The 35-year-old Grammy Award winner, bandleader, and multi-genre musician has added another stunning title to his impressive resume: Grammy Award winner. Batiste was the most nominated artist at the Grammys in 2022, as well as the night’s highest winner.
Batiste, who beat off Justin Bieber, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat, and Billie Eilish for the most nominations, had a total of 11 nominations. His nominations spanned seven categories: general field, R&B, jazz, American roots music, music for visual media, classical, and music video/film, to name a few. Batiste won five awards out of a total of eleven.
The 35-year-old musician stated in his album We Are in the PEOPLE Every Day podcast, “Music keeps me young.”
Batiste has received substantial fame as the bandleader and musical director for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, despite his deserved reputation for his albums Freedom, We Are, and the soundtrack for Pixar’s Soul. In 2015, the New York-born jazzman began hosting a late-night show on CBS.
“There is so much going on in my life right now,” Batiste told Colbert the night the Grammy nominations were revealed. He went on to say, “And this is occurring, and there is something more here than just adoration for me that I need to learn about. I’m quite appreciative.”
To date, the jazz pianist has released eight studio albums and five live albums. Stevie Wonder, Prince, Willie Nelson, Lenny Kravitz, Ed Sheeran, Roy Hargrove, and Mavis Staples are just a few of the musicians with whom he’s worked.
Continue reading to learn more about the Grammy-winning artist’s outstanding resume.
He was born into a musical household. Because he was born into the Batiste musical dynasty in New Orleans, the Louisiana native has music in his blood. Jon comes from a long, famous line of talent that includes his father, Michael Batiste, and his band consists of over 25 players. Lionel Batiste of the Treme Brass Band, Milton Batiste of the Olympia Brass Band, and Russell Batiste Jr. are all members of the Batiste family.
Jon began playing percussion and drums with his brothers in the Batiste Brothers Band, which his father co-founded when he was eight years old. R&B, soul, funk, and New Orleans music were among the genres they jammed to.
Through video games, he found jazz. Batiste, like other kids, was a video game addict. He was always captivated by and questioned why music increased the players’ game experience and the narrative communicated through music, unlike most children. Due to the likes of Street Fighter Alpha, Final Fantasy VII, and Sonic the Hedgehog, the jazz genius used the game’s scores and soundtracks as early musical inspiration.
He told the Washington Post, “[Games] subconsciously taught me about theme and development, how to build memorable tunes that you want to hear over and over again.” “At the same time, the motif must not be irritating. It’s not possible. You’re ready to put the game on mute after hearing [an unpleasant] theme 100 times.”
He was a Juilliard School student. His talents took him to the Juilliard School in New York at the age of 17, where he absorbed the nature of the city. He was deeply engulfed in New Orleans’ jazz culture. He and his band performed mini-concerts for subway travelers while reflecting on the power of music in shaping metropolitan culture.
He told the New York Times, “Music has always been a method for individuals to withstand pain and figure out how to actually connect to their humanity or confirm their humanity when everything around them is attempting to squash their humanity.”
During his time at Julliard, his peers turned bandmates jammed on the streets of New York, and their gigs have increased ninefold.
He puts on spontaneous street performances. Since relocating to New York, Batiste and Stay Human have made it their aim to bring jazz to a wider audience who aren’t regularly exposed to it, while also incorporating it into the culture of the city. “We take something like jazz and put it right in front of people, and they might not be exposed to it or have an interest in it yet.” Outside on the Lower East Side, Batiste added, “It’s like a trapped audience.”
They take their music to the streets and subways in what he refers to as “love riots,” in addition to playing traditional venues and clubs. “What happened tonight is what we call a love riot,” Batiste remarked. There is a lot of love that is shared amongst everyone.
