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Jon Batiste

Beethoven Blues

Verve / Interscope
Release Date: November 15, 2024

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1 Fur Elise-Batiste  
2 Symphony No. 5 Stomp  
3 Moonlight Sonata Blues  
4 Dusklight Movement  
5 Seventh Symphony Elegy  
6 American Symphony Theme  
7 Ode to Joyful  
8 Fifth Symphony in Congo Square  
9 Waldstein Wobble  
10 Life of Ludwig  
11 Fur Elise-Reverie  
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Multi-Grammy and Oscar Award winner Jon Batiste today announced his eighth studio album, Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1), out November 15 via Verve Records / Interscope. Marking the first installment in Batiste’s new solo piano series, the project showcases his interpolations of some of Beethoven’s most iconic works, which he has reimagined through an expansive lens. These reimagined classics embody the indomitable spirit of the blues, and – true to Batiste’s “message of open-armed inclusivity” (New York Times) – embrace a broad genre spectrum.  

The inspiration for Beethoven Blues gained momentum after a 2023 interview with CNN’s Chris Wallace, where Batiste demonstrated music’s ability to transcend genre borders by transforming Beethoven’s Bagatelle No. 25 (“Für Elise”) at the piano (watch HERE). The profound response from audiences across social media helped signal the timing was right to make this long-held album idea a reality. For years, Batiste has incorporated interpolations of classical music into his albums, TV performances, and live shows, but Beethoven Blues marks the first time he’s dedicated an entire album to this practice.

“For each work on the album, the starting point was one of Beethoven’s original compositions,” Batiste shared. “From there, I created something new at the piano, in real time. Spontaneous composition is a practice that’s all but lost in classical music, which can sometimes feel overly canonized.  Recording this album was a deeply spiritual experience. It allowed me to honor Beethoven’s transcendent artistry while bringing his work into dialogue with my own creative journey.”

Batiste has been variously described as “a certified musical genius” (The Guardian), “a protean pianist and megawatt personality” (Variety), and “a once-in-a-generation talent, with a passion for … connecting people through a shared love of music-making” (Classic FM). Born into a long line of Louisiana musicians, he trained as a classical pianist and received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano from New York’s Juilliard School. He now works with students and faculty as an inaugural Juilliard Creative Associate, as well as serving on the Juilliard board.  Additionally, Batiste is on the Board of Trustees at Carnegie Hall as an Artist Trustee.

He returned to his classical roots in the 2021-22 season, when he curated a multi-concert “Perspectives” series at New York’s Carnegie Hall. This was crowned by the world premiere of his American Symphony (2022), a Carnegie Hall commission, on the venue’s main stage. Classical Source welcomed this large-scale orchestral work as “a joyous and beefy blend of orchestral sounds, funk, Dixieland, Latin, gospel, country, cool jazz, swing, hip-hop, R&B, as well as other styles and genres,” while Variety reported: 

  • 'Beethoven Blues' is a solo piano album by Jon Batiste / theartsdesk
    Posted At: November 15, 2024
    Beethoven's hits reimagined by the American musical celebrity'Batiste takes a phrase of Beethoven, and answers and contrasts it with a minor, bluesy jazz phrase of his own'theartsdesk - Sebastian Scotney writes….Beethoven’s renown in his own day was not just as a composer but also as an improvising pianist. He wrote in a letter in July 1819 that “freedom, and to move forward is the purpose of the world of a...

  • Jon Batiste & Kelly Clarkson in an impromptu duet
    Posted At: November 11, 2024
    A Grammy- and Oscar-winning keyboardist, singer, and composer, Jon Batiste is an ebullient and highly eclectic performer with a sound that combines the jazz traditions of his New Orleans home with a vibrant blend of funk, pop, and R&B. From 2015 to 2022, Batiste was the bandleader and musical director for CBS' The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He has toured the globe with his own Stay Human ensemble a...

  • Montreux Jazz Festival Miami is set to return for its second edition with Jon Batiste & Friends headlining / POLLSTAR
    Posted At: October 31, 2024
    Multi-Grammy and Oscar Award winner Jon Batiste today announced his eighth studio album, Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1), out November 15 via Verve Records / Interscope. Marking the first installment in Batiste’s new solo piano series, the project showcases his interpolations of some of Beethoven’s most iconic works, which he has reimagined through an expansive lens. These reimagined classics...

  • Montreux Jazz Festival readies its Miami debut / Miami New Times
    Posted At: February 22, 2024
    Attracting more than 250,000 people to the French-speaking city over 15 days each summer, the Montreux Jazz Festival is one of the world's great stages. Will Miami be next?Miami New Times - Douglas Markowitz writes…..There are plenty of iconic music festivals around the world, from massive outdoor extravaganzas like Coachella and Glastonbury to urban experiences like South by Southwest (SXSW) and Ultra. But...

  • In new music doc, Telluride filmmaker Matthew Heineman captures Jon Batiste in a chaotic year / IndieWire
    Posted At: September 4, 2023
    Indie Wire's VIKRAM MURTHI writes…Most people know Jon Batiste as the former bandleader and musical director for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” but his accomplishments extend far beyond his work as a TV personality. Born into a New Orleans musical dynasty, Batiste took to the piano like a horse to water, but while his classical training and Juilliard education provided him with plenty of technical sk...

  • Jon Batiste has got the whole wide music world in his hands / artdaily.com
    Posted At: August 22, 2023
    artdaily.com's Ben Sisario writes…..Nothing is simple when it comes to Jon Batiste, a pianist, television personality, New Orleans musical scion and jazz-R&B-classical savant.He spent seven years as the smiling, melodica-toting TV bandleader on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” yet he found some of his widest acclaim for solemn protest performances in Brooklyn after the murder of George Floyd.He bea...

  • Jon Batiste coalesces disparate genres, generations, and value systems into a big-tent pop blockbuster / FLOOD Magazine
    Posted At: August 16, 2023
    Jon Batiste’s latest streamlines musical and ideological sophistication into an LP designed for mass appeal.FLOOD Magazine writes…..Since 1992, the GRAMMY Awards have seesawed between the terms “world music” and “global music,” occasionally subdividing this taxonomy into “traditional” and “contemporary” strains. No matter which nomenclature you prefer, these are all woefully inadequate catch-alls for the sh...

  • Jon Batiste's 'World Music Radio' moves from one fantastical moment to another / offBeat Magazine
    Posted At: July 25, 2023
    offBeat Magazine's STEVE HOCHMAN writes…..About three-quarters of the way through the 21 tracks on this album, Jon Batiste’s first since he won five Grammy Awards—including album of the year—for 2021s We Are, and first since leaving his seven-year, star-making gig in New York as band leader and sidekick on Late Night with Stephen Colbert, comes “Movement 18’.”It starts with Batiste solemnly reciting the Lor...

  • Jon Batiste Q&A's with BET about his music evolution, video game inspirations, and his leap into acting
    Posted At: July 24, 2023
    One of the most prolific and versatile musicians of any generation, Jon Batiste has spent his career bringing music back to where it started — with the people.Jon was born in New Orleans into the legendary Batiste family, and later studied at the world-renowned Juilliard School in New York City. There, he established the Stay Human band which became famous for their musical virtuosity and their signature st...

  • Jon Batiste releases: 'Drink Water' from forthcoming album: 'World Music Radio' / JAZZIZ: Editor's Choice
    Posted At: July 20, 2023
    The editors of JAZZIZ have the good fortune of being able to listen to new music before it’s officially released in stores and streaming platforms. And because we’re always listening to new tunes, we always know just what to recommend. That’s why we’ll bring you a roundup of ten songs each week, featuring music from our favorite new albums, singles and other tunes that may have flown under your radar. ...

  • Jon Batiste's upcoming: 'World Music Radio' to feature Lana Del Rey, Lil Wayne / Glitter
    Posted At: July 5, 2023
    Jon Batiste collaborates with artist Lana Del Rey, along with Lil Wayne, JID, Fireboy DML, New Jeans, and more on the album World Music Radio arriving on August 18. Glitter's Breeana Brathwaite writes….Jon Batiste expanded on his upcoming album via Instagram. He explained that the creation of this album filled him with a sense of freedom and joy as well having a sense of exploration of his craft, perso...

  • Jon Batiste announces new album: 'World Music Radio.' Shares new song: 'Calling Your Name' / Pitchfork
    Posted At: June 28, 2023
    Lil Wayne, Lana Del Rey, Kenny G, JID, Fireboy DML, and more appear on the follow-up to the Grammy-winning: ‘We Are’Pitchfork's Evan Minsker writes…..Jon Batiste has announced the follow-up to 2021’s We Are, which won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2022. World Music Radio is out August 18 (via Verve/Interscope). The first single is “Calling Your Name.” Lil Wayne, Lana Del Rey, Kenny G, JID, Fireb...

  • Jon Batiste & 'We Are' wins 3 at 26th offBeat Magazine 'Best Of The Beat' awards
    Posted At: November 10, 2022
    One of the most prolific and versatile musicians of any generation, Jon Batiste has spent his career bringing music back to where it started — with the people.Jon was born in New Orleans into the legendary Batiste family, and later studied at the world-renowned Juilliard School in New York City. There, he established the Stay Human band which became famous for their musical virtuosity and their signature st...

  • On a classic episode of The Third Story, Jon Batiste reveals the musical advice that guided him / WBGO
    Posted At: May 3, 2022
    WBGO's Leo Sidran…..Before he reigned supreme at the Grammy Awards, before he was an Oscar-winning composer (for Pixar’s Soul), before he was bandleader for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and well before he’d become one of the rare jazz artists considered a household name, Jon Batiste was simply a rising star of the piano, making what he called “social music.”Batiste hails from Kenner, Louisiana, a sub...

  • Why the Grammys Couldnt Resist Jon Batiste / The New York Times
    Posted At: April 4, 2022
    The jazz pianist is an inheritor more than an innovator, but he puts the past to use in service of fun, blending genres and embodying the pleasures of his hometown, New Orleans.The New York Times - Giovanni Russonello writes….Accepting the Grammy for album of the year on Sunday night, Jon Batiste delivered a minute-and-a-half manifesto that belied his roots in the musical culture of New Orleans.He telegraph...

  • Ten tracks by Jon Batiste LONDON JAZZ NEWS can't do without
    Posted At: February 21, 2022
    For the LJN “10 Tracks I Can’t Do Without” series, in which jazz musicians do a deep (and entirely personal and selective) dive into the music of their idols, singer-songwriter Lara Eidi (*) picks some of her favourite Jon Batiste moments: Lara Eidi writes….In the chaotic industry that is contemporary music, Jon Batiste has managed to stay true to the thing that motivates him: simply, his love for music and...

  • Everything you need to know about Jon Batiste / ET Canada
    Posted At: January 25, 2022
    One of the most prolific and versatile musicians of any generation, Jon Batiste has spent his career bringing music back to where it started — with the people.Jon was born in New Orleans into the legendary Batiste family, and later studied at the world-renowned Juilliard School in New York City. There, he established the Stay Human band which became famous for their musical virtuosity and their signature st...

  • Jon Batiste - We Are makes Florida Weekly's top 10 albums of 2021
    Posted At: January 6, 2022
    Florida Weekly's ALAN SCULLEY…..When 2021 began, the consensus seemed to be that this could be a special year for music. Artists had been home since early 2020, giving them an extended block of time to work on new music. For the most part, those expectations panned out. The new releases from Jon Batiste, Adele and Judith Hill immediately popped with album-of-the-year excellence. And if those albums made the...

  • Riff's favorite concerts of 2021 is starring Jon Batiste at BottleRock Napa Valley
    Posted At: December 29, 2021
    Riff - Roman Gokhman writes…..Concerts began returning in 2021 as artists cautiously hit the road, still balancing their safety and health with their livelihoods. Some of us couldn’t wait to step back into the clubs, arenas and festivals, while others are still waiting and hoping the pandemic gets squashed completely. A few of us compiled a list of our favorite shows, including the likes of Jon Batiste at B...

  • Jon Batiste - We Are makes OffBeat Magazine's '50 Best Albums Of 2021 In Louisiana Music'
    Posted At: December 29, 2021
    OffBeat Magazine writes….The COVID pandemic continued in 2021, making the presentation of live music difficult, and during a spike in infections, nearly impossible. Over the course of the year, fewer albums than usual were released with musicians more often issuing singles and EPs instead of full-length records. Nevertheless, in 2021 there were more than 150 album releases (that we are aware of) some of whi...

  • Jon Batiste - Freedom makes npr: World Cafe 'Heavy Rotation: Public Radio's Most Popular Songs Of 2021'
    Posted At: December 14, 2021

    Each month, NPR Music asks music programmers, station hosts and producers across the country to pick the songs they can't stop spinning. Now, as we look back on our favorite songs, albums and artists of 2021, we're highlighting some of public radio's most-loved songs of the year. The list includes; Jon Batiste, "Freedom."   WRTI: Philadelphia - Matt Silver writes.....This sugary ...

  • Jon Batiste - Cry makes 88.5KNKX: Best of the Blues 2021
    Posted At: December 8, 2021

    88.5KNKX - John Kessler writes....Many of these artists were new discoveries for me this year, which gives me much hope that blues music has a bright future. Blues is certainly evolving as a musical form, and it's a very interesting time to be a listener and a fan. Among John's favorite songs of the year is Jon Batiste - "Cry" from his Verve album 'We Are.'        John wri...

  • Jon Batiste - WE ARE makes consequence: top 50 songs 2021
    Posted At: December 7, 2021

    consequence writes......The year's best albums built idea on idea, theme on theme, one track at a time. Some explored the heaviness of life and death, and others provided us with all the joy we were missing from the world at large. What they have in common is an awareness of how to place a thought next to another thought, building in richness and complexity. These are the 50 best albums of 2021.  &n...

  • Jon Batiste releases deluxe edition of his critically-acclaimed Verve album 'We Are' / JAZZIZ
    Posted At: October 21, 2021

    JAZZIZ MATT MICUCCI writes.....The Week in Jazz is your roundup of new and noteworthy stories from the jazz world. It's a one-stop destination for the music news you need to know. Let's take it from the top. Musician/activist Jon Batiste has released a Deluxe Edition of his critically-acclaimed album We Are via Verve, which celebrates Black American culture and music while exploring themes of...

  • Nominees announced for 2021 Jazz FM Awards
    Posted At: September 1, 2021

    The nominees for the Jazz FM Awards 2021 with PPL and PRS for Music have been announced, once again recognising a diverse array of artists from the UK and abroad who have made a significant impact on the genre. The Jazz FM Awards 2021 will celebrate music created and released between 1st January 2020 to the end of May 2021 to reflect the jazz community's enduring creativity and innovation during the pand...

  • Jon Batiste's 'Sweet Lorraine' makes Jazziz: New Release Cheat Sheet
    Posted At: August 6, 2021

    Jazziz - MATT MICUCCI.....If you're looking for some great new music to discover this weekend, look no further than our weekly New Release Cheat Sheet.   Jon Batiste's take on Nat "King" Cole's classic "Sweet Lorraine" is the first single from Relief: Benefit for the Jazz Foundation of America's Musicians' Emergency Fund. The record is an unprecedented, star-studded collection from America's...

  • Jon Batiste - 'I Need You' makes MPR - The Current: 50 Best of 2021 So Far
    Posted At: June 19, 2021

    MPR - The Current, Jade writes....We've been rolling out six new songs once a week - every Thursday - this year, and as we're nearing the halfway mark of 2021, we're putting together the 50 best songs of the year so far. Follow along the entire week of June 21 as we reveal 10 tracks each day. The love and affection Jon Batiste has for blues, R&B, funk, soul, and hip hop comes across l...

  • Jon Batiste on his new album; 'We Are' / NPR - Weekend Edition Sunday
    Posted At: April 4, 2021

    WE ARE represents a completely new sonic chapter for Jon Batiste. Inviting some of the most esteemed creative minds to assist in birthing the album, he reached the finish line smack in the middle of the first wave of the worldwide pandemic and volatile social unrest. The result is a body of work characterized by the consciousness of Marvin Gaye, the grounded optimism of Stevie Wonder, the iconoclasm...

  • Jon Batiste - We Are is a love letter to his Southern roots and makes JAZZIZ: New Release Cheat Sheet
    Posted At: March 24, 2021

    Jazziz - MATT MICUCCI writes.....If you're looking for some great new music to discover this weekend, look no further than our weekly New Release Cheat Sheet. This week, we bring you the first of a series of new singles by Joey Alexander on Verve Records, a dramatic track from Vijay Iyer's forthcoming visionary album, new music from Jon Batiste and more. Jon Batiste's forthcoming genre-defying album,...

  • Jon Batiste does virtual session with The Current
    Posted At: March 24, 2021

    Jon Batiste joins The Current for a virtual session, hear a few recent songs plus a conversation with Sean McPherson about the influence of New Orleans on his music, setting his intentions with Stevie Wonder, and recording music outside of a traditional studio environment. This session was previously recorded in front of a live virtual audience of Minnesota Public Radio members.  SEAN MCPHE...

  • Jon Batiste's 'Movement 11' & 'Sing' featured on capradio: Saturdays At 6
    Posted At: March 23, 2021

    WE ARE represents a completely new sonic chapter for Jon Batiste. Inviting some of the most esteemed creative minds to assist in birthing the album, he reached the finish line smack in the middle of the first wave of the worldwide pandemic and volatile social unrest. The result is a body of work characterized by the consciousness of Marvin Gaye, the grounded optimism of Stevie Wonder, the iconoclasm of T...

  • Jon Batiste - We Are is the JazzFM: Album of the Week
    Posted At: March 22, 2021

    WE ARE represents a completely new sonic chapter for Jon Batiste. Inviting some of the most esteemed creative minds to assist in birthing the album, he reached the finish line smack in the middle of the first wave of the worldwide pandemic and volatile social unrest. The result is a body of work characterized by the consciousness of Marvin Gaye, the grounded optimism of Stevie Wonder, the iconoclasm...

  • Jon Batiste's 'We Are' reclaims folk music / Forbes
    Posted At: March 19, 2021

    Forbes Andrea Bossi writes......Louisiana born and Grammy-nominated musician Jon Batiste released his new album, WE ARE. Through a rich mix musical styles, from jazz to melodic rap, he tells stories of boyhood, joy, overcoming and love with 13 songs. To create a body of work like this, Batiste traveled deep into his roots, life experiences, and ideas about the future. During his journey, he learned more ...

  • Jon Batiste 'We Are' review on Round Mountain, CA - 88.5KKRN
    Posted At: March 5, 2021

    WE ARE represents a completely new sonic chapter for Jon Batiste. Inviting some of the most esteemed creative minds to assist in birthing the album, he reached the finish line smack in the middle of the first wave of the worldwide pandemic and volatile social unrest. The result is a body of work characterized by the consciousness of Marvin Gaye, the grounded optimism of Stevie Wonder, the iconoclasm...

  • Lightning 100 is In conversation with Jon Batiste
    Posted At: February 3, 2021

    Lightning 100 - Nashille Taylor Lomax writes....Jazz musician Jon Batiste has had a whirlwind past year. Known primarily as the musical director on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, he's pursued a variety of projects recently. Back in June, Batiste performed at the Brooklyn, NY Juneteenth celebration. Lastly, and perhaps most notably, he collaborated with dream-team Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross o...

  • Jon Batiste will release a powerful, genre-defying new album; 'We Are' / JAZZIZ: The Week in Jazz
    Posted At: February 1, 2021

    JAZZIZ' MATT MICUCCI writes....The Week in Jazz is your roundup of new and noteworthy stories from the jazz world. It's a one-stop destination for the music news you need to know.  Jon Batiste will release a powerful, genre-defying new album that aims to fuse the sound of early 20th-century black social music with modern pop production and a hint of hip-hop storytelling. We Are, out via Verv...
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