Nate Smith - Live-Action Deluxe [LP]

A leading drummer and producer, Nate Smith seamlessly blends jazz, funk, R&B, and hip-hop, driven by a groove that is both razor-sharp and deeply musical. LIVE-ACTION quickly made an impact, earning two GRAMMY Award nominations in the categories of Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Arrangement, Instruments & Vocals for the track featuring saje. With LIVE-ACTION Deluxe, Smith expands on the album's live energy, staying true to his organic, hands-on approach while once again collaborating with top voices in contemporary jazz, including Braxton Cook.Nate Smith envisioned LIVE-ACTION as a producer-driven project inspired by the legacy of Quincy Jones."As a producer, I wanted to activate all the relationships I've built over the past five or six years, especially since the pandemic, many of them through social media," he explains.The album features an all-star cast of collaborators including Josh Johnson and Marquis Hill, rapper JSWISS, guitarists Charlie Hunter and Lionel Loueke, bassists Michael League, Ben Williams, and CARRTOONS, keyboardists DJ Harrison and Keifer, the vocal group saje, singer Jermaine Holmes, and Lalah Hathaway. Hathaway delivers a standout performance on a bold reimagining of the Pointer Sisters' 1984 classic Automatic, fully reharmonized and reworked alongside Smith.While LIVE-ACTION is highly collaborative, Smith maintains a strong sense of cohesion through intentional creative limitations."I wanted the record to feel like it was recorded to tape in my bedroom. I limited myself on purpose, using analog gear and the same instruments throughout. I did just two or three takes per part, with no copy and paste or studio tricks. Everything you hear was played live. Nothing is programmed or sequenced."With the release of LIVE-ACTION Deluxe, Nate Smith builds on that momentum, introducing new collaborations and previously unreleased performances while celebrating the success of the original album, which earned two GRAMMY Award nominations.