Marguerite LoPresti
raggamar@gmail.com
Kevi… Read Full Bio ↴Contact/Publicist:
Marguerite LoPresti
raggamar@gmail.com
Kevin Batchelor's debut solo performance on March 22, 2008 in Russia was a huge success. Joined on stage by members of the legendary Skatalites, Kevin Batchelor captivated the audience with his riveting trumpet solos and soulful vocals.
In mid-February, 2009, during his first USA tour in Florida, Kevin and world-renowned Saxophonist, Cedric IM Brooks, tore up the stages in the cities of Tallahassee, Downtown Gainesville, Cocoa Beach, and Jacksonville Beach. He has since given spectacular performances in his hometown of NYC, and fans are surely wanting more.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Kevin Batchelor met his destiny at the age of thirteen. Already an avid lover of music, he stumbled upon the Miles Davis record Milestones. Captivated by the sound of the trumpet, he instantly fell under its influence and realized that this was the instrument that he would strive to perfect.
Eventually, Kevin’s profound love for the trumpet brought him to the east coast, where he gained prestige as a scholar and performer at the Berklee College of Music (1971 Duke Ellington received the college's first honorary doctorate). In 1983, he left Berklee for New York City and never looked back. Upon arriving, he met reggae super star Sugar Minot, and in just a few months, found himself on reggae’s greatest stage, Jamaica’s Reggae Sunsplash. While touring with Sugar for ten years, he began to make New York his home, working with one of the top backing bands in the city. This perspective gave young Kevin a bird’s eye view to many of the Jamaican master singers, such as Frankie Paul, Alton Ellis and Delroy Wilson. In 1990, he joined band mate Sidney Mills and became a member of the top English Reggae band, Steel Pulse. In this seven-year stint, Kevin travelled all over the world, seeing Europe and South America for the first time. He then moved on with Big Mountain, who scored a big hit with a reggae cover of “Baby I love your Way.”
While the reggae world embraced Kevin, other gigs proved his versatility. Back in New York, Kevin landed a gig in the orchestra pit for the Broadway smash “The Full Monty.” At the same time, Kevin did studio work for hip hop artists such as Queen Latifah, Sean Paul and KRS One’s Boogie Down Productions to name a few.
Eventually, the road called for him and in 2002, he took the gig with Jamaica’s legendary Studio One house band, The Skatalites. Kevin joined the band as a humble sideman, fulfilling the trumpet chair alongside the original members who quickly became his mentors. As the years progressed, Kevin’s mileage, instrumental talent and knack for entertaining the crowd helped him solidify a more permanent and essential role in the band. With Kevin’s help, The Skatalites reached their 40th anniversary and are still on the move, reaching many parts of the world that have been listening to the sound they created for forty years and counting.
Influenced by the creative genius of Bob Marley, Louis Armstrong and several others, Kevin Batchelor’s voice is as much of an outlet as his trumpet. When he realized his talents as a lead vocalist, he formed his own bands, Batchelor Party and Kevin Batchelor’s Grand Concourse. He collaborated with producers Sidney Mills, of Living Room Records and Noel Alphonso on the recording and release of his debut CD entitled “Batchelor Party” (2006, Living Room Records) choosing choice covers and writing a few instrumental originals featuring the likes of Cedric IM Brooks (The Skatalites) and Sidney Mills (Steel Pulse). Later in 2008, Kevin teamed up with songwriter Jonny Meyers (The Stingers ATX), and producer Dan Jeselsohn (The Toasters, NY Ska Jazz Ensemble) for the recording and release of his second CD, “Kevin Batchelor’s Grand Concourse” (2011, Mossburg Music) featuring all original material.
As both a Trumpeter & Lead Vocalist, Kevin Batchelor effortlessly captures the attention of audiences worldwide with his masterful ensemble playing and spirited solos. No matter the time of year, day of the week, or location, you will always catch him working. Currently, he is bringing the music of Grand Concourse on tour, as he embarks on a long overdue solo career. According to Kevin Batchelor, music is life and life is good.
Credits: Queen Latifah, Rihanna, Sean Paul/Bunny Rugs, Marcus Miller (producer/songwriter for Miles Davis, Luther Vandross etc.), Sly and Robbie, Jimmy Cliff, Dennis Brown, Beres Hammond, Steel Pulse, Maxi Priest, Shaggy, Maxwell, KRS-ONE, Burning Spear, Big Mountain, Black Rock Coalition, Sugar Minott, The Fleshtones, David Yazbek, Mark Ledford, The Meditations, Eek-A-Mouse, Harry Miller, Ms. Melodie, Shelly Thunder, Boogie Down Productions, Abeng, Lisette Melendez, Bustin Melonz, Boom Band, Dancehall Divas, Dog Eat Dog, Shinehead, Robi Kahakalau, Jah Batta, The Fleshtones, Marques Wyatt, Ras Droppa, Rob Symeonn, and Patrice.He has appeared on several Television shows including The David Letterman Show, The Tonight Show & more. KB has also enjoyed the honor of playing on the Grammy-winning Burning Spear album Jah Is Real (Best Reggae Recording, 2008).
Five Minutes
Kevin Batchelor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Five minutes on a train
Five minutes still remain
You’re alone just sitting there
With that cold forgetful stare
In this Five minutes on a train
When all I knew was your name
Now I’m going to my happy home
The different life I’ve always known
But there’s five minutes on a train
One request in this refrain
One request in this refrain
Don’t you stare in back of me
Pretending that you just don’t see
We got Five minutes on a train
Fire burning where there’s none
But a past that’s just begun
I often wonder bout them miracles
There’s some that are too plentiful
In this Five minutes on a train
There’s just one question on my brain
Before I start to go insane
Do you see a different me
I’m not the chump I used to be
In this Five minutes on a train
Stay not too far away
Wish for another day
The reasons why we didn’t last
Are poison in the aftermath of this
Five minutes on a train
I said your cold, dark alchemy
Put a long, black spell on me
In this Five minutes on a train
Five minutes on a train
Five minutes on a train
The lyrics of Kevin Batchelor's song "Five Minutes on a Train" tell a story of reflection and introspection during a short train ride. The singer is alone, sitting in silent contemplation, with a distant and absent-minded expression on their face. However, within these five minutes, their thoughts wander to their life, feeling a sense of sadness and disappointment when all they can think about is the person they knew, represented by the repetition of the line "When all I knew was your name." Despite this, they are on their way to their "happy home," indicating a positive change in their life that they have always desired. Yet, even with this hopeful journey, the five minutes on the train serve as a reminder of the deep emotions and questions that linger within.
The lyrics also touch upon themes of missed opportunities and the haunting presence of memories. The mention of a fire burning where there's none and a past that has just begun suggests a conflicting mix of hope and regret. The singer ponders the existence of miracles, acknowledging that some seem abundant but wonders if they are truly genuine. In the chorus, the singer addresses someone, asking them not to stare from behind and pretend not to see. This implies a plea to acknowledge the singer's changed self, indicating that they are no longer the same person they once were. The song concludes with a yearning for another day and a recognition of the reasons why their relationship did not work out, comparing them to poison in the aftermath of the five minutes on the train.
Overall, "Five Minutes on a Train" captures a moment of reflection and nostalgia within the confines of a short train journey. It explores themes of longing, self-discovery, and the bittersweet nature of memories.
Line by Line Meaning
Five minutes on a train
Reflecting on a brief period of time spent on a train
Five minutes still remain
There are still five minutes left on the train journey
You’re alone just sitting there
Feeling solitude while sitting in isolation
With that cold forgetful stare
Showing a distant expression of someone lost in their thoughts
In this Five minutes on a train
Throughout the entire duration of these five minutes on the train
Thought my life a doggone shame
Considered my life to be a lamentable disappointment
When all I knew was your name
My knowledge and awareness solely revolved around your name
Now I’m going to my happy home
I am heading towards a place where I find joy and contentment
The different life I’ve always known
The life that has always been distinct and separate from my current situation
But there’s five minutes on a train
Yet, during these five minutes on the train, there are lingering thoughts
One request in this refrain
A single plea expressed in this repeated verse
Don’t you stare in back of me
Please do not gaze behind me
Pretending that you just don’t see
Acting as if you are completely oblivious to the situation
We got Five minutes on a train
Both of us have these remaining five minutes on the train
Fire burning where there’s none
Feeling a passionate intensity in spite of the absence of a cause
But a past that’s just begun
Yet, it is only the beginning of a newly formed history
I often wonder bout them miracles
Frequently contemplating the existence of those extraordinary events
There’s some that are too plentiful
Certain miracles that appear in excessive abundance
In this Five minutes on a train
Within the context of these specific five minutes on the train
There’s just one question on my brain
There is only a single question occupying my thoughts
Before I start to go insane
Prior to reaching a state of mental instability
Do you see a different me
Are you able to perceive a transformed version of myself
I’m not the chump I used to be
I am no longer the naive and foolish person I once was
Stay not too far away
Do not maintain a significant distance from me
Wish for another day
Longing for the possibility of experiencing a different day
The reasons why we didn’t last
The explanations behind our inability to endure
Are poison in the aftermath of this
They serve as toxic remnants following this train journey
I said your cold, dark alchemy
I mentioned your manipulative and malevolent influence
Put a long, black spell on me
Enveloped me in a prolonged and detrimental enchantment
In this Five minutes on a train
Within the specific timeframe of these five minutes on the train
Five minutes on a train
These remaining five minutes on the train
Five minutes on a train
This duration of five minutes spent on the train
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Lamont Fleming, Zak Meyers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
NoF -NoF
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