The gushing over Jon Batiste and his dozen Grammy nominations

Of course CBS is going to promote the hell out of him. He's the bandleader on one of their most high profile shows, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

It's called corporate synergy.

But he is extremely talented, musically educated, and respected. CBS is lucky to have him and he's lucky to have them as a platform.

Who?

Obnoxious.

He was on Southern Charm: New Orleans

^^^ never mind, that was Jon Moody I was thinking of

I watch Colbert, and Batiste never impressed me.

Then again, these days, if a black musical "artist" isn't doing rap, I guess I should be happy.

Not much diversity in that video.

meh.

Who? Did he have any hit records?

He was educated at Julliard and studied classical music. I saw a live concert of him on YouTube and he was playing a piece of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. I think he’s probably drastically overqualified for what he’s doing. He comes from a musical family.

Not everything he’s done is to my taste. But I think Colbert made a good choice picking him. He’s more than just some bandleader. Colbert probably picked him, not for his popular music, but for his depth of musical education. That doesn’t show on the show though. They should have him play more. He has the potential to be a real ambassador for New Orleans if he chooses.

According to him it's only 11 nominations.

I’m Black, love R&B music, and legit had never heard of this person. I watched about 10 seconds of that video and thought “this appeals to white boomers.” Hence, the bandleader position on Colbert (something else that appeals only to white boomers) and the ridiculous amount of Grammy nominations (a show that appeals to exactly nobody outside of the entertainment industry).

I'm an engineer / session musician (specifically keys) and I don't really get it either. In fact a lot of others in my profession and community don't seem to love him either. It's not that he isn't a great pianist, there's just not much about him musically or emotionally that stands out. We all know people more talented than him personally, and even in the industry there are much more talented artists with the same kind of acumen (James Poyser, Robert Glasper, Keys Wane, PJ Morton) that aren't getting the same kind of airtime or gatekeeper adulation.

R12 is right that there's a bit of an uncool factor too, and some of it IS about him being a black guy playing and dressing very palatable for white audiences. I have heard more than one 'tap dancing' joke about him. He's cheesy. There's something very NPR about him even though they actually get a lot of edgier or more alternative artists too.

I stopped watching Colbert because of him. During Colbert’s monologue, Batiste is constantly playing blues riffs after every punchline, saying things like, “oh yeah” or “that’s right” as though he was at a gospel service. Beyond irritating.

OP = Taylor Swift

Same r12. And apparently he's not gay (or at least bisexual) either? Im not interested gurl... Totally being pushed on us by corporate.

[quote] His video at link seems schmaltzy, pandering more about him posing.

Why do you hate happiness?

The Grammy committee was told to include more diversity in its selection committee. Diversity means black, so expect many more black nominees. That way, there won't be as many complaints from the black activists and white SJW women.

The video/sing did it for me. It’s been shown a and played as ad nausea on CBS. He was really going for a funky “black thing” video but it comes off as a Cosby Show type of skit of what white people want to see black people doing. He was clearly attempting to make a dance version of the famous Ernie Barnes Sugar Shack painting (the one from ‘Good Times’). Something about him doing that just irritates me.

R17, it isn’t “happiness”, it’s him attempting to project something he wants you to think it is when in fact, it’s both a stereotype and meant only to highlight himself and not anything about his community or New Orleans. It’s all about him dressing up and looking fly and doing a “groovy“ dance. I think he is really talented but he’s also an over the top narcissist and place to all the white worship he gets because he’s a non-threatening black man.

So, Uptown Funk in NOLA. Shiny, happy Negro version. Are you not uplifted??

It's his music video r20, of course it's going to focus on him.

[quote]He was educated at Julliard and studied classical music

So did Miles Davis until he dropped out. And for all his faults--musical & otherwise, he's a legend who wouldn't be caught dead doing this shit. He was self-indulgent, but not pandering.

Sam Cooke and Otis Redding are rolling in their graves. As sad as I am they're gone, especially how they died, I'm glad they're not here to witness their culture's white, corporate death. Redding especially.

I feel like an eldergay as I looked at the Grammy noms and hardly knew anyone

OP is a racist.

Even worse is Lil Nas X being nominated for the three biggest Awards for his shitty " queer-fest" video.

Keanu was once married and had a child. They we're both killed in a car accident unfortunately, if I'm not mistaken.

That's why he's been single since.

I'm more interested in Joe Saylor, the drummer from Colbert's show

R26

Lil Nas X definitely deserves it after all he’s done this year. When you look back at 2021, Lil Nas X will be the most memorable.

R26 is a homophobe.

I first saw Jon perform when he was a student at Juilliard. He was brought on stage during a Preservation Hall Jazz Band concert in NY and they let him riff... I knew at that moment that he'd be a huge talent.

Way, way better than the usual Lil Nas X, Beyonce, Pharrell, or Bruno Mars shit that gets shoved down our throats.

[quote]Way, way better than the usual Lil Nas X, Beyonce, Pharrell, or Bruno Mars shit that gets shoved down our throats.

[quote]Gayle King pushes him like a meth dealer.

Oprah must love him.

I saw him perform on American Idol. He was fantastic and outshone all of the contestants.

Let me just say again, I think he’s massively talented and I’m envious.

But I’ve seen him in several interviews now and of course the video, so I have an opinion of him like I would any celebrity. Why would that mean I’m “racist”? And the video IS grating. I think it’s supposed to be uplifting, but it just seems like a parody. I’m from just outside New Orleans and the whole Jazz band, black neighborhood (the Marigny or Bywater areas likely) with colorful shotgun houses, black ladies yelling “FreeeeeDOM!”, backs arched toward the ground, chests toward the sky…..it’s just been done a million times already and is kind of a stereotype. And believe it or not, New Orleans does have white people and other very unique cultural aspects that aren’t all centered around the local African American culture and traditions. So, all the more reason I think the song and video are over baked.

Gay?

r37 according to my one minute of Googling he is not, perhaps someone has other information

r36 Do you think someone is going to call you racist just because he's black, you're white and you don't like the song? Don't create race wars in your head. Im black and I don't like this song or video either. I also feel like this has been done over and over

Seems pretty harmless to me. Anybody who can actually sing or play an instrument is a step up these days.

At least it’s not Doja Rat. Can’t stand her.

Jon and Stay Human have been doing impressive eclectic music for many years. Just because his newest more "commercial" solo album is getting the big money push big record companies are known to do doesn't mean he's not super talented.

Here's a song from 2013, two years before the Colbert gig.

[quote]I'm more interested in Joe Saylor, the drummer from Colbert's show

I, too, am intrigued by Saylor, R28. Alas, I believe he's married to a woman and has a new-ish kid.