In The Moment

Jazz · 2015 · 9 tracks · 40m

In The Moment

Makaya McCraven

A brilliant collision of live jazz improvisation and hip-hop production, where raw club recordings are chopped and looped into hypnotic, modern grooves.

Creative breakthrough

Splinters of crowd chatter and the clink of beer glasses melt into a heavy, looped drumbeat that feels like a late-night heartbeat. This record turned raw, sweaty Chicago club improvisations into sharp, hypnotic hip-hop collages, breaking away from the polite polish of traditional live jazz. You are placed right on the smoky dance floor, feeling the physical thud of the bassline while a saxophone line gets sliced, repeated, and spun into a brand-new groove. It proved that jazz did not need to be preserved in a museum; it just needed to be chopped up and set free.

Tracklist · 9 Tracks · 40m

01

Next Step

4:55

02

Alone

2:50

03

Standing on Shoulders

2:22

04

Spontaneous

3:17

05

The Dimmer

2:38

06

She Knew

4:34

07

Trading Bars

2:06

08

50 Thousand Miles

2:31

09

The Master

14:51

Moments Worth Waiting For

01Next StepThe drums on 'Next Step' are pushed to the absolute front of the mix, establishing the album's signature sampler-like rhythmic drive.

05The DimmerA sudden, sharp edit on 'The Dimmer' mimics a physical tape stop, momentarily suspending the live band's momentum.

06She KnewThe looping bassline on 'She Knew' anchors a repetitive groove that feels like a classic golden-era hip-hop loop played entirely live.

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