“It’s freezing,” exclaims Jonathan Batiste, the 18-year-old pianist who recently completed his first semester at New York’s prestigious Juilliard School. While the New Orleans native and member of the notorious musical Batiste family had previously gigged in and visited the Big Apple, this fall marked the first time he’s enjoyed an extended stay.
“This place is crazy,” notes Batiste, who has been juggling challenging school assignments, playing, jamming and catching some shows. Home for school break, Batiste jumps back into the local scene performing at Snug Harbor on Friday, January 6. The plan is to head a trio with drummer Jason Marsalis and bassist Edwin Livingston though the pianist concedes that in his mind the gig is transforming every day. What can be expected is that this extremely talented young musician will come armed with lots of original material some of which he’s written this fall.
“All we do is write and arrange,” says Batiste of his experience at Juilliard. “I’ve been writing but now I have to write.”
Folks on the scene have been watching this provocative and destined pianist for years, eyeing Batiste’s development from his youthful jaunts with his father’s, bassist Michael Batiste, and uncles’ group, the Batiste Brothers Band, to the emergence of his own stunning musical voice.
“I was born into the Batiste Brothers Band,” acknowledges Batiste. “I was a stage kid, basically.”
At about age 8, Batiste began picking up percussion instruments to join his family on stage especially at events like Jazz Fest and the French Quarter Festival.
“I can hear a lot of that in my playing now,” he comments. “The influence of being around them and being in that environment and playing at that early age it really built up a sense of rhythm and importance of groove. That’s one of the roots of my playing.”
Encouraged by his parents to become more musically astute, Batiste began studying piano. He and his cousins, drummer Jamal and bassist Travis Batiste even put together a group called the Batiste Kids. At age 12, he started formal classical lessons with educator Shirley Herstein and studied with her for three years while gaining further knowledge attending the Louis Satchmo Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp. “It’s a hip camp—world class,” states Batiste.
Batiste carried on the tradition of many of his relatives by attending St. Augustine High School. Though the school’s policy then prohibited its students from simultaneously attending the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (NOCCA), Batiste found a way to fulfill his desire to attend both institutions.
“I wanted to go to St. Aug so bad that we tried to negotiate it and it worked out in my favor,” explains Batiste. “I think it [St. Aug] is one of the better schools in New Orleans if not the best. The tradition is really deep. The teachers know how to show you guidance. They won’t let you slip up. It’s helping me now, actually.”
Batiste’s first professional gig outside of playing with the family band was certainly auspicious. While attending the jazz camp, noted educator/clarinetist Alvin Batiste asked him to perform with his ensemble, the Jazztronauts.
“It was one of my all-time favorite experiences,” states Batiste adding that it was also his first date at Snug Harbor. “I was 15-years-old; I was really nervous—because playing with Alvin Batiste I mean, he’s one of the greats, a living legend.”
Batiste continued to play with the Jazztronauts until he left for Juilliard and the experience brought him to the attention of other musicians.
Because of the New Orleans musical family connections, it was natural that Batiste would hook up with trombonist/trumpeter Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews. It was at NOCCA, however that the two young musicians cemented their relationship. They began doing duos together and eventually Batiste became a member of Andrews’ group Orleans Avenue and the pianist is heard on Andrews’ fine debut, Swingin’ Gate. Batiste credits James Andrews with whom he also gigged with turning him on to the traditional repertoire of what he describes as the “Tremé musicians.”
Batiste, who graduated from St. Aug and NOCCA last spring, began looking into musical schools in his junior year. Aware of Juilliard’s outstanding reputation and the vital New York jazz scene, his decision to attend Juilliard was firmed up by the “hometown” presence of the institution’s Director of Jazz Studies, New Orleans native Victor Goines, and by the fact that trumpeter Wynton Marsalis is just “around the corner” at Lincoln Center. The pianist won a partial scholarship to the school and lives in the nearby dorms all located in the heart of mid-town Manhattan.
It’s a new world for Batiste, a fast-paced, high-strung environment where subways zoom underground and life exists in high-rises. “It’s killing too,” Batiste exclaims enthusiastically. “You can play at anytime, but,” laments the busy student, “you have to get up in the morning.”
One can bet that while at home, Batiste is going to chow down. “I don’t know who doesn’t—living in New Orleans all their lives—miss the food. Man, the food is unparalled. I can’t find anything like it here.”
CARNIVAL TIME BRASS
There’s absolutely no other time or place to hear as many brass bands blowin’ than at the Krewe du Vieux’s monster parade that rolls from the Bywater through the Marigny and French Quarter on Sunday, January 22. A big—count ’em—19 brassy ensembles including such notables as the Tremé, Hot 8, New Birth, Trombone Shorty, Stooges and Lil Rascals kick the parade and its regalia of sexy, politically astute and smartass krewes starting at 7 p.m. at Decatur and Port streets. That’s something like 150 musicians, folks. King Al “Carnival Time” Johnson leads the procession along with his consort, Antoinette K-Doe. At journey’s end at the State Palace Theater, the krewe and friends will be greeted by Eh, La-Bas! followed by Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen and the late night goings-on of Johnny Sketchand the Dirty Notes. Tickets for the ball are only available through krewe members (ask around) or at the Louisiana Music Factory. Too much fun.
Willie Metcalf, Jr.
1930 – 2004
The memorial service for pianist, educator, and actor Willie Metcalf, Jr., who died December 9, 2004 at the age of 74, was filled with the spirit of the man who once described himself as a “community-oriented person.” Held at the SGI-USA Buddhist Center, it celebrated his life with chanting, stories, music, laughter and contemplation. Those in attendance came from many walks of life representing the wide scope of Metcalf’s influence and interests.
A native of Detroit and a bebopper to the bone, Metcalf moved to New Orleans in 1975. With him he brought his special style as well as his passion for educating youths. Soon he established the Academy of Black Arts, a music and cultural institution that had its beginnings in Metcalf’s hometown.
At the service, his son and namesake, Willie Metcalf III continually hit his father’s unique character on the nose as he read from a letter he wrote to him soon after his death. “… You insisted that your students learn to be tough and able to take the truth in a cold, straight dose,” observed the son, after having mention some of the senior’s illustrious students such as saxophonist Donald Harrison and Wynton and Branford Marsalis.
In a section of the letter that concerned his father’s acting career—highlighted by Metcalf’s role in the Ray Charles biopic, “Ray,” and as Uncle Ernest to the twins Herman and Sherman in a Subway commercial—he told of his father’s ways of dealing with folks. “You always treated stars like they were regular people and you always treated regular people like they were stars.”
Willie Metcalf, a self-taught musician, began playing piano at the age of three. He went on to perform with saxophone legends such as Sonny Stitt and Stanley Turrentine and in New Orleans headed his own groups at spots like the Lafitte Blacksmith Shop, Snug Harbor, the Funky Butt, Donna’s and the Showcase Lounge. Often in the company of younger musicians, he was the eldest player in Kermit Ruffin’s Big Band as well as his own youth-filled World Peace Movement. Metcalf, however, was more than a pianist and teacher. He was involved—he was on the scene. He could pop up almost anywhere, a briefcase under his arm, new ideas brewing in his mind, a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. As Metcalf would put it, he was one of the cats.
A tribute to Willie Metcalf will be held on January 11 at the Contemporary Arts Center at 8 p.m. preceded by a reception at 7:30 p.m. Some of the musicians scheduled include trumpeter Jamil Sharif, drummer Herman LeBeaux, vocalists Samirah Evans, Betty Shirley and Charmaine Neville and numerous others. The $25 donation will go to the Foundation to Benefit Willie Metcalf, Jr., fund established at the Liberty Bank and be used to offset medical expenses.
