Jon Batiste is a Louisianan singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and bandleader. Born into a family of musicians, Batiste released his debut album, Times in New Orleans, at age 18 before attending the prestigious Julliard School in New York City.[1][2] From 2015 to 2022, Batiste and his band Stay Human performed nightly as the house band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He has won numerous accolades for his compositions, including the Academy Award for Best Original Score for his work on the Disney/Pixar film Soul. The release of his album, WE ARE, in 2021 garnered overwhelming critical acclaim and led to five Grammy Award wins (including Album of the Year) from 11 nominations.[2] The 2023 American Symphony documentary followed Batiste as he composed his first symphony.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
Jon Batiste made his first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade appearance in 2021, coming off the successful release of WE ARE. Paying tribute to his home of Louisiana, Batiste rode on the state tourism-sponsored Celebration Gator float, which features famous Louisiana landmarks on the back of a 60-foot-long mechanical alligator.
In a pre-Parade interview with Al Roker on Today, Batiste expressed gratitude for the opportunity to appear in the Parade while representing his home state and acknowledging his aforementioned Grammy nominations.[3] Batiste was joined by his father, bassist Michael Batiste, along the Parade route; he reflected on the moment in the Countdown to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade primetime special the following year.
For his NBC broadcast performance, Batiste performed a rendition of his single “I NEED YOU,” complete with his father on bass, dancers in their Sunday best, and a sax solo.
In 2023, Batiste opened the official broadcast with a performance of his single, “Worship,” at the Parade’s starting line. The production prominently featured students from the Alabama A&M University Marching Maroon & White and its dance auxiliary the Dancing Divas, alongside musicians Abraham Thomas and Jermaine Bell on hand drums.[4] The number concluded with Batiste declaring Thanksgiving as “a day of unity, healing and celebration.” He then proclaimed, “Let’s Have a Parade!” running through the opening ribbon and officially kicking off the procession.
References[]
- ↑ Smith, Tod. "Jonathan Batiste: Times In New Orleans." All About Jazz. May 22, 2005.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jon Batiste | Spotify. Spotify.com.
- ↑ TODAY. "Jon Batiste on his 11 Grammy nominations and Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade." YouTube.com. November 25, 2021.
- ↑ Fehring, Amanda. "Singing sensations Abraham Thomas, Jermaine Bell to perform in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade." County 10. November 21, 2023.
See also[]
- Trombone Shorty, a fellow Louisiana native who has collaborated with Batiste.