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 44 Sigrid Scandipop's fresh face on stagecraft and The Sims. Music Issue 43 Brendan Yates The Turnstile frontman on hardcore's sweet side. Music Issue 43 Cat Power Musician Chan Marshall opens the door to a different dimension. Music Issue 42 Dev Hynes The boundless potential of being a master of none. Music Issue 42 Fatima Al Qadiri The shape shifting star of contemporary electronica. Music Issue 39 Erika de Casier In conversation with a romantic soul.
