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PAUL:
Ever seen someone keep perfect rhythm while breaking all the rules? Today's guest is with us for a beat or two. Hey, it's Paul Wolf for the front row seat to conversations on culture from Jackson, Mississippi. We call our podcast Soul Sessions. It's the people, places and events that make the City With Soul shine. On today's show, my colleague Yolanda Clay-Moore talks with Maya Kyles, a dynamic drummer and Jackson native who's carved out her own space in the city's vibrant music scene. From the gospel roots of the Mississippi Mass Choir to the spotlight at the Chicago Blues Festival, Maya's journey is as soulful as it is steady. We'll dive into her influences, her evolution as a musician, and that moment she stepped out from behind the drums and into the mic, literally. We spent a little time together at the Chicago Blues Festival.

YOLANDA
Visit Mississippi hosts a stage and partners from around the state, including Visit Jackson, host that stage. And I saw you on the stage several times. Tell me about the artists that you played for and your experience at the Chicago Blues Festival.

MAYA:
So firstly, the Chicago Blues Festival is just an amazing time. And I really enjoyed how Mississippi was truly highlighted, especially being just the birthplace of the blues. So I was behind Lady Adrina, who is from Jackson. And then Saturday evening, I was behind Miss Vicki Baker, who is from Vicksburg.

YOLANDA:
Yeah, I was like, there she is again.

MAYA:
One more time, let's run it back.

YOLANDA:
But I know, Chicago Blues Festival is our chance to display the birthplace of America's music and connect with the people that come to that event. So it's a great event. Your bio says you have 20 years of experience. Now, Mya, when I look at you, I don't see 20 years of experience. So just tell me a little bit about your journey and how you fell in love with music.

MAYA:
Going back to when I was about four or five, that's when I really became interested in drums through the Mississippi Mass Choir. Growing up in that ministry and watching great musicians, your husband C.C. included, Jerry Smith, David Curry, and Dominic Thigpen, Sam Scott. Just watching that whole crew of musicians, it really helped to start molding me as a musician early. And then once I got through, I guess to maybe 10 years old, that's when I started playing in different churches in the area. Going on to middle school and through high school. That's when I was in the marching band and then going on to college and just getting opportunities from there to travel and to see different things and to go different places. I've been told that I've done a lot, but I guess I I live young. Thank God and my mama.

YOLANDA:
Yeah, good genes, good genes. You name some of the people that I feel like influenced you in music, but- describe your drumming style and how it's evolved over the years.

MAYA:
I'm a very, what they call, pocket drummer. Let's say if we have a straight line. And so if we're going in some sort of musical straight line, you might venture off a little bit, but then you always come back to that straight line. And I try to find a way to...Not go completely astray, but make sure that there's something that I'm doing that complements the music and that complements what the other musicians around me are doing.

YOLANDA:
That makes sense. I have to ask this question. What are some of the unique challenges or rewards of being a female drummer in a traditionally male dominated space?

MAYA:
As a female drummer, when we go on the road, there's always been like this unspoken notion that Maya will have her own room, her own living space. That's definitely been a plus. I've been blessed to work with people who sort of, you know, they make me feel comfortable because I mean, we're on the road hours at a time. So that can already just be weird. But again, I've been blessed to work with some really cool people.

YOLANDA:
I've seen some of the artists you play for. So, you know, kudos to you for being in the space that you are and operating the way that you do. Tell me about the Jackson, Mississippi music scene. What does that look like for you?

MAYA:
My goodness. Even in the, I guess, short span that I've actually been playing out, even though I do have, I've had some experience, I didn't gain experience in the circuit, if you will, until maybe 10 or 15 years ago. So when I started on the scene, there were people still like Jesse Robinson, who I was blessed to meet, and he was actually very instrumental in helping me hone in on my blues shuffle. He was one of those people who was really instrumental. And then there were people like still to this day, Johnny Hubbard, who is one of my favorite bass players to work with. So I just started playing in different clubs and sort of networking. like to go hear different musicians just to have another perspective. And so in doing that, that just helped me build a rapport with a lot of a lot of musicians. And then, you know, I started eventually getting calls and going to sit-in. As a matter of fact, every Monday, the Central Mississippi Blue Society hosts Blue Monday. So I've been doing that for a while and just gaining a lot of connections that way.

YOLANDA:

I've attended that and it's become quite an event that occurs each Monday at Hal and Mal’s. But there are other things that are going on too and I got to witness something. I was in the room as Soulé and you made a debut. Tell me about that experience.

MAYA:
That was, I still glean when I think of that evening. That was just, that was an expression of, I guess, just a lot of music and musicality and things that I wanted to share with an audience.

YOLANDA:
Yeah. Okay. Let me, let me back up now. Okay. You know, people that are listening may not know what we're talking about. Maya came from behind the drums to the mic. So that's what we're talking about.

MAYA:
That was, that was, it was essentially my debut as an artist, as a person who was singing and I played a little bit of guitar. Oddly, I still don't think of myself as a singer. That's something that I, I kind of deviate in and out of and I kind of always have because drums is, that's always been the easiest instrument for me. And so when it comes to, you know, deciding if I want to play drums or if I want to sing. I'm pretty much going to take drums every time just because that, you know, where I feel most comfortable. However, just in a, in a realization of like, I can do this. I might be kind of okay at it. And if I'm not, you know. Well.

YOLANDA:
I will say that Soulé was packed. The room was full of support. Even your Mimi was there, your mom. And it was, was a great experience to see you, you know, coming into your own and stepping out of your comfort zone. Cause I realized that you were absolutely stepping out of your comfort zone.

MAYA:
I had a lot of fun though. I was really grateful for the musicians that I was able to work with and pick as quote unquote my band. It was invigorating. Yes.

YOLANDA:
And I think that's one of the things that you can appreciate as an artist having the autonomy to, you know, hand pick who you want to surround you. It's important.

MAYA:
Yes, absolutely.

YOLANDA:
You know, you have performed with some amazing artists. So tell me who has been your most memorable or collaboration. What's been your most memorable?

MAYA:
So Jarekus Singleton was perhaps like the first person that I went abroad with. Jarekus is a guitar player from Clinton, Mississippi. He was formerly signed to Alligator Records. And so during this time, like I said, I was able to go out on the road with him and there was one instance that has stuck with me until this very day. And I have a lot of respect for him for this. We were, gosh, where are we? I don't think we had made it out of the States yet because we were on tour. And so I think the tour started like on the East coast and then we just kind of went up and then we went into Canada for a little while. It was a wonderful time. So anyway, we are at this white water rafting park and there's this really nice sort of amphitheater out there, which is, you know, what we're playing. I think it was some sort of festivals. We start playing, everything is going well, at least I think. And then when we have an intermission, Jarekus pulls me to the side and he says, ‘Hey, you know, I don't think you're taking this as seriously as you could.’ And I was a little startled But then, you know, he mentioned some things that were happening on stage and he was like, ‘I feel like you're being afraid to play. If you're going to mess up, then mess up big. Like, convince me of it.’ And I've taken that with me, just on stage, off stage. It's about the confidence you have and what you're presenting to people. And if you're confident about it, then other people will be confident about it. So that has stuck with me for a long time.

YOLANDA:
I mean, you can't, you have to appreciate when an artist is helping you to become your own, to own what you're doing and, you know, be as great as you can. Yes. How do you balance staying true to your sound while adapting to different genres or artists?

MAYA:

Well, I try to be like a sponge whenever I'm learning a new music, but I think there's a sound that I have been able to develop just as a drummer who is going to lay down the law. But then also try to remain sensitive to first of all, what's necessary for the music. And then secondly, you know, what the artist is asking of me. They say, well, ‘I want you to lay down and play the drums on your back and, you know, twirl it around your head.’ If it's, you know, if it's within reason, then I try to, I try to be sensitive and offer what they are, what they're asking.

YOLANDA:
Are you familiar with DeMar?

MAYA:
Yes.

YOLANDA:
Okay, so you don't jump over the drums, right?

MAYA:
No, no, no, I leave that to him.

YOLANDA:
Tell me, you know, what do think makes Jackson special?

MAYA:
I will forever say what makes Jackson special is truly the people. Jackson has experienced a lot of setbacks, a lot of backlash. The people here are resilient. There's a very communal thing about Jackson.

PAUL:
That's Maya Kyle speaking with our own Yolanda Clay-Moore. Maya is a drummer, artist, and a voice steadily rising from the heart of Jackson's music scene. Whether she's laying down the groove at Hal & Mal’s for Blue Monday or debuting original work at Soulé Coffee, Maya is a part of the rhythm that keeps the City With Soul moving. If you want to know more about Maya and her work, we'll have links in our show notes at visitjackson.com/soulsessions.

This podcast is produced by Visit Jackson, the destination organization for Mississippi's capital city. Our executive producers are Jonathan Pettus and Dr. Ricky Thigpen, and I'm our managing editor. If you want to know more about the great things going on in Jackson and our work to spotlight them, head to our website at visitjackson.com.

I'm Paul Wolf and you've been listening to Soul Sessions.

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