Drummer Nate Smith may not be a household name (yet) but his recent rise into the social media spotlight is nothing short of spectacular. Smith will bring his recent project Kinfolk to Charlotte for a May 3rd show at Heist Brewery.

A jazz drummer by trade, Smith has been thrust into the spotlight over the past 18 months due in large part to his work with The Fearless Flyers (a project that includes Cory Wong and Joe Dart from Vulfpeck along with Mark Lettieri of Snarky Puppy). Vulfpeck mastermind Jack Stratton also produces The Fearless Flyers. The video for “Ace of Aces” has racked up over 1.2 million views on YouTube and can be seen below.

In addition to his work with The Fearless Flyers, Smith has been touring in recent years with soul and jazz singer José James of Blue Note Records.

In the summer of 2017, when José James videos featuring Smith’s heated 16th-note solos were beginning to catch fire on social media, the drummer released his thoughtful and at times provocative sophomore album, Kinfolk: Postcards from Everywhere, on his own Waterbaby Music label, for which he would receive a Grammy Award nomination for the song “Home Free.”

Smith’s early musical influences range from the Police to Earth, Wind, and Fire, jazz greats Art Blakey and Elvin Jones, as well as contemporary influences like Bernard “Pretty” Purdie and Steve Gadd, and hip-hop moguls like J Dilla and Questlove.

Nate Smith + Kinfolk will be supported by blues and funk band Bencoolen at Heist.