Nate Smith

ENSEMBLE ARTS PHILLY PRESENTS
 GRAMMY® NOMINATED DRUMMER,
COMPOSER, AND PRODUCER,
NATE SMITH,
OCTOBER 11, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (September 8, 2025) – Ensemble Arts Philly presents Grammy® nominated artist Nate Smith at the Perelman Theater inside the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts on October 11, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. Performing as part of Ensemble Arts Philly’s 2025-26 Jazz Series, Nate Smith is renowned for his innovative approach to jazz drumming and his unforgettable energy on stage, promising an evening of electrifying music and creative artistry.

For almost two decades, Smith has been a key figure in reinvigorating the international musical scene with his visceral, instinctive, and deeply rooted style of drumming. He fuses jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and pop in irresistible ways. He holds a diverse and extensive résumé – which includes work with esteemed jazz leading lights such as Pat Metheny, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, José James, John Patitucci, Ravi Coltrane, and Somi, among many others. His two-time Grammy nominated debut album, KINFOLK: Postcards from Everywhere, sees Smith fusing his original modern jazz compositions with R&B, pop, and hip-hop. He’s also ventured into the pop/rock world with recent collaborations with Vulfpeck spinoff band The Fearless Flyers, Brittany Howard (of Alabama Shakes), and performances with songwriters Emily King and Van Hunt.

“Possessing a distinctive style and engaging presence, renowned artist Nate Smith brings a new energy to the jazz world and kicks off our 2025-26 jazz season with the drumroll it deserves,” said Frances Egler, Vice President of Theatrical Programming and Presentations. “His show is just the beginning, as we present artists in our historic venues who will share talent across instruments and specialties, drawing from experiences here, abroad, and from the greats who came before them.”

In recent years, through a series of viral videos, Smith has emerged as one of the most influential and popular drummers of his generation. His videos have been viewed millions of times and have inspired countless musicians and fans.

Other featured upcoming performances in the 25-26 Jazz Series include An Evening with Samara Joy (November 11, 2025, Miller Theater); Béla Fleck & the Flecktones: Jingle All the Way (December 12, 2025, Miller Theater); Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martínez (January 22, 2026, Miller Theater); Kurt Elling: Wildflowers (February 27, 2026, Perelman Theater inside the Kimmel Center); Emmet Cohen: Miles and Coltrane at 100 (March 20, 2026, Miller Theater); Endea Owens & The Cookout (March 28, 2026, Perelman Theater inside the Kimmel Center); Christian McBride & Edgar Meyer (April 21, 2026, Miller Theater); Rhiannon Giddens (May 5, 2026, Miller Theater); Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (May 26, 2026, Marian Anderson Hall inside the Kimmel Center).

Tickets
Tickets can be purchased online at  www.ensembleartsphilly.org, by calling 215-893-1999, or in person at the Academy of Music Box Office (240 S. Broad Street) daily from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.ensembleartsphilly.org.

Nate Smith
Perelman Theater inside the Kimmel Center 
Saturday, October 11, 2025, 7:30 p.m.

# # #   

ABOUT ENSEMBLE ARTS PHILLY
For more information about ENSEMBLE ARTS PHILLY, visit www.ensembleartsphilly.org.     

# # #     

For photography, please visit www.ensembleartsphilly.smugmug.com
Click here for PDF version of this press release.