Jon Bastite life and music
DURING the 66th Grammy Awards on Sunday, Jon Batiste helped pay tribute to artists who died over the past year. Awards were held in Los Angeles to celebrate achievements in the music industry from 2022-2023.
As Batiste sang during the show's "in memoriam" segment, the names of his cousin, drummer Russell Batiste Jr., and fellow New Orleans artist Jean "Mr. Big Stuff" Knight flashed on the screen at Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena.
Despite not winning at the Grammys this time, Batiste was the only male nominee in the three most prestigious categories – album, record and song of the year, as well as two others.
Batiste and his wife, journalist and author Suleika Jaouad teamed up with filmmaker Matthew Heineman to make "American Symphony". The documentary was initially going to focus on Batiste's creative process leading up to a performance at New York's prestigious Carnegie Hall however in late 2021 while the award-winning musician was nominated for 11 Grammy awards, his partner's long-dormant cancer returned, and the movie then became more a "symphony of life". The Netflix documentary was produced by ‘Higher Ground Productions’ owned by Michelle and Barack Obama.
Who is Jon Batiste?
Jon Batiste is a globally celebrated pianist and singer known for composing modern, eclectic crossover music, fusing jazz, soul, gospel, and New Orleans R&B.
He received both his undergraduate and master's degrees in piano from the Juilliard School, one of the most prestigious performing arts schools in the world.
His band Stay Human performed with artists like Questlove, Lenny Kravitz, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and more.
In 2015, Batiste met Stephen Colbert, who hired him to be the bandleader for ‘The Late Show’.
Batiste has won five Grammys, including Album of the Year for 'We Are' (2021), and an Oscar award for co-writing the music on the Pixar movie 'Soul'
Born into a long lineage of Louisiana musicians, his musical skill, artistic vision and exuberant charisma have garnered him the well-deserved title of "crowned prince of jazz."
Jon is recognised for his originality, jaw-dropping talent and dapper sense of style.
Jon is a musical genius who delicately balances a demanding schedule on screen and on stage, which includes his role as Bandleader and Musical Director with The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to recently honouring Philip Glass with a performance of "Opening" from "Glassworks" at the 41st Annual Kennedy Center Honors.
Jon recorded and released his first solo album, Hollywood Africans in 2018 on Verve and received critical acclaim from his peers and press including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and Billboard.
Executive Produced by T Bone Burnett, Hollywood Africans also gave Jon his first Grammy nomination in the Best American Roots Performance category for Saint James Infirmary Blues.
Ironically, with his album Hollywood Africans inspired by the famous 1983 painting, it's befitting that Jon has been tapped to compose the lyrics and music for a new edgy Broadway-bound musical, based on the life and art of one of the most influential artists of the late 20th century, Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Strongly committed to the arts, philanthropy, education and mentoring of young musicians, Jon is currently the artistic director At Large of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem and Musical Director for The Atlantic.
He's been awarded the American Jazz Museum Lifetime Achievement Award, the Harry Chapin ASCAP Humanitarian Award and made the coveted Forbes "30 under 30" list.