By Kavita Mistry 
“Its a powerful thing to play the music of those who came before us,” says Jon Batiste as he notes his presence in “one of the oldest traditions in the World.” He had just spent over 40 minutes rendering classical symphonies into jazz tunes, before turning back to his piano to croon out Duke Ellington’s Caravan. Batiste extends his talent of transforming a 19th century composition into a 20th century jingle, to the space he occupies. A single light, lighting up his solitary piano on the stage as he chronicles musical traditions, carries just enough ritz so as to not completely overshadow the intimate setting curated that could, for over an hour, make you forget about the smog-filled city of Delhi outside.
Batiste’s brief sojourn in Delhi coincided with the city’s trademark chilly evening. A bundled up crowd trickled into the imposing Bharat Mandapam and made its way to the sweeping Plenary Hall for The Maestro Series, wherethe Blues singer was to make his India debut. Batiste made his entrance after a fairly long playlist of Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, and The Staple Singers did a commendable job of setting the mood. Though nothing could accurately prepare the audience for what Batiste had up his sleeves.
Jon Batiste performing in New Delhi on November 24, 2025
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Batiste’s performance was marked by a paired-down setting to the point where his entrance was not accompanied by a grandiose welcome. He instead chose to introduce himself to Delhi’s audience with a guessing game. Beethoven’s symphonies have become ubiquitous enough to the ear that one doesn’t have to search too far in their memories for recognition. Batiste provided that delight of identification, first with the Ode to Joy theme and then Symphony No. 5, before he snatched it away to infuse these with his own medleys. Playing from his 2024 album, Beethoven Blues, Batiste kicked off the evening toying around with Beethoven compositions, eliciting awes from the rapt audience that takes a beat but eventually learns to follow along Batiste’s flow.
A product of the New Orleans jazz scene, Batiste’s earliest musical venture included playing drums as part of his family’s Batiste Brothers Band aged eight. At 17, he released his debut album Times in New Orleans, before moving on pursue music at the Juilliard School in New York. Here he met Joe Saylor, Phil Kuehn, Eddie Barbash, and Ibanda Ruhumbika, and went to form the Stay Human band. Stay Human went on to become the house band on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, and catapulted Batiste to mainstream fame.
However, Batiste manages to capture Delhi in an altogether different way. Here we are presented with Batiste the conductor, who is quick to make the audience his orchestra. As we move on from symphonies to songs and Batiste’s voice booms across the hall, he sings a few lines of his remastered version of Lonely Avenue, from his latest album Big Money. He encourages the audience to join in, and a few hesitant seconds pass before the hall becomes a willing choir. As the song progresses, the Delhi crowd find their place, listening carefully to not miss the opportunity to croon out “Lonely Avenue…”
The crowd at the Bharat Mandapam watches on as Jon Batiste performs in New Delhi on November 24, 2025
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Batiste’s performance is punctuated by light conversation. He is more eager to speak to us through his piano but turns away sometimes from the instrument to speak about what enthralls him about the “pleading quality of Blues.” He also touches upon how he seeks to highlight the “lineage of music” with his own compositions.
He has been consistent with these emotions through the years and has accordingly secured a Grammy for Album of the Year in 2021 for We Are. He was nominated again in 2023 for World Music Radio, and is in the running for 2025’s Best Americana Album for Big Money. Batiste also has an Academy Award for scoring Pixar’s Soul, along with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
In Delhi, Batiste moves to the final segment of the evening as commands the audience to get on their feet. On stage, his melodica and harmonium make an appearance for an energetic performance of, I Need You. Batiste is also on his feet now, again the teasing the audience to guess what tune he has rendered to make his own. Delhi is quick to recognise this one and waste no time in singing “O when the saints go marching in…”.
As the night sets in, Batiste breaks out into a swift medley of his hits: Drink Water, Freedom, Raindance, before rounding it off with a calming rendition of Butterfly.
Delhi gave Batiste an intriguing welcome, embracing his teasing interpretations of classics, before a sendoff that felt like Batiste’s voice has now cemented itself as a staple of Delhi winters.
Jon Batiste Live in Concert was produced and promoted by BookMyShow Live in India