Jon Batiste facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jon Batiste
|
|
|---|---|
Batiste in 2023
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jonathan Michael Batiste |
| Born | November 11, 1986 Metairie, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Education | Juilliard School (BM, MMus) |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, keyboards, melodica, guitar |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Labels |
|
Jonathan Michael Batiste (born November 11, 1986) is an amazing American musician. He is a singer, songwriter, and plays many instruments. He also leads a band, composes music for films, and has been a TV personality.
Jon Batiste has worked with many famous artists like Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, and Prince. From 2015 to 2022, he was the bandleader and music director for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with his band, Stay Human.
In 2020, he helped create the music for the Pixar movie Soul. For this, he won an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a Grammy. He shared these awards with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Jon Batiste has won five Grammy Awards in total from 20 nominations. His album We Are (2021) even won Album of the Year.
In 2023, a documentary called American Symphony was released. It showed Jon Batiste creating his first symphony. In 2024, he acted in the film Saturday Night as musician Billy Preston and also composed the film's music.
Contents
Jon Batiste: A Musical Journey
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Jon Batiste was born in Metairie, Louisiana, into a musical family. He grew up in Kenner, Louisiana. His family, the Batiste family, is well-known in New Orleans for their music.
When he was eight, Jon played drums and percussion with his family's band, the Batiste Brothers Band. At age 11, his mother suggested he try the piano. He took classical piano lessons for seven years. He also improved his piano skills by learning songs from video games like Street Fighter Alpha and Final Fantasy VII.
At 17, Jon released his first album, Times in New Orleans. He went to St. Augustine High School and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. After high school, he studied jazz at the Juilliard School, a famous music school in New York. He earned two degrees there, a Bachelor of Music in 2008 and a Master of Music in 2011. While at Juilliard, he released his second album, Live in New York: At the Rubin Museum of Art. By 2006, Jon had already performed in many countries, including South Africa, London, and Paris.
Rising Star: His Career Highlights
At just 20 years old, Jon Batiste performed his own show at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. He also taught music classes to young people in the Netherlands. Later, he was invited to Carnegie Hall to perform his own show with young musicians.
Over the years, Jon released several music projects. His album Social Music (2013) was number one on the Billboard and iTunes jazz charts for over a month. He also released The Late Show EP (2016) with Stay Human and a holiday album, Christmas with Jon Batiste (2016). In 2017, he released singles like "Ohio" with Leon Bridges and Gary Clark Jr.. His cover of "St. James Infirmary Blues" was nominated for a Grammy in 2019. His first solo album, Hollywood Africans, came out in 2018.
Jon has performed at many important events. These include a tribute to Chuck Berry and Fats Domino at the 60th annual Grammy Awards, the National Anthem at the 2017 NBA All Star Game, and the opening night of the 2017 US Open.
He also appeared in the HBO TV series Treme as himself. He was in director Spike Lee's film, Red Hook Summer, and composed music for it. Jon has composed music for other films and documentaries too.
Stay Human: The Band
.jpg)
In 2005, Jon started performing regularly in New York with his friends from Juilliard. They formed a band called Stay Human. Jon chose this name because he believes that live music can bring people together and uplift humanity in our modern world. The band is known for their spontaneous street performances, which Jon calls "love riots." Famous musicians like Wynton Marsalis often joined them.
In 2011, Stay Human released an album called MY N.Y.. It was recorded entirely on New York City Subway trains! Jon got this idea by thinking about how to connect with people in a new way.
In 2014, Jon Batiste and Stay Human performed their song "Express Yourself" on The Colbert Report.
Joining The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
On June 4, 2015, it was announced that Jon Batiste and Stay Human would be the house band for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The show started on September 8, 2015. On the show, Jon and his band performed with many stars, including Billy Joel, Will Smith, and John Legend.
On August 11, 2022, Stephen Colbert announced that Jon Batiste would be leaving The Late Show. Jon decided to leave to focus on his own projects and interests.
Juneteenth 2020 Celebration
.jpg)
In June 2020, Jon Batiste took part in the Juneteenth celebration in Brooklyn, New York. This day included protests, marches, and rallies to celebrate and support equal rights for Black people. Jon performed on the steps of the Brooklyn Public Library, joined by pianist Matt Whitaker.
Making Movie Magic with Soul
Jon Batiste composed music for the 2020 animated film Soul. He worked with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross on the score. Their work won them many awards, including the Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA Award. Jon's Oscar win made him only the second Black composer to win in that category.
Grammy Wins and We Are
On March 19, 2021, Jon Batiste released We Are, his fifth solo album. He described it as a summary of his life so far and the best representation of him as an artist.
In July 2021, he released a live album called Live at Electric Lady, which was recorded in one day.
At the 64th Grammy Awards, Jon Batiste received 11 nominations, more than any other artist that year. He won five awards, including Album of the Year for We Are. He was the second Black artist to win this award since 2008.
Composing an American Symphony
On September 22, 2022, Jon Batiste performed his own composition, American Symphony, for the first time at Carnegie Hall in New York. Critics praised the performance, saying it told "Batiste's story" in a "truly shining hour."
In 2023, a documentary film also called American Symphony was released. It showed Jon composing his first symphony while his wife, Suleika Jaouad, was dealing with her leukemia returning. The film was executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama.
Uneasy Tour and Streams
In 2024, Jon Batiste went on his first solo concert tour, called the "Uneasy Tour."
He also performed solo shows called "STREAMS: Jon Batiste At The Piano." In these shows, he improvised music on the piano and melodica, creating music on the spot. People described his performances as a "Modern maestro ... display[ing] his magic."
In November 2024, Jon Batiste was a musical guest at the National Book Awards in New York City.
He is scheduled to perform the national anthem at Super Bowl LIX in February 2025, with deaf actress Stephanie Nogueras performing in American Sign Language.
His Unique Music Style and Influences
Jon Batiste has been influenced by many great artists. Some of them include Mahalia Jackson, James Brown, Louis Armstrong, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, and Nina Simone.
He explained that jazz music is more than just a style; it's a way for people to connect and create something beautiful together. He believes jazz shows how different cultures can come together in America and make wonderful music.
For his 2024 album Beethoven Blues, Jon said that Beethoven's music has a very "African" feel, full of different rhythms, like the blues. His own songs on the album are inspired by classical pieces and blues songs.
Standing Up for What's Right
Jon Batiste comes from a family that has always fought against racial segregation. His grandfather was involved in a labor strike in 1968 that fought for better wages and working conditions.
Jon is a strong supporter of civil rights and the fight against racism. He has publicly participated in many demonstrations, including those for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Through his song "We Are," he supports the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization that works for justice and equality. Jon also supports other groups like the Innocence Project and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
Personal Life
Jon Batiste is married to Suleika Jaouad, who is a journalist and author. They first met when they were teenagers at a band camp. In April 2022, they shared in an interview that they had gotten married in a private ceremony at home in February 2022.
Jon was raised in the Catholic Church and continues to be a Christian. He often speaks openly about his faith.
Awards and Achievements
| Releases | ||
|---|---|---|
| ↙Studio albums | 6 | |
| ↙Live albums | 5 | |
| ↙Extended plays | 9 | |
| ↙Singles | 11 | |
| ↙Soundtracks | 2 | |
| ↙Collaborative albums | 3 | |
Jon Batiste has received many awards and honors. Forbes magazine included him in their "30 Under 30" music list in 2016. In 2018, he was named Grand Marshal of the Endymion Parade in New Orleans.
He has received the American Jazz Museum Lifetime Achievement Award and the Harry Chapin ASCAP Humanitarian Award. In 2017, he received an honorary degree from Salve Regina University for his musical achievements. In 2018, he was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best American Roots Performance. In 2020, he received two more Grammy nominations for his albums Chronology of a Dream and Meditations.
As mentioned, in 2020, Jon Batiste, along with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, won an Oscar for their music in the film Soul.
In 2022, Jon won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year for his album We Are. Time magazine also named him one of the "Top 100 Most Influential People" in 2022.
|
See also
In Spanish: Jon Batiste para niños
