plays the midnight show tomorrow night on Jan. 11 as part of the Winter JazzFest Brooklyn Marathon at Music Hall of Williamsburg, just one of several Brooklyn venues hosting top-notch artists at the Winter JazzFest 2025. Arooj Aftab and the quintet SML are also playing at that venue. See Full Schedule.