Nate Smith Brings ‘Kinfolk’ to Jazz Standard

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We don’t talk a lot about percussion having a flavor. But on the drummer Nate Smith’s “Kinfolk: Postcards From Everywhere,” released this spring, all sorts of sounds participate in building the rhythm: taut but resonant bass notes, clipped guitar playing, zagging saxophone lines. The result is a sound that’s tart, bittersweet and almost nostalgic.

The music has a narrative pull to it, as the album is interspersed with snatches of oral history, including interviews with Mr. Smith’s mother and father. And his drumming is a marvel unto itself. Humid and broad of palette, it has the rare ability to dial up the complexity and the sensitivity at the same time.

Mr. Smith brings a version of the “Kinfolk” band to Jazz Standard on Tuesday, Aug. 1, for sets at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. He’ll have Jaleel Shaw on saxophones, Fima Ephron on bass, Brad Williams on guitar and the silk-toned Amma Whatt on vocals. (jazzstandard.com)

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