Universal Beings is a studio album by American drummer, composer, and record producer Makaya McCraven. It was released on October 26, 2018, through International Anthem Recording Company. It received universal acclaim from critics.
Makaya McCraven is an American drummer, composer, and record producer based in Chicago. Universal Beings is a double album, containing 22 tracks. It was recorded in New York, Chicago, London, and Los Angeles. It contains performances by McCraven, Brandee Younger, Joel Ross, Dezron Douglas, Tomeka Reid, Shabaka Hutchings, Junius Paul, Nubya Garcia, Ashley Henry, Daniel Casimir, Josh Johnson, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Jeff Parker, Anna Butterss, and Carlos Niño. It was released on October 26, 2018, through International Anthem Recording Company.
Mark Pallman directed a 26-minute documentary film, Universal Beings (2020), which features footage from McCraven's live performances, as well as interviews and studio scenes.
McCraven later released a companion album to Universal Beings, titled Universal Beings E&F Sides, in 2020. It contains 14 tracks recorded during the original album sessions. It was released digitally on July 31, 2020, and physically on September 25, 2020.
Thom Jurek of AllMusic commented that "Universal Beings is unique from any other jazz recording in 2018: It marries virtuoso musicianship, technological savvy, a keen editor's ear for creative inspiration, and a plethora of almighty grooves." Nate Chinen of Pitchfork wrote, "Informed by ambient and hip-hop protocols as well as state-of-the-art jazz hyperfluency, it suggests both the spark of discovery and the sheen of an obsessively sculptured art object." Scott A. Gray of Exclaim! stated, "While the music is clearly rooted in jazz, the influences on this ensemble's sound are vast and worldly, if not measurably universal."
At the 2019 JJA Jazz Awards, Universal Beings was nominated for the Record of the Year.
Credits adapted from liner notes.