For American musician, composer and television personality, Jon Batiste, India is not just another stop on his global Maestro Tour. The Grammy and Oscar-winning musician, who will be performing in the country for the first time, traces his connect with India back to his childhood in Louisiana. Long before he was celebrated as one of the most versatile musicians of his generation, the 38-year-old was already absorbing Indian sounds and rhythms in the most unexpected setting — his own neighbourhood.
“I was able to have an early exposure to Indian music and culture when I was growing up in Louisiana. My father had a friend, a neighbour, who was born in India. He would often host us at his home, or create events for Indian cultural appreciation and invite musicians from India,” recalled Jon, who will perform in Delhi on Nov 24 and will then perform in Mumbai on Nov 26, as part of his Maestro tour, which has been organised by BookMyShow.
“When I was 7 or 8, I first saw the tabla and got a sense of Indian music from my father’s friend. Just by living with my family, I was able to understand the culture. I liked the rhythms, the food — I remember how everything was spicy in Louisiana as well,” he added.
That early imprint stayed with him, shaping his approach to music. Now, as he prepares to take the stage in India for the very first time, Jon calls it a “very special” moment. “I am very inspired about just me alone on stage with the piano and the audience for my first time in India. It’s such a special culture,” he said.
For Jon, the synergy between Indian classical music and jazz goes deeper than surface similarities. “Jazz and Indian classical music are interconnected in the use of drone. There’s a drone that underpins the music — the foundation. On top, there’s an expression based on melodies and ragas in India. And then you improvise. That’s what I incorporate without being explicit,” he explained.
Pointing to his arrangement of What a Wonderful World, he said, “It was influenced by Indian music. Blending it with jazz gave the lyrics a different perspective. It’s important to play that piece in India, because the musical culture partially influenced it.”
While the tour marks an exciting chapter, Jon is also coming to terms with another shift — the end of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he served as bandleader for seven years. “Stephen is a friend. The band is my friends. It’s unfortunate for culture because what we put on the landscape — the music we played on TV, the guests in the early years — there was nothing like that on television,” he said.
Calling it a cultural loss rather than a political one, he added, “Everything is politicised now, culture is politicised. We need to be on the same team, afford a livable wage, keep families safe, and learn from the wisdom of different arts and cultures. If we remember that, we will be in balance. Right now, we are out of balance.”
