Jon Batiste
WE ARE
Verve
Buy via Official Store | Listen Below

Few cities, if any, have musicality coursing through its veins like New Orleans does. Jazz, if it has a birthplace, could easily be said to have been birthed there, while the city’s contribution to the development of funk should never be underestimated. With its unique mixture of races, languages and cultural influences, it is a hotbed of musical heritage and talent.

One product of both the city and its musical culture, is the Louisiana born, man of many talents, Jon Batiste. Part of the Batiste musical dynasty, his path has taken him all over the world and ventured into many facets of popular culture. Having attended the highly prestigious Juilliard music school in New York City, he has appeared in David Simon’s “Treme” series, taken up residence with The Late Show as bandleader/musical director, been GRAMMY nominated for his albums and as co-writer of the soundtrack to the Disney Pixar’s film Soul, he may yet become an Oscar winner.

His new album WE ARE is veritably dripping in various iterations of New Orleans musical heritage and memories of what sounds like an idyllic childhood in the city, and it provides a heartily welcome dose of positivity at the end of this long, pandemic-filled winter. It is not just a celebration of one particular place though, as album opener “WE ARE” makes clear.

The opening lyric and chorus make it clear that this is about uplifting a whole people: “The ghetto is full of stars / watch them shine from afar / … we are the golden ones / we are the chosen ones.” The chorus alone is rousing enough on its own, but the section after the spoken word interlude elevates it to ecstasy. The introduction of St Augustine’s High School Marching 100 and the Gospel Soul Children’s Choir to round out the song is a fearsome burst of regal swagger and sanctified pride.

Alongside the desire to uplift is the recurring role of childhood reminiscences. The jump bluesy “I NEED YOU” is a case in point. Memories of “buckjumpin’ down the boulevard” and being a “lil’ country boy” who “never put down that pork chop and salt” sit alongside the undeniable energy of the track to create a winning formula.

It crops up again (unsurprisingly given its title) on “BOYHOOD” that opens with a list of distinct memories of childhood: “Candy cane / Jump rope / Cornbread and pig lip / hot fries / holy water / Superdome cheese dip.” There’s some delicate piano that gets lost underneath the popping fizz of the beat for the first three quarters of the song, but when the beat relents and gives way to Trombone Shorty, PJ Morton and Batiste alone, it is much more affecting.

He runs the gamut of his musical inspirations across the course of the album. There is a four to the floor stomping slice of funk soul in the shape of “TELL THE TRUTH” that bristles with hubris and swagger. There is the low-slung blues groove of “CRY” and the jazzily cinematic “MOVEMENT II.” Indeed, there is a moment of simple devastation on the latter. Almost wholly instrumental, there is but one phrase uttered—“I was always other.” That a man so gifted, born to a musical dynasty and filled with positive childhood memories (as the album testifies to) could feel like that is telling, whichever way it is interpreted.

There’s a wistful rumination to things on the second half of the album. The charming, Hot 8 Brass Band accompanied “ADULTHOOD” is slight but charming and the Zadie Smith featuring “SHOW ME THE WAY” is summery and carefree in a “Go Put Your Records On” kind of way.

Closing out the Apple Music UK version of the album (but curiously not available on other editions) is a version of Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions’ “It’s All Right,” recorded as a duet with Brit singer Celeste and originally featured last year during the end credits of Soul. Batiste really takes it to church with his piano playing and singing, but Celeste’s voice is incredibly ill-suited to the song, rendering her verses devoid of the hope and/or joy that permeates Mayfield’s writing.

There is also a tendency on some tracks (“SING” for example) to hide away the distinctive New Orleans brass and piano either deep in the mix or to release it near the end of the song. It would be preferable if those aspects were front and center throughout, as they lend the project its best character.

Those slight missteps notwithstanding, the album is an infectious slice of uplifting, enjoyable soul that gathers the markers of Black music into a musical palette that is delivered with gusto and deep joy.

Notable Tracks: “ADULTHOOD” | “SHOW ME THE WAY” | “TELL THE TRUTH” | “WE ARE”

BUY WE ARE via Jon Batiste’s Official Store

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