Jon Batiste, Stephen Colbert’s bandleader, on making music in New Orleans, on the subway, and on late night TV

Jon Batiste, Stephen Colbert’s bandleader, on making music in New Orleans, on the subway, and on late night TV

Author: Vox September 20, 2018 Duration: 51:56
Jon Batiste makes some of TV’s best music, night in and night out. As bandleader of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, the multi-instrumentalist comes up with perfect tunes to introduce guests, to complement Colbert’s jokes, and to keep the audience hyped up. (Many of the tunes fitting that last category are Batiste originals, performed by him and his band, Stay Human.) But Batiste’s career stretches beyond late-night TV. He started out making music at a very young age in his hometown of Kenner, Louisiana, and since then, he’s recorded a whole album in and around the New York subway system, performed all over the world, and appeared semi-regularly on HBO’s series Treme. His newest album, Hollywood Africans, is a combination of Batiste originals and terrific covers of iconic songs that he’s put his own spin on. (Wait until you hear what he does with “What a Wonderful World”!) Batiste joins Todd this week to talk about choosing which classic songs he wanted to put his spin on, his day-to-day life at the Late Show, and why he loves McDonald’s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Thursday, Vox’s critic-at-large Emily VanDerWerff sits down for a conversation that goes beyond the usual promotional chatter. The I Think You're Interesting podcast is built on the premise that the people who make the movies, TV shows, and art we love have fascinating stories and creative processes worth exploring in detail. These are frank, uncensored talks with a wide range of guests-from household names to emerging talents and essential behind-the-scenes figures-all of whom have shaped the current landscape of entertainment and pop culture. You’ll hear them discuss not just their latest project, but the influences and inspirations that fuel their work, the pivotal moments in their careers, and the ideas they can’t stop thinking about. It’s a series of deep dives into the minds of interesting people, hosted by someone who knows how to ask the questions that get to the heart of why they do what they do. This isn't about reviews or hot takes; it's about the human element behind the art we consume. Each episode feels like eavesdropping on a great, meandering conversation between two people genuinely engaged in figuring out what makes creativity tick, all delivered with the thoughtful perspective you expect from Vox.
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