Jon Batiste is widely recognized as “a certified musical genius” (The Guardian). As an American composer, pianist, singer, bandleader, educator, producer, and cultural ambassador who “actively promotes the normalization of musical ambidexterity” (Downbeat), he has worked with artists ranging from classical legends Andrea Bocelli, Hilary Hahn, Lang Lang, Yo-Yo Ma, and Itzhak Perlman to pop and jazz icons Beyoncé, Prince, and Herbie Hancock. Batiste’s many honors include five Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, and an Oscar. Showcasing his improvisatory transformations of some of Beethoven’s most iconic works, Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1) was released in November 2024 by Verve Records / Interscope.
Beethoven Blues follows the success of his two most recent studio albums. World Music Radio (2023) received four Grammy nominations, including one for “Album of the Year.” Similarly, We Are (2021) made Grammy history, receiving eleven Grammy nominations in seven different categories, before winning “Album of the Year” and four more.
Immersed since early childhood in New Orleans’ rich musical heritage, Batiste trained as a classical pianist and received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano from New York’s Juilliard School. Batiste is music director of The Atlantic and co-artistic director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, and serves on the boards of Juilliard, Carnegie Hall, and the nonprofit Sing for Hope.