I loved a downbeat article where Jon Baptiste discussed his piano lessons at Julliard with Kenny Barron. I was disappointed that so few jazz artists appeared on the Late Show during Baptiste's tenure there.
A veteran jazz bassist I know was given tickets to Jon's performance April 6 2025 at the Metropolitan Opera in NYC, and he invited a young jazz pianist friend. The pianist was so disappointed he left before the concert ended. The bassist stayed until the end but was not impressed. There are a couple of YouTube clips - My Favorite Things + Finale - and the audience seemed to enjoy Jon's performance.
Jon's Stay Human group usually put on crowd-pleasing shows featuring a variety of musical styles.
Jon got my love with an old video of him in a club very generously playing for a young singer. I am happy when I see fine musicians doing well financially, and have never begrudged them being able to make the rent an put their kids through college. My buddy Billy Hart taught for a lot of years at a university that give his daughter a good education! And Billy is a great educator -- I watched him in action with his students at Western Michigan, just after returning from a EU tour. He knew everyone's story, and reinforced them.
Answering Karen Bennettt - There are plenty of people in the income bracket to splurge on this kind of "opportunity. Last night's gala fundraiser for the Jazz Institute of Chicago last night cost $500 (there were also $200 tix for industry folks/musicians), drawing some 450 attendees at Chicago's Hilton. Brandford's quartet (with locally-based drummer Dana Hall) performed a set, with Hancock Competition winner Jahari Stampley sitting in; there were also student players from the Institute's Jazz Links programs. Attendees got dinner, open bar, two receptions with hors d'ouvres, and were asked to donate via a paddle-raise, which by my estimate gained about $30k. Branford did not participate in photo ops and the like. PS I think Jon Batiste in "jazz," as Fats Waller is jazz. I'm so radical as to reach out to Earth Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, the Meters, Aretha's cuts with King Curtis and Hubert Laws.
Absolutely! I'm a big Colbert fan, and I became a Jon Batiste fan watching a video of him supporting and encouraging a young singer in a NY club, and regularly on Colbert's show playing Monk, and Bird, and other of our greats, just working it in to the show.
This all is pretty much in line with a mid-tier pop musician’s hard ticket marketing. I know that Jon would probably say he’s a Musician embracing all manner of genres and styles in his work. But the Instagram text is just nonsense, imo. As we’re possibly entering a time where discretionary dollars may be getting a bit more scarce, will be interesting to see how sales go, and how they’re discounted closer to the date
"Plays America" Yeah...Interesting.
How many ways can this be interpreted?
Honestly, I hadn’t done a proper frisking of the phrase, but it’s a good point
I really love Jon but this is pretty funny.
Thank you
I loved a downbeat article where Jon Baptiste discussed his piano lessons at Julliard with Kenny Barron. I was disappointed that so few jazz artists appeared on the Late Show during Baptiste's tenure there.
And they've appeared since? I haven't noticed.
George Benson kind of figure it seems. Has the real musical chops, prefers to make pop music for whatever reason.
A veteran jazz bassist I know was given tickets to Jon's performance April 6 2025 at the Metropolitan Opera in NYC, and he invited a young jazz pianist friend. The pianist was so disappointed he left before the concert ended. The bassist stayed until the end but was not impressed. There are a couple of YouTube clips - My Favorite Things + Finale - and the audience seemed to enjoy Jon's performance.
Jon's Stay Human group usually put on crowd-pleasing shows featuring a variety of musical styles.
Well. gee...
Well. gee...
Jon got my love with an old video of him in a club very generously playing for a young singer. I am happy when I see fine musicians doing well financially, and have never begrudged them being able to make the rent an put their kids through college. My buddy Billy Hart taught for a lot of years at a university that give his daughter a good education! And Billy is a great educator -- I watched him in action with his students at Western Michigan, just after returning from a EU tour. He knew everyone's story, and reinforced them.
“Making rent” is a fairly extraordinary phrase in this context
Answering Karen Bennettt - There are plenty of people in the income bracket to splurge on this kind of "opportunity. Last night's gala fundraiser for the Jazz Institute of Chicago last night cost $500 (there were also $200 tix for industry folks/musicians), drawing some 450 attendees at Chicago's Hilton. Brandford's quartet (with locally-based drummer Dana Hall) performed a set, with Hancock Competition winner Jahari Stampley sitting in; there were also student players from the Institute's Jazz Links programs. Attendees got dinner, open bar, two receptions with hors d'ouvres, and were asked to donate via a paddle-raise, which by my estimate gained about $30k. Branford did not participate in photo ops and the like. PS I think Jon Batiste in "jazz," as Fats Waller is jazz. I'm so radical as to reach out to Earth Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, the Meters, Aretha's cuts with King Curtis and Hubert Laws.
Absolutely! I'm a big Colbert fan, and I became a Jon Batiste fan watching a video of him supporting and encouraging a young singer in a NY club, and regularly on Colbert's show playing Monk, and Bird, and other of our greats, just working it in to the show.
This all is pretty much in line with a mid-tier pop musician’s hard ticket marketing. I know that Jon would probably say he’s a Musician embracing all manner of genres and styles in his work. But the Instagram text is just nonsense, imo. As we’re possibly entering a time where discretionary dollars may be getting a bit more scarce, will be interesting to see how sales go, and how they’re discounted closer to the date
Who can afford this?