Amplify: Lara Downes and Jon Batiste

Since Jon Batiste was a guest on Amplify in December of 2020, his career has exploded with significant achievements: he left his role as bandleader on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, released two successful albums, married writer Suleika Jaouad, and premiered his orchestral work American Symphony at Carnegie Hall. His latest album, inspired by Beethoven’s music and his early piano lessons in his hometown of Metairie, Louisiana, marks a return to his musical roots. The article concludes by highlighting how, even amidst the ongoing turbulence of life in America, Batiste remains centered, drawing strength from his heritage, following his heart, and staying connected to the rhythms of the present moment.