Nasheet Waits is an American jazz drummer. Early life and career Waits is a New York native who has been active on the jazz scene since early in his life. His father, percussionist Freddie Waits, died when Waits was 18. Before pursuing a music career, Waits studied psychology and history at Morehouse College in Atlanta. He also holds a degree from Long Island University in music. While he was studying at L.I.U, instructor Michael Carvin secured Waits a spot in the percussion ensemble M'Boom, started by his father (Freddie Waits) and drummer Max Roach in 1970. Waits's longstanding projects include Jason Moran & The Bandwagon, a trio with Moran, Waits, and Tarus Mateen; Tarbaby, a trio with Eric Revis and Orrin Evans; and his band Equality. Waits has recorded or performed with Fred Hersch, Antonio Hart, Joe Lovano, Jason Moran, Andrew Hill, Ron Carter, Tony Malaby, Bunky Green, William Parker, Eddie Gómez, Casimir Liberski, John Medeski, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mark Turner, and Amir ElSaffar. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused massive flooding in the basement Westbeth studio Waits had inherited from his father in 1989. In 2020, his group Nasheet Waits By Sea, a quartet with Nduduzo Makhathini, Immanuel Wilkins, Rashaan Carter, opened the Winter Jazzfest’s Manhattan Marathon. Selected discography As a leader Equality (Fresh Sound Records, 2008) Between Nothingness and Infinity (Laborie, 2016) As sideman With Ralph Alessi Baida (ECM, 2013) Quiver (ECM, 2016) With Dave Douglas Spirit Moves (Greenleaf, 2009) United Front: Brass Ecstasy at Newport (Greenleaf, 2011) Rare Metal (Greenleaf, 2011) With Antonio Hart For Cannonball and Woody (RCA/Novus, 1993) All We Need (Downtown, 2004) With Tony Malaby Tamarindo (Clean Feed, 2007) Somos Agua (Clean Feed, 2014) Palomo Recio (Clean Feed, 2016) With Jason Moran Facing Left (Blue Note, 2000) Black Stars (Blue Note, 2001) The Bandwagon (Blue Note, 2003) Same Mother (Blue Note, 2005) Artist in Residence (Blue Note, 2006) Ten (Blue Note, 2010) All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller (Blue Note, 2014) Thanksgiving at The Vanguard (Yes, 2017) Looks of a Lot (Yes, 2018) With Armen Nalbandian Quiet As It's Kept (Blacksmith Brother Music, 2011) The Holy Ghost (Blacksmith Brother Music, 2018) Fire Sign (Blacksmith Brother Music, 2018) Live in Little Tokyo Vol. I (Blacksmith Brother Music, 2018) Live in Little Tokyo Vol. II (Blacksmith Brother Music, 2018) Ghosts (Blacksmith Brother Music, 2019) Live on Sunset (Blacksmith Brother Music, 2019) With Tim Berne The Coandă