60 Minutes Transcript: Jon Batiste
Jon Batiste, the former bandleader on “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert, has pursued a wide-ranging musical career. The profile presents him as a singer, composer and performer who draws on styles from classical music to pop.
He calls his genre-crossing approach “social music,” combining sounds from different eras and traditions. One example is mixing Beethoven and blues to create something new.
While studying at Juilliard, Batiste developed the idea of “love riots” and used New York City subway performances to explore how music could bring strangers together. He says those moments can help people feel they belong.
CBS News joined Batiste at Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, a studio used by artists including Stevie Wonder, David Bowie and Taylor Swift. The segment shows him playing at the keyboard and discussing how he focuses on feeling and flow while performing.
Batiste says he sees himself as a channel for uniting people through music. The profile connects that goal to his interest in musical history and traditions from around the world.
Key points
- Batiste blends genres and musical traditions in what he calls “social music.”
- His Juilliard-era “love riots” used subway performances to bring people together.
- He says music can create a feeling of belonging and connection.