By the third song of his set at St. Louis Music Park on Wednesday, June 12, Jon Batiste had already showcased his skills on three instruments – four if you count his voice. Five if you count his smile.
He proved himself a proficient one-man band over the course of the nearly two hours he spent on stage. He toyed with the drums, guitar, saxophone, but the piano and his beloved melodica received the most attention. There was also what is best described as a musical central processing unit where he created beats and modified sounds as the spirit of music moved him.
And yet of all the tools in his wheelhouse – including a stellar band and a stunning vocalist – the most effective, and infectious, was his captivating smile. It was so wide his wisdom teeth could have been visible, and so unrelenting that he managed to hit all the right notes as he played a snippet of Coltrane’s interpretation of “My Favorite Things” with his huge grin fully intact.
The multi-instrumentalist and Julliard alum that is so musically gifted that he can use the piano to bend a Beethoven symphony and make it cry with the blues or sing hallelujahs of gospel. In a sweet twist of irony, his live show makes it clear that Batiste’s love for music is superseded by the people he creates it for.
He is best known for his seven-year run as bandleader for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Batiste left the show in 2022 in the name of full devotion to his pursuits as solo musical artist – and on the heels of taking home five Grammy Awards for his 2021 album “We Are.”
His current tour is his first as a headliner, even though it felt as if he was a seasoned large-venue artist from the moment he emerged on stage in his electric blue suit.
And in clunky headphones with antennas similar to what he wears on the cover of his “World Music Radio” album, Batiste began with the energy on overdrive while performing songs like “Freedom” and “Raindance.”
The show was heavily seasoned with Batiste’s New Orleans flavor from start to finish. And he seemed more focused on the vibe than a setlist that heavily promoted his latest project.
Fans got a taste of Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner” with a full serving of Musical Youth’s “Pass the Dutchie” Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and fellow New Orleans native Fats Domino’s “Blueberry Hill” along with originals “Be Who You Are,” “Butterfly,” “It’s Alright” and “Drink Water.”
And though the audience were fully engaged in a singalong for most of the night, the call and response between Batiste and his fans for “Drink Water” was especially moving.
“Take a deep breath, drink some water. You know these streets just loud, calm down,” they sang.
Batiste asked them to hold up their cell phones.
“This represents your inner light,” Batiste said. “Send your positive energy out to the world.”
Batiste performed with little reprieve, but was energized by the audience’s gratitude. After an encore of him on piano, Batiste and his band took the tradition of a second-line into the crowd and spent another 25 minutes getting up close and personal with fans. They made their way through the venue as Batiste hugged, shook hands and encouraged yet another sing-along.
Just as with the entire show, the moment demonstrated the joy, power and unifying force of music. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray,” they carried on with undeniable New Orleans swing. It was the perfect post-script for Batiste’s performance, because everyone left happier than when they came.
And as he shouted out the band individually, he collectively included the audience as essential contributors. “And all of you – with the high-frequency joy machines that you carry with you every day – for shining out brightness for me.”
