Nate Smith - Juke Joint (Single)

Nate Smith Drops Final Single Before New Album — “Juke Joint”.

Following the buzz from his recent singles Automatic (featuring Lalah Hathaway) and Magic Dance (with Lionel Loueke and Michael League), Virginia-born drummer, producer, and artist Nate Smith is back with Juke Joint — the last teaser before his upcoming album LIVE-ACTION, out August 29 via naïve/Believe Music.

Packed with serious musical firepower, Juke Joint features Jermaine Holmes (D’Angelo/The Vanguard), guitarist Charlie Hunter, and GRAMMY-nominated multi-instrumentalist DJ Harrison. The track blends dreamy Rhodes, jazz-infused bass, and a Dilla-inspired drum break, topped off with Holmes’ signature falsetto. Smith describes the vibe as “Muddy meets Dilla… the feeling of a speakeasy.”

LIVE-ACTION was recorded with an intentionally raw, analog approach — no programming, no copy-paste, just live takes with the same instruments throughout. “I wanted it to sound like it was recorded on a cassette in my bedroom,” Smith explains.

With a career spanning nearly two decades — from early work on Michael Jackson’s Heaven Can Wait to GRAMMY nominations, millions of streams, and collaborations with Childish Gambino and Jon Batiste — Nate Smith continues to push rhythm and artistry into bold new territory.