Makaya McCraven’s music is often a dialogue with the past. Back in 2020, the drummer, producer and self-described “beat scientist” brilliantly reworked Gil Scott-Heron’s final album. On Makaya’s latest release, Deciphering the Message, he reinterprets 13 songs from the catalog of the iconic jazz label Blue Note, mixing source recordings with new live sessions and detailed post-production editing to craft something entirely new. Host Elia Einhorn recently spoke with Makaya about his unique technique, what “young” means in the jazz game, and how he challenges the idea of genre. Then, he takes over as guest selector, giving us a tour of some of his Blue Note favorites.