The virtuosic talent played a variety of music at Warner Theatre
Multi-Grammy-winning recording artist Jon Batiste showcased his musical versatility at DC’s Warner Theatre on Thursday (Mar 21st).
The soulful pop and R&B star is on his first-ever headlining trek, The Uneasy Tour. The name comes from a track from his most recent LP, World Music Radio. But Batiste was anything but, as he glided effortlessly from pure upbeat soul (“Tell the Truth”) to grooving reggae-style beat (“Raindance”) to traditional R&B ballad (“Don’t Stop”).
There was even a ragtime-esque piano breakdown midshow that felt as spontaneous as Batiste himself. Clad in a shimmeringly crisp suit, Batiste at times evoked James Brown with his fancy footwork and energetic outbursts. A keyboard station dressed to be reminiscent of an analog radio bay allowed him to play with synthesized sounds as his backing band jammed. The theme of the night was joy and a carefree vibe. Batiste pointed out several times that his favorite thing to do is write “uplifting melodies.” The pure cathartic enthusiasm of the crowd affirmed that to be true.
But it was the moments with the former Late Show bandleader sat at the piano that were the most engrossing. The aforementioned “Don’t Stop” built from just Batiste and his grand piano to a full-band showstopper. Later on, Batiste seemed to channel a bit of Stevie Wonder as he encouraged the crowd to hum the “lullaby” melody of “Butterfly.”
Batiste’s fellow New Orleans native, Trombone Shorty, surprised Warner Theater when he strode on stage for a spirited “Keep On the Sunny Side.” The popular trombonist stayed to accent Batiste’s own “We Are.” Shorty joked that he was being worked “like a French Quarter Mule.”
The skills earned by Jon Batiste’s years of keeping a restless crowd at the Ed Sullivan Theater entertained during tape breaks are evident. He could get a whole crowd on their feet with just a wink or finger flick. When he talked, you felt like he was just talking to you. No doubt the result of daily audiences in an intimate theater.
There’s something timeless about Batiste that is classic and modern all at once. Who, in 2024, adds “ettes” to the name of their backing dancers? Enter the Jonettes. The old-time influences are as present as is the artistry of a man who has collaborated with Lil Wayne. No matter the vibe, the crowd just threw their head back, stamped, and clapped along all night. Or sat and listened intently. Their reactions varied as widely as the music.
It’s a daring move to swing from jumpy big band sounds to hip hop. But such a deep musical lexicon feels organic to Jon Batiste. It’s this accessibility that allows him to continue to carve his own niche, find his audience among the young and old, and will no doubt result in truckloads more Grammys.
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