Born and raised into a family of musicians just outside of New Orleans, Louisiana (the birthplace of jazz), it is no wonder that Batiste developed his love for music, particularly jazz, at such a young age. He started off playing percussion and drums and was also a part of his family's band, called the "Batiste Brothers Band". At the age of 11, his mom enrolled him in piano lessons, as she felt that learning classical music is the foundation of all music. For high school, Jon attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, graduating in 2004.
Batiste later attended The Julliard School in New York City, where he earned his bachelor's and master's of music, both in jazz studies. As a student, Batiste formed his the band "Stay Human" alongside Joe Saylor (drums, percussion) and Eddie Barbash (alto saxophone). The band's name comes from Batiste's belief that human interaction during a live musical performance can inspire humanity The band began to attract attention for their impromptu subway and street concerts, sometimes referred to as “love riots.”Batiste felt these public shows were a way to introduce Jazz to audiences not typically exposed to it. .John played an instrument called a “melodica", a small air keyboard.
John Batiste, pictured with his melodicas
In 2014, Stay Human performed "Express Yourself" on Stephen Colbert's The Colbert Report. Their performance was a hit, becoming one of the most famous performances of the show's nine year run. Their success also led to them being named the house band for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2015. The band released their first EP in 2016, called “The Late Show EP”, which featured six original songs. The album, as Colbert put it, "captures the music and joy that the audience experiences when they come to ‘The Late Show’ live at the theater." Batiste left the band in 2022 to focus on his solo musical career. The band was renamed The Late Night Show Band, and continues to perform on Colbert's show today.
John Batiste and the Stay Human Band
John Batiste has found great success in his solo career as well. He has performed in over 40 countries, at venues such as: Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and the Concertgebouw. He has also worked with other famous artists such as: Stevie Wonder, Prince, Willie Nelson, Lenny Kravitz, Ed Sheeran, and Mavis Staples.
He has won five Grammys from 20 nominations, including 2022 Album of the Year for “We Are.” He also wrote the original score for the Disney/Pixar film SOUL, which earned him a Golden Globe, BAFTA, NAACP Image Award, and a Critic’s Choice Award. In addition, Jon Batiste is the 2nd Black composer in history to win an Academy Award for composition.
Batiste, pictured with his 5 Grammys
On August 31st, 2023, Batiste's documentary,The American Symphony, was released on Netflix. The documentary begins on November 21, 2021, the day that Batiste was nominated for 11 Grammys. On this same day, Jon found out that his wife's, Sueilka Joaoed, cancer had returned. The documentary centers around Batiste's life as he struggles to navigate the juxtaposition between one of the best years of his life, in terms of his career, and one of his worst, due to his wife's battle with cancer. The American Symphony is a beautiful work that shows how Batiste and Sueilka used their love for each-other, art, and creativity to overcome a year of tragedy. It is raw, emotional, and truly demonstrates Batiste's remarkable ability to connect art with humanity. The song that Batiste wrote for American Symphony, called “It Never Went Away,” was a 2024 Oscar nominee for Best Original Song.
More recently, Jon Batiste appeared in the 2023 adaptation of The Color Purple.Batiste is currently on his first headline tour, the 'Uneasy Tour', which he kicked off on February 16th at the Schnitzer in Portland, Oregon. According to Batiste, his tour is about “purifying the airwaves” for the country ahead of the 2024 Presidential election. Batiste will visit several theaters across the US and Canada, including the Fillmore in Charlotte on March 22nd!
When he's not producing music, Jon is very involved in his community. As the Co-Artistic Director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, he helps offers year-round educational programs (such as free workshops, performances and events) for students of all ages.
He is also a traveling ambassador for the New York-based non-profit organization, "Music Unites," founded by Michelle Edgar. Batiste and Edgar work together on various projects that are dedicated to bringing music education to underprivileged children in underfunded inner-city school systems.
Jon Batiste's love for music, art, education and innovation—as well as his passion for helping others— is what truly sets him apart from other artists and makes him an inspiration for generations to come!