Laissez les bons temps rouler
“Art is a window to the truth.” – Jon Batiste
Jon Batiste, 34, has New Orleans in his blood. It dances in his eyes, sparkles in his broad smile and manifests itself fully in the infectious music he creates.
As Bandleader for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert since 2015, he brings the ebullience of what is arguably America’s most musical city to the small screen on a nightly basis.
Born into an extended family of well-known musicians, Batiste started out on percussions at the age of eight, playing gigs on Frenchman Street with brothers and cousins before switching to piano at 11.
Batiste’s talent quickly drew attention; he has shared the stage with artists such as Prince in South Africa, London, Spain, Paris, and at Carneige Hall in 2007.
Fress off a Grammy win in 2020 for the song “Soul” from the Disney film of the same name, Batiste began working on a new album, 2021’s We Are. Given the solemn backdrop of events during that year, Batiste created an uplifting masterpiece, a testimony to what brings people together to our shared humanity.
“Whatever I do with music, I try to make it align deeply with the values and principles of who I am and what I believe the purpose of my life is. ” – Jon Batiste
