Lionel Paul Batiste Jr., one of the original members of Dirty Dozen Brass Band, has passed away. The news of his passing was posted via the band’s Instagram account on Monday, July 22, stating: “R.I.P. to one of the ORIGINAL members of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Lionel Paul Batiste Jr., truly a unique member of the New Orleans music community. Our hearts go out to his family and friends while we remember all the good times over the years. We traveled all over the world with that man, he will be greatly missed!”

Batiste Jr. was preceded in death by his father, Lionel Paul “Uncle Lionel” Batiste, Sr., who passed away in July of 2012. His father was a longtime bass drummer, vocalist and the assistant leader of the Treme Brass Band, as well as the first African American King of Krewe Du Vieux.

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, of which Batiste Jr. was a part, adopted its name from the Dirty Dozen Kazoo Band, a group of Sixth Ward Mardi Gras revelers that included the elder Batiste and Benny Jones (now of the Tremé Brass Band). On Carnival Day, the informal group of friends and family would parade around the neighborhood carrying on and dancing to the blowing of kazoos and beating of drums. They also whooped it up at house parties for various occasions. Lionel Paul Batiste Jr. replaced Jones as a bass drummer due to an increase of out-of-town gigs in the early ’80s. Batiste Jr. left the group in 1996, prior to its recording of the album Ears to the Wall. 

Local musicians, including Funky Big Sam, commented on the Dirty Dozen’s post, lamenting the passing of Batiste Jr. and expressing condolences.

This is a developing story. OffBeat will continue to update.