Alongside his many other pursuits, Batiste is co-artistic director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem and has been actively involved in the museum’s programming since 2009. Jon Batiste’s fifth studio album, We Are, is by turns jubilant and tender. The same description applies to the musician himself, who speaks with strangers as if they were longtime friends and often breaks into song without prompting. The 34-year-old son of a storied New Orleans music family has many reasons for joy of late.1 Best known as the band leader for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, he recently attracted a younger audience with Pixar’s animated hit Soul, whose This story is from Kinfolk Issue Forty-One Buy Now Related Stories Music Issue 51 Zach Condon A check-in with the Beirut musician. Music Issue 50 Caroline Polachek “The thing that eats at me a little bit is how subjective my music is.... You can’t get away from ‘Caroline Polachek.’” Music Issue 50 Odd Jobs Molly Lewis, professional whistler. Music Issue 50 Behind the Scenes Film composer Emile Mosseri on the art of setting music to film. Music Issue 49 Tove Lo The pop star reflects on the big feelings behind her biggest hits. Music Issue 49 Róisín Murphy Five questions for an art-pop icon.
Music Issue 50 Caroline Polachek “The thing that eats at me a little bit is how subjective my music is.... You can’t get away from ‘Caroline Polachek.’”
