Jon Batiste & Stay Human

PROGRAM: JON BATISTE AND STAY HUMAN SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2013 / 7:00 PM / BING CONCERT HALL ARTISTS Jon Batiste Piano, Harmonaboard, and Vocals Eddie Barbash Alto Saxophone and Vocals Ibanda Ruhumbika Tuba and Trombone Joseph Saylor Drums and Tambourine Jamison Ross Percussion and Drums Barry Stephenson Bass PROGRAM The program will be announced from the stage. This program was generously funded by the Koret Foundation. The Koret Jazz Project is a multiyear initiative to support, expand, and celebrate the role of jazz in the artistic and educational programming of Stanford Live. The performance is co-sponsored by KCSM Jazz 91. JON BATISTE & STAY HUMAN PROGRAM SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Please be considerate of others and turn off all phones, pagers, and watch alarms, and unwrap all lozenges prior to the performance. Photography and recording of any kind are not permitted. Thank you. encoreartsprograms.com 33 PROGRAM: JON BATISTE & STAY HUMAN JON BATISTE Now 26, Mr. Batiste has defined a “I’m always about trying to fill a need vision based on the most-profound with what I do in my artistry,” says aspects of what has already been a Jon Batiste, an artist whose ambition is rich artistic journey. He was born nothing less than to transform the very in New Orleans into a family whose lives of his listeners. “There is definitely deep musical heritage is part of the a need in the performing arts world for a inspiration for the HBO series Treme, movement to come along that seriously in which he has appeared. Over the connects with a next-generation audience last decade, he has forged his own while still maintaining the timeless artistic path by indelibly fusing himself artistic objectives present throughout the within the fabric of New York City history of the American music tradition.” culture. After attending the prestigious It’s a goal Mr. Batiste is steadily achieving “An endearingly rumpled, New Orleans Center for Creative with every performance, every interview, brilliant enfant terrible and Arts (NOCCA), Mr. Batiste moved every song, every album. master of wry, sly minimalism.” to New York and graduated from the Juilliard School, earning a master’s The New York Times Those two essential criteria—peerless degree in jazz and classical piano. artistry combined with all the uplifting He has collaborated with the likes pleasure of entertainment—exist squarely James Infirmary” and “Naima’s Love of Prince, Cassandra Wilson, Lauryn at the heart of Mr. Batiste’s musical Song” nestle in alongside spoken-word Hill, Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Buffet, vision. And they are both fully evident samples like “The Jazzman Speaks” Eve, Lenny Kravitz, Questlove, and in every exultant note on Social Music (featuring the voice of jazz legend Asher Roth. He has also recorded (Razor & Tie), the new album by Mr. Jelly Roll Morton) and statements of extensively, most recently putting out Batiste and his irrepressible musical spiritual yearning like “Let God Lead.” the EP MY N.Y. with Stay Human collective, Stay Human. Both the title of “This album is the latest evolution of in 2011, which was recorded live in the album and the name of the band are the band,” Mr. Batiste says. the Manhattan subway system. telling. Now a quartet (with Batiste on piano, vocals, and melodica, which he In Mr. Batiste’s view, however, On the rough-and-tumble polyglot has renamed the harmonaboard; Eddie making such distinctions among streets of New Orleans and New Barbash on alto saxophone; Ibanda styles of music and varieties of sound York, Mr. Batiste absorbed a musical Ruhumbika on tuba; and Joe Saylor on is helpful but perhaps unnecessary. language that disregards genre drums), Stay Human has evolved over “The purpose of this music is to bring distinctions as long as all the musicians the past eight years, running the spectrum people together from all walks of are up to the game and everyone is from a jazz trio to a quintet to a big band life by creating a montage of many locked in and feeling the inspiration with horns. different music traditions and playing of the moment. At NOCCA and it with the spirit of inclusiveness,” he Julliard, he was solidly grounded Social Music reflects that extraordinary explains. “That intent is what gives in the importance of standards and range. On “D-Flat Movement,” the these different styles cohesion, and tradition, the conviction that the best album’s opening track, you can hear Mr. that’s why I decided to call it ‘social of what has come before us must Batiste elegantly duetting with the sounds music.’ We are in a technological age, be kept living and taught to future of thunder. Meanwhile, “It’s Alright and Social Music aims to reflect that generations. To further that lofty aim, (Why You Gotta)” slinks along on a spirit of advancement, collaboration, Mr. Batiste often lectures and gives seductively funky cha-cha groove, and and connectivity while still remaining master classes, and he also serves as “Express Yourself” jitters on an angular ‘human.’ And Stay Human, then, is a artistic director at large of the National harmonaboard riff, its encouraging reminder of what connects us all. It’s Jazz Museum in Harlem, New York. message balanced precariously all the our mantra. With so many ways to while. Throughout the album, elements communicate at our disposal, we must But Mr. Batiste strongly believes that of jazz, classical music, and Americana not forget the transformative power people must have their minds opened nuzzle up against beats that could light up of a live music experience and genuine in the streets as well as in schools and a club dance floor, and standards like “St. human exchange. ” museums. “Music always reflects the 34 STANFORD LIVE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 culture it comes from,” he says. “The the musicians and the audience and there’s a buzz. People stand around world is connected more than it has showing them that we all share the when it’s done because they just don’t ever been. In such a globally connected same humanity.” want to go home. Hopefully this world, musicians now have the unique experience will bring them to a greater opportunity to express all of the As strong an album as Social Music understanding of the truth. That cultural mash-ups we are experiencing is, Mr. Batiste believes that live response is ideal.” these days. I believe that the world has performance is where his vision reached a cultural turning point similar can most truly be set in motion and It’s ideal and potentially there to be to the blend of cultures that occurred realized. His goals are of the highest realized every day at every moment. in early 20th-century New Orleans that order. “For me, what we’re doing It’s a fully three-dimensional emotional led to the birth of jazz.” is a calling, bringing people to an response—the highly desirable result understanding that loving one another of staying human and allowing for the Using Twitter and Facebook to is how we are called to be,” he says. full spiritual impact of Social Music to announce their plans, Mr. Batiste and “I want to help people find truth. I settle into your soul. Stay Human would ride the New York can give you a picture. When you go subways with their instruments, playing to a show to hear us, the venue is one To learn more about Mr. Batiste, music from many different music way when you get there, but when check out www.jonbatiste.com, www. traditions and playing at the top of you leave, it’s totally transformed. facebook.com/JonBatisteMusic, and their talent all the while. It was a way It’s become almost like a religious twitter.com/jonbatiste. to have some fun and to startle people ceremony, a communal experience. out of their preconceived notions— People leave crying and laughing— —Notes by Anthony DeCurtis about jazz, about where it’s appropriate to listen to music, about what it might mean to hear top-notch players blasting away purely for the purpose of entertaining and connecting with you as you go about your day. Once people receive and accept that positive energy—and cracking the stoicism of New York subway riders is no mean feat—there’s no telling what further transformations it might effect in their lives and in all of our lives. Mr. Batiste calls these spontaneous efforts to play in nontraditional places “loveriots,” and aptly so. “If you’re going to call it social music, then you have to figure out ways to bring your music to the people,” Mr. Batiste says. “You want to play A classic American grill with a warm for people who might have never and inviting neighborhood feel. considered going to a concert. You • Breakfast, lunch, dinner • Extensive wine-by-the-glass want to destroy their stereotypes of and late night snacks list and craft brews what they might think a live music • Best outside dining in town • No wine corkage fee performance is all about. You also Parking is plentiful, easy and free want to bring the music to those who www.menlogrill.com might not ever hear it and share the 100 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA culture with them. Ultimately it’s about Located at the Stanford Park Hotel breaking down the walls between 650-330-2790 encoreartsprograms.com 35 SPH 111412 menlo 1_3sq.pdf.

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