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Nate Smith

For nearly two decades, Nate Smith has been a key piece in reinvigorating the international music scene with his visceral, instinctive, and deep-rooted style of drumming. He holds a diverse and ample résumé — which includes work with esteemed jazz leading lights such as Pat Metheny, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, José James, John Patitucci, Ravi Coltrane, and Somi among many others. His 2x GRAMMY-nominated debut album, KINFOLK: Postcards from Everywhere, sees Smith fusing his original modern jazz compositions with R&B, pop, and hip-hop. He’s also ventured into the pop/rock world with recent collaborations with Vulfpeck spinoff band The Fearless Flyers, Brittany Howard (of Alabama Shakes) and performances with songwriters Emily King and Van Hunt. In recent years, through a series of viral videos, he has emerged as one of the most influential and popular drummers of his generation. His videos have been viewed millions of times and have inspired countless musicians and fans. In September of 2018, he released his first ever solo drumset album Pocket Change.  

As a composer and arranger, Mr. Smith received two GRAMMY nominations for his composition “Home Free (for Peter Joe)” for best instrumental composition and best arrangement (instrumental or a cappella). Of the KINFOLK: Postcards From Everywhere project, Mr. Smith says: “It was my goal to start with the simplest of elements, singable melodies with familiar harmonies, and use them to weave stories that felt nostalgic without being overly sentimental. Pieces like ‘Retold’ and ‘Pages’ use familiar, consonant harmonies as a means of evoking the listener to “reach back” for a memory, while ‘Skip Step’ and Spinning Down’ use layers of rhythm to express a feeling of unsettled tension. ‘Disenchantment: The Weight’ uses an ascending/descending chord progression to simulate a deep sigh of resignation, while ‘Home Free (for Peter Joe)’ uses a hymn like melody as a means of evoking feelings of both solemnity and ceremony.


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Live Review

Nate Smith at SOB's

Read "Nate Smith at SOB's" reviewed by Chris DeRosa


Nate SmithSounds Of BrazilNew York, NYNovember 15, 2024 Hello, my name is Chris DeRosa and this is what I heard... Nate Smith may not be a household name unless you confuse him with the country singer, but this Nate Smith is truly “one of a kind." Smith started his career around 2003 when he joined David Holland's quintet. After touring and recording with Holland for almost a decade, he went on to form ...

7
Play This!

Nate Smith Kinfolk: Retold

Read "Nate Smith Kinfolk: Retold" reviewed by Mike Jacobs


This sublime track from drummer/bandleader Nate Smith's Postcards From Everywhere (Waterbaby Music, 2016) is only elevated as a musical narrative for Orlando Pinder's video, capturing the all-too-often missed moments of beauty in urban life. ...

8
Catching Up With

Nate Smith: A Drummer's Life

Read "Nate Smith: A Drummer's Life" reviewed by Mark Robbins


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 jny: 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, ...

Album Review

Somi: Zenzile: The Reimagination Of Miriam Makeba

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


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 ...

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Radio & Podcasts

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

Read "New releases from Protocol, Mark Lockheart, Nate Smith and Clerq" reviewed by Len Davis


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: ...

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Radio & Podcasts

The Legendary Nate Smith: What's the story?

Read "The Legendary Nate Smith: What's the story?" reviewed by Leo Sidran


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.

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Album Review

Nate Smith: Kinfolk 2: See The Birds

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


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. ...

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Zenzile: The...

Self Produced
2022

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Kinfolk 2: See The...

Edition Records
2021

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In Common 2

Whirlwind Recordings
2020

buy

Pocket Change

Self Produced
2018

buy

Critical Mass

Sunnyside Records
2006

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Videos

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