Nate Smith Shares ‘Sinners’-Inspired ‘Juke Joint’ Single

Accomplished drummer Nate Smith’s new single, “Juke Joint,” was inspired by the acclaimed feature film Sinners. Smith “took a Muddy Waters meets J Dilla” approach to the new track from his upcoming album, LIVE-ACTION.

Smith, whose many credits include membership in The Fearless Flyers, worked with an impressive array of musicians on LIVE-ACTION, which will be released on August 29. The record’s roster features guitarists Charlie Hunter and Lionel Loueke, keyboardists DJ Harrison and Keifer, rapper JSWISS, horn players Josh Johnson and Marquis Hill, and bassists Michael League, Ben Williams, and CARRTOONS.

Vocals were provided by Jermaine Holmes and the group säje, as well as Lalah Hathaway on a cover of The Pointer Sisters’ “Automatic.”

“It was a way to activate all of these relationships that I’ve been building over the last five or six years since the pandemic, many of them through social media,” Smith said of the album’s collaborations. “I wanted to make a record that sounded like it was recorded on a cassette in my bedroom. I limited my options. I used analog gear. I used the same instruments throughout the album. I did two or three takes of each element, no copy and pastes or anything like that. All of the instruments on the album are played live, nothing is programmed or sequenced.”

“Juke Joint” sees Smith joined by Charlie Hunter, Jermaine Holmes and DJ Harrison. A juke joint plays a pivotal role in Ryan Coogler’s movie Sinners, starring Michael B. Jordan.

“I wanted to evoke the feeling of a speakeasy — Charlie Hunter is a bonafide blues musician through and through,” Smith said of the track. “DJ Harrison is one of the greatest musicians I know — an encyclopedia of knowledge and a wellspring of ideas. When I played the track for CARRTOONS, he suggested the great singer Jermaine Holmes and I immediately knew he’d be perfect to conjure the vibe.”

Smith will tour this fall in support of LIVE-ACTION. Stream its latest single, “Juke Joint” below: