Career:
Jon Batiste was born in Kenner, Louisiana, into a long line of musicians, including Lionel Batiste and Harold Battiste. At the age of 8, he played percussion and drums with his family's band, the Batiste Brothers Band. At his mother's suggestion, he switched to piano at the age of 11. Jon developed his piano skills by taking classical music lessons and transcribing songs from video games such as Street Fighter Alpha, Final Fantasy VII and Sonic the Hedgehog.
At 17, Batiste released Times in New Orleans. He attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts with Trombone Shorty and graduated in 2004 before going on to receive a bachelor's and master's degree from the Juilliard School. While at Juilliard, he released his second album Live in New York: At the Rubin Museum of Art, and by the end of 2006, had been a featured performer in South Africa, London, Lisbon, Spain, Paris and the United States.
In 2007, Batiste made his debut at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam at the age of 20, both producing and performing his own show. He conducted music clinics, classes and workshops throughout Netherlands in inner city schools and underprivileged neighborhoods. He was invited back to Carnegie Hall to produce and perform in his own show including six young musicians from the Netherlands. The performance concluded with a finale he composed for choir, jazz combo and orchestral instruments. In the year following, Batiste released a number of music projects including Social Music (2013) which spent over a month at the top of the Billboard and iTunes jazz charts, "The Late Show EP" (2016) with Stay Human and a holiday album "Christmas with Jon Batiste" (2016). In 2017, he released the singles "Ohio" with Leon Bridges and Gary Clark Jr. as well as "Battle Hymn of the Republic" for The Atlantic. Batise's debut solo album Hollywood Africans was released under Verve Records in September 2018. "Don't Stop" served as the lead single. Leading up to the album release, Batiste completed a Summer Festival tour across the U.S. with The Dap-Kings.
Batiste's notable career performances include a tribute to Chuck Berry and Fats Domino during the 60th annual Grammy Awards (performing alongside Gary Clark Jr.), the Kennedy Center Honors in tribute to Carmen De Lavallade, the Concert for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama as well as the National Anthem at the 2017 NBA All Star Game and Opening Night of the 2017 US Open. He has curated the Global Citizen Advocacy Concert with Tom Morello and the Louis Armstrong Wonderful World Festival in Queens, N.Y. Batiste is currently signed with Mick Management.
Stay Human.
In 2005, Batiste began performing regularly around the New York music scene with his Juilliard peers, bassist Phil Kuehn and drummer Joe Saylor. He later added Eddie Barbash on alto saxophone and Ibanda Ruhumbika on tuba. Batiste named the band Stay Human, which draws its moniker from the belief that human interaction during a live musical performance can uplift humanity in the midst of the "plug in/tune out" nature of modern society. The band leads impromptu street performances, which Batiste calls "love riots."
In 2011, Stay Human released the album MY N.Y., which was recorded in its entirety on New York City Subway trains, an idea that came to Batiste after questioning how to connect with people.
On April 22, 2017, the band played for the March for Science rally at the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.
Television and film:
In 2014, Batiste and Stay Human appeared on The Colbert Report to perform the group's single, "Express Yourself", written and produced with Austin Bis. On June 4, 2015, it was announced that the group would serve as house band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The show premiered on CBS on September 8, 2015. On the show, Batiste and Stay Human have performed alongside Billy Joel, Will Smith, Wynton Marsalis, John Legend, Grace Vanderwaal, and Nas.
Batiste was cast in the HBO television series Treme, appearing in seasons 2, 3 and 4. He was also cast as T.K. Hazelton in director Spike Lee's film Red Hook Summer and composed and performed the Hammond B-3 organ music that was a part of the film score. Other film scores composed by Batiste include the television documentary Duke 91 & 92: Back to Back and the short film Melody of Choice. He also appears in the film Thrive by Paul Szynol.
Miscellaneous.
Batiste was included in the 2016 Forbes 30 Under 30 music list and was named Grand Marshal of Endymion Parade in New Orleans in 2018. He has been awarded the American Jazz Museum Lifetime Achievement Award, the Harry Chapin ASCAP Humanitarian Award and the Movado Future Legend Award. In May 2017, Batiste received an honorary degree from Salve Regina University for his musical achievements and contributions to Newport's 2014 International Jazz Day.
Batiste has been featured in campaigns for Chase Bank, Apple Watch, Lincoln Continental, and numerous fashion brands including Ralph Lauren, Barneys, Nordstrom, Frye Boots and Bonobos.
In April 2022, his album 'We Are' won Album of the Year at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, making Batiste the first Black artist to win the award since Herbie Hancock in 2008.
Discography
Times in New Orleans (2005)
Live in New York: At the Rubin Museum of Art (2006)
In the Night (2008)
The Amazing Jon Batiste! (2009)
MY N.Y. EP (2011) with Stay Human
Social Music (2013) with Stay Human
The Process (2014) with Chad Smith and Bill Laswell
The Late Show EP (2016) with Stay Human
Christmas with Jon Batiste (2016)
Music of Johny Lewis (2017) with Wynton Marsalis
Hollywood Africans (2018)
WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD
Jon Batiste Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see them bloom, for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed days and the dark sacred night
What a wonderful world
The colors of a rainbow
So pretty in the sky
And also other faces
Of all the people going by
I see friends shaking hands, saying "how do you do?"
They're really saying "I love you"
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They'll know much more
Than I'll never know
And I think to myself (self)
What a wonderful world
What a wonderful world
What a wonderful world
What a wonderful world
The lyrics of Jon Batiste's song, "What a Wonderful World", convey a sense of awe and appreciation for the beauty and diversity of our world. The first verse describes seeing trees of green and red roses that bloom for everyone, reminding us of the natural beauty that surrounds us. The second verse goes on to describe the contrasting blue skies and white clouds of the day and the dark and sacred nights. The chorus of the song, "What a wonderful world", reinforces a sense of wonder and gratitude for the beauty we can see.
The third verse, however, goes a step further in exploring the diversity of our world. The colors of a rainbow are not only pretty in the sky, they are also reflected in the many different faces that we see in the people around us. The lines, "I see friends shaking hands, saying 'how do you do?' / They're really saying 'I love you'", reaffirms the importance of human connection and the love that we share with others. Finally, the mention of babies crying and growing up to know more about the world than the singer ever will, is a gentle reminder of the cyclical nature of life and the knowledge and wisdom that is passed down through generations.
Through these lyrics, Jon Batiste communicates a message of mindfulness, grounding the listener in the present moment and encouraging an appreciation for the world around us. The song is a peaceful reminder to slow down and find joy in the simple things that surround us.
Line by Line Meaning
I see trees of green and red roses too
I observe the beauty of nature surrounding me, from the lush green trees to the vibrant red roses.
I see them bloom, for me and you
I witness the flourishing of these plants and acknowledge that they are a gift not only for myself but for all to appreciate.
And I think to myself
Through my observations, I reflect upon my thoughts of gratitude and amazement.
What a wonderful world
I conclude that the world is truly a wondrous and remarkable place.
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
My gaze is drawn to the serene and picture-perfect blue skies, adorned with fluffy white clouds.
The bright blessed days and the dark sacred night
I acknowledge the beauty and wonder of both the bright, joyful days and the peaceful, introspective nights.
The colors of a rainbow
So pretty in the sky
I observe the vivid and stunning colors of a rainbow displayed in the sky above.
And also other faces
Of all the people going by
I notice the diverse and unique faces of individuals passing by, each with their own story and experiences.
I see friends shaking hands, saying "how do you do?"
They're really saying "I love you"
I witness the exchange of greetings between friends, recognizing that the words spoken are truly expressions of love and affection.
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They'll know much more
Than I'll never know
I listen to the cries of babies and attentively observe their growth, understanding that they have much to learn and experience that I may never fully comprehend.
And I think to myself (self)
What a wonderful world
I continue to reflect on my wonder and amazement at the beauty and complexity of the world around me.
What a wonderful world
What a wonderful world
What a wonderful world
What a wonderful world
In conclusion, I reiterate my belief that this world is truly full of awe-inspiring wonders and beauty, worthy of celebration and appreciation.
Writer(s): George David Weiss, George Douglas, Bob Thiele
Contributed by Zachary J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jay Alexander
The more I learn about who Jon Batiste really is, the more I love him.
Victoria Eads
He is lovely. He is the sort of person who can convince a pessimist that the glass isn't just half full, it's overflowing. 💜💜💜
Jay Alexander
@Victoria Eads thank you. That comment made my heart grow. Sometimes I lose faith in people and humankind.
Saunsiaray Broussard
Jay Alexander: Exactly! He's my cousin and the more I learn about him, the more proud I am to be his family! We have many artists in our big family that I hope to one day meet in person!
lissa Rodrigues
True 🙂💓.
Painted Pony
Try respect and admiration. Love should be reserved for in-person, real relationships. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Jon Batiste is an incredibly talented artist and inspirational human being. His honest humility and joy seem to be paramount gifts. I endeavor to follow his example and hope you will as well.
Madeline Schultz
Jon is fast approaching "great soul" category. A great soul is someone who is very close, infused with, the great universal essence of creation. And creation is love, expressed in simplicity.
Soular Light
Beautiful Truth.
Marilyn Wilson
I totally agree. Your words are so true and beautiful.
Elizabeth Cohen
amen