LONDON: American musician Jon Batiste says he sets out to break the confines of genre in his new album, mixing styles and working with the likes of gospel singer Mavis Staples, guitarist Cory Wong and author Zadie Smith.
The award winning jazz musician from Louisiana last week released "We Are", described by Vanity Fair as "a vivid turn from straight jazz to joyful, danceable pop and neo-soul".
"The album is something that I have not heard done in popular music, which is defying the construct of genre, which I think has pigeonholed a lot of artists," Batiste told Reuters in a Zoom interview from his New Jersey home.
"There's no genre of person. And therefore, there are no genres of music."
Known for his work as the musical director of U.S. chat show "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert", Batiste is in the running for a best original score Oscar for animation "Soul", for which he already won a Golden Globe.
Sitting at his piano, the 34-year-old said he Batiste
"When we try to fit music into these small cubby-holes we limit the humanity that can be expressed through the music, and it's the same thing that happens when we try to limit people into these genres of ... black, white, woman, all these things," he said.
"So this music is almost a total allegory to show ... we're connected in ways that are much bigger than the things that we give so much credence to on the surface."
"We Are" took shape over six days in September 2019, during which Batiste said he had "around the clock sessions" with musicians in his "Late Show" dressing room and got the "blueprint" done. He completed the record last summer.
In June, he gathered musicians in New York's Union Square to protest racial injustice in the United States following the May 25 death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a Minnesota police officer knelt on his neck.
"I do think that what's happening in our time is a crisis of identity, which then leads to ... the problem of apathy," Batiste said.
"And being able to speak to that in this time ... is more important than ever simply because we've been disconnected from it in a way that has led us to identify with things that are not actually who we are."
Reuters
Sat Mar 27 2021
Batiste hopes his album will show humans are all connected regardless of their skin colour or gender. REUTERSpic
Jualan penyaman udara naik mendadak di negara Balkan
Menetap di negara sejuk, mereka tidak pernah terfikir memasang penyaman udara di dalam rumah memandangkan musim panas bukanlah setiap hari. Namun, cuaca panas melampau membuatkan mereka bertukar fikiran.
Malaysia kecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan ekstremis Zionis Israel ke atas Masjid Al-Aqsa
Kerajaan Malaysia mengecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan Masjid Al-Aqsa oleh ekstremis Zionis Israel pada 13 Ogos.
Reda dengan pemergian anak walaupun bukan pengakhiran diharapkan - Ayah Nidza Afham
Ayah kepada penyanyi dan Youtubers Muhammad Nidza Afham Mokhtar reda dengan pemergian anak lelakinya walaupun itu bukan pengakhiran yang beliau harapkan.
Ahli perniagaan diberkas, terlibat dalam aktiviti kumpulan mafia
Seorang ahli perniagaan Itali ditangkap di bandar Natal, Brazil pada selasa.
Giuseppe Bruno kini menghadapi tuduhan termasuk melakukan pemerasan dan pengubahan wang haram dan juga penglibatan bersama kumpulan mafia.
Giuseppe Bruno kini menghadapi tuduhan termasuk melakukan pemerasan dan pengubahan wang haram dan juga penglibatan bersama kumpulan mafia.
Srettha hormati keputusan mahkamah
Srettha Thavisin menghormati keputusan Mahkamah Perlembagaan Thailand yang memecatnya daripada jawatan Perdana Menteri.
Lahir empat hari lepas, bayi kembar maut angkara serangan rejim Zionis
Kembar lelaki diberikan nama Asser manakala Ayssel pula nama diberi buat kembar perempuan, kedua-duanya lahir pada 10 Ogos lepas.
Lelaki tikam ibu saudara direman tujuh hari
Seorang lelaki yang disyaki menikam ibu saudaranya di kepala dengan gunting, semalam direman selama tujuh hari hingga 21 Ogos ini.
PN senarai pendek tiga calon, akan diumum selepas PRK Nenggiri
Perikatan Nasional telah menyenarai pendek tiga calon untuk bertanding pada Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Mahkota yang dijadualkan berlangsung pada 28 September depan.
10 cedera dalam kejadian reaktor kilang terbakar di Bintulu
Menurut PGOB kesemua mangsa yang cedera telah dikejarkan ke Hospital Bintulu untuk rawatan lanjut.
Mayat Muhammad Nidza Afham dibawa ke Hospital Shah Alam
Mayat Muhammad Nidza Afham Mokhtar yang ditemukan di Sungai Klang petang tadi dibawa ke Unit Forensik Hospital Shah Alam (HSA) untuk urusan bedah siasat.
Anugerah Grammy 2022: Jon Batiste bolot lima anugerah
Antara anugerah yang diraih Jon Batiste di Grammy 2022 ialah kategori Album Terbaik.