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| Jon Batiste And Stay Human Create Social Music On October 15th On October 15th, Jon Batiste and Stay Human will release their debut full-length album Social Music on Razor & Tie. Batiste—a bandleader, pianist, singer, songwriter, composer and descendant of New Orleans musical "royalty" (NY Times), —reinterprets American music, spearheading a revival that has something for almost everyone. "Talent ooz[es] from his fingertips, " says BlackBook as Jon "gives jazz a modern twist and urban flair." Named "30 Under 30" most influential people in the art world (ArtInfo), "Jon Batiste embodies both the history and the future. His creative interpretations of classic sounds are thrilling, " says Walter Isaacson the President of the Aspen Institute and former editor of TIME Magazine. Produced by Jeff Jones "The Jedi Master" with Jon Batiste, Social Music reflects the dapper 26 year old's evolution over the past several years. "This album documents the evolution of the band, " he says. With Batiste on piano, vocals and melodica, (which he has renamed the harmonaboard) and his band Stay Human—Eddie Barbash on alto saxophone; Ibanda Ruhumbika on tuba; and Joe Saylor on drums and tambourine—Social Music reflects an extraordinary range. On "D-Flat Movement, " the album's opening track, you can hear Batiste elegantly dueting with the sounds of thunder. Meanwhile, "It's Alright (Why You Gotta)" slinks along on a seductively funky cha-cha groove, while "Express Yourself" jitters on an infectious harmonaboard riff, its encouraging message balanced precariously all the while. Throughout the album, elements of jazz, Americana and classical music nuzzle up against beats that could light up a club dance floor, and standards like "St. James Infirmary" and "Naima's Love Song" nestle in alongside spoken-word samples like "The Jazzman Speaks" (featuring the voice of jazz legend Jelly Roll Morton) and statements of spiritual yearning like "Let God Lead." Batiste has defined a vision based on the most profound aspects of what has already been a rich artistic journey. He and his family are part of the inspiration for the HBO series Treme, in which Batiste has appeared. Over the last decade he has forged his own artistic path by indelibly fusing himself within the fabric of New York City culture. He graduated from the Juilliard School with a master's degree and currently serves as the Artistic Director at Large of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem where he curates programming and educates audiences of all ages and backgrounds. He has collaborated with the likes of Prince, Cassandra Wilson, Lauryn Hill, Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Buffet, Eve, Lenny Kravitz, ?uestlove, and Asher Roth and recorded extensively, most recently putting out the EP MY NY with Stay Human in 2011 which was recorded live in the subway system of Manhattan. Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith says "Jon is the best thing to come outta Nawlins since The Po'boy sandwich." And as the New York Daily News puts it, "It's almost impossible to hear and see Batiste in person and not smile." Jon Batiste and Stay Human 2013 Tour Dates: 9/27 Winthrop, WA — Winthrop Barn, Auditorium Association 10/3 Olympia, WA — Washington Center for Performing Arts 10/4 Seattle, WA — Neptune Theatre 10/5 Bellingham, WA — Mount Baker Theatre 10/9 Mesa, AZ — Virginia G. Piper Repertory Theatre, WAS Mesa Arts 10/12 New York, NY — Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall 10/15 Calgary, Canada — Jack Singer Concert Hall 10/18 Northridge, CA — Great Hall, Valley Performing Arts Center 10/19 Irvine, CA — Cheng Hall 10/23 Carmel, CA — Sunset Theatre 10/24 Livermore, CA — Bankhead Theatre 10/26 Rohnert Park, CA — Weill Hall, Green Music Center 10/27 Stanford, CA — Bing Concert Hall, Stanford University 11/1 Fort Collins, CO — Lincoln Center Performance Hall 11/2 Parker, CO — Parker Arts, Culture and Events Center 11/7 Tucson, AZ — Hotel Congress write your comments about the article :: © 2013 Jazz News :: home page |