Nate Smith + KINFOLK (feat. Kokayi, Michael Mayo), 'Square Wheel'

See more #NowPlaying recommendations from WBGO

Groove is foundational for Nate Smith, a brilliant drummer known for holding it down with everyone from Brittany Howard to Dave Holland to Van Hunt. On the first single from Kinfolk 2: See the Birds, Smith rocks an odd-metered funk beat behind two guest vocalists — Kokayi, who raps the verses, and Michael Mayo, who sings the chorus. The song is a note of encouragement to a younger self. (Don't miss Jaleel Shaw's alto saxophone solo, after a clever metric modulation.) That this music proudly defies classification is only natural — it's a core part of Smith's message.