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 ensembleSelected discography
As a leader
* ''Equality'' (Fresh Sound Records, 2008) * ''Between Nothingness and Infinity'' (Laborie, 2016) * ''New York Love Letter (Bitter Sweet)'' (Giant Step Arts, 2024) With Tarbaby * ''Tarbaby'' (Imani, 2009) * ''The End of Fear'' (Posi-tone, 2010) * ''Ballad of Sam Langford'' (Hipnotic, 2013) * ''Fanon'' ( RogueArt, 2013) * ''Dance of the Evil Toys'' (Clean Feed, 2022) * ''You Think This America'' (Giant Step Arts, 2024)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 Effect'' (Relative Pitch, 2020) * ''Tangled'' (Screwgun, 2022) With others * Komeda Project, ''Requiem'' (WM, 2009) * Rob Brown, '' Unknown Skies'' (RogueArt, 2011) * Avishai Cohen, '' Into the Silence'' (ECM, 2016), '' Cross My Palm with Silver'' (ECM, 2017) * Steve Davis, ''Meant to Be'' ( Criss Cross, 2004) * Yelena Eckemoff, ''I Am a Stranger in This World'' (L&H, 2022) * Orrin Evans, ''Blessed Ones'' (Criss Cross, 2001) * Eddie Gómez, ''Palermo'' (Jazzeyes, 2007) * Bunky Green, '' Another Place'' (Label Bleu, 2004 006 * Fred Hersch, ''Night and the Music'' ( Palmetto, 2007) * Andrew Hill, '' A Beautiful Day'' (Palmetto, 2002) * Ethan Iverson, '' The Purity of the Turf'' (Criss Cross Jazz, 2016) * Igor Lumpert, ''Innertextures live'' (Clean Feed, 2012) * Christian McBride, '' Christian McBride's New Jawn'' (Mack Avenue, 2018), * Christian McBride, '' Prime'' (Mack Avenue, 2023) * David Murray, '' Be My Monster Love'' ( Motéma, 2013) * Émile Parisien Sextet, ''Louise'' ( ACT, 2022) * Luis Perdomo, ''Awareness'' (RKM, 2007) * Mark Turner, '' Dharma Days'' (Warner Bros., 2001) * Anthony Wonsey, ''Open the Gates'' (Criss Cross, 1999) * Bojan Z, ''Transpacifik'' (Label Bleu, 2003)Sources
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