Nasheet Waits is an American jazz drummer.

Early life and career

Waits is a New York native who has been active on the jazz scene since early in his life. His father, percussionist Freddie Waits, died when Waits was 18. Before pursuing a music career, Waits studied psychology and history at Morehouse College in Atlanta. He also holds a degree from Long Island University in music. While he was studying at L.I.U, instructor Michael Carvin secured Waits a spot in the percussion ensemble M'Boom, started by his father (Freddie Waits) and drummer Max Roach in 1970. Waits's longstanding projects include Jason Moran & The Bandwagon, a trio with Moran, Waits, and Tarus Mateen; Tarbaby, a trio with Eric Revis and Orrin Evans; and his band Equality. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused massive flooding in the basement Westbeth studio Waits had inherited from his father in 1989. In 2020, his group Nasheet Waits By Sea, a quartet with Nduduzo Makhathini, Immanuel Wilkins, Rashaan Carter, opened the Winter Jazzfest’s Manhattan Marathon.

Selected discography

As a leader

With Tarbaby

As sideman

With Ralph Alessi With Dave Douglas With Antonio Hart With Tony Malaby With Jason Moran With Armen Nalbandian '''With Tim Berne With others

Sources