Latest news with #Batiste
Axios
6 days ago
- Climate
- Axios
Houston braces for intense summer heat after hot May
It's not just you. Houston was hotter than normal in May — and now braces for potentially an even hotter summer. Why it matters: Summers are getting warmer in Houston and across the country, posing a health risk for vulnerable groups like children, pregnant women, the elderly and homeless people. Driving the news: National Weather Service meteorologists give Houston and much of Texas a 50%-60% chance of a hotter-than-normal summer, per their latest seasonal outlook. Threat level: Houston will start heating up this weekend, with highs forecast in the mid- to upper-90s for the metro and close to 100 in northern communities. Humidity and sunshine will make Houston's heat feel well into the triple digits starting Friday, NWS Houston meteorologist Cameron Batiste wrote in a forecast discussion Tuesday. What they're saying:"[We] may potentially flirt with the heat advisory threshold towards the end of the week," Batiste wrote. Batiste added the low temperatures will be "equally as miserable." "How do low temperatures in the upper 70s/low 80s sound? Yeah … not great." Flashback: The Houston area's average high (+2.5 degrees) and low (+4 degrees) were warmer than in a normal May, according to NWS data. The average high was 89.4 degrees in May 2025, compared to NOAA's 30-year normal average high for the region of 86.9 degrees. The average low was 71.8 degrees in May compared to a normal average low of 67.8 degrees. The big picture: Houston's average summer temperature rose 4.6 degrees between 1970 and 2024, according to a new report from climate research group Climate Central. The analysis defines "summer" as June through August and uses NOAA data on normal temperatures. Zoom out: Average summer temperatures rose 2.6 degrees in the same time period in 97% of the 242 American cities analyzed, according to the report. Stunning stat: Over 60% of the cities analyzed now have at least two more weeks' worth of hotter-than-normal summer days compared to 1970. Houston experienced above-normal temperatures for eight more weeks in 2024 than in 1970, the second-most days among the cities analyzed. Context: Hotter summers are one of the most tangible ways we're experiencing climate change. Between the lines: Many cities like Houston suffer from " heat islands" — areas of especially high temperatures caused by roads, parking lots, buildings and a lack of tree cover.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Award-winning musician and composer Jon Batiste delivers commencement address and performed at SCAD
ATLANTA and SAVANNAH, Ga., June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) was delighted to welcome award-winning artist, musician, and composer Jon Batiste at the university's commencement ceremonies in Savannah and Atlanta for the largest graduating class in SCAD history. The ceremonies were held at the Savannah Convention Center on Friday, May 30 in Savannah, and Saturday, May 31, at the Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta. Batiste spoke to more than 4,200 graduates, their families, and honored guests during the two-day celebration. "This moment right here is not only the beginning of you defining and shaping who you are in the world and what you will become and what you will leave as your legacy, but it's also a moment where you have this opportunity to really take it in and be at peace with the unexpected that will come in the dark times as well as the things that you will do to exceed expectations and become the first and only. I'm so excited to be here to share this moment with you. So thank you for being who you are and remember that that's all you ever need to be," he said. SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree on Batiste, who is considered a force of nature and a powerhouse of creativity and connection. An Academy Award and seven-time Grammy Award winning artist, he blends music, storytelling, and activism to inspire and unite. "It's a gift to connect with and inspire the next generation of creative artists from this globally renowned university," said Batiste. The 2025 graduates represent more than 40 top-ranked programs, including interactive design and game development, interior design, film and television, fashion, graphic design, and design management. Since its founding in 1978, the university's mission has been to prepare talented students for creative professions. Today, SCAD's success rate is unmatched. According to a 2024 study, 99% of recent SCAD graduates reported being employed, pursuing further education, or both within 12 months of graduation. SCAD alumni have found fulfilling careers at Adobe, BMW, Delta Air Lines, Disney, Google, Hasbro, Microsoft, NASA, Ralph Lauren, and more. "Our happy hive hums with joy this spring as more than 4,200 SCAD Bees — a record — have danced across the commencement stage and will fly off to rewarding careers around the world," President Wallace said. "What I so deeply cherish about SCAD's commencement is the love you feel, see, and hear, everywhere. From grandparents and parents, to students and siblings, cheers, tears, whoops, hugs, and high-fives celebrate phenomenal creativity, courage, and camaraderie. The world is yours, Bees!" President Wallace also presented an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in Savannah to Meta Vice President of Design Joshua To and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in Atlanta to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. To learn more about SCAD, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Savannah College of Art and Design
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
Jon Batiste announces Big Money Tour with promise of fresh sounds, improvisation and connection
LOS ANGELES -- LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jon Batiste is hitting the road again. The Grammy and Oscar winner is launching his second headlining tour, promising fresh sounds for his forthcoming album and material from his latest project, 'Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1).' Batiste announced Thursday that his Big Money Tour: Jon Batiste Plays America will begin Aug. 27 in Kansas City. He'll groove through more than 30 venues across the U.S. in cities like Detroit, Austin, Texas, Nashville, a co-bill with Diana Ross in St. Louis and Philadelphia, before closing in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 31. For the first time, Batiste will grace the stages of the Encore Theater in Las Vegas and the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. He hopes the tour will offer attendees a deeper connection to him as an artist for the tour, a nod to his ninth studio album. 'Every show is both an origin story and a manifesto,' said Batiste, a seven-time Grammy winner who won an Oscar for his work on 'Soul' in 2020. The tour comes on the heels of performing the national anthem at this year's Super Bowl and 'Beethoven Blues,' which reimagined the famed German pianist's work and debuted No. 1 on Billboard's classical albums chart. Batiste, a Louisiana native, is known for his signature rich blend of R&B, hip-hop, swing, jazz and pop. He's also the former bandleader for the 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.' The multitalented musician will wrap up his intimate Maestro Tour shows on Monday in Los Angeles. He expects to be joined on the road by his wife, Suleika Jaouad, who is currently facing cancer for the third time and recently released a new book, 'The Book of Alchemy.' Batiste believes his unreleased music can still forge a connection, even with those hearing it for the first time. 'I try to tell the most up-to-date origin story through the set,' he said. 'If you come to the show and you don't know any of the music, or you don't know anybody on stage and it's your first time seeing me perform or seen me on television, you'll leave and feel like you know the songs. You'll connect with the artist, the human being and the movement. It's almost like you're going to see a play.' Batiste said the tour will mark the beginning of his 'next era' of music. He views the live performances as an opportunity to introduce new material to audiences, allowing the songs to evolve through connection before ultimately recording them for his forthcoming album. Tickets will be available through artist presales beginning Friday. 'It's about getting the music to a point where you and your community and everybody is acquainted with the sound and feeling of it,' he said. 'You've explored every aspect of it. You've arranged and rearranged, then go record and share it, versus the opposite, which is most often the case. It's fresh and brand new. Then you go on tour, and you start discovering things in the music on stage you didn't even know were there in the studio.' Along with introducing fresh sounds, Batiste said he'll incorporate some improvisation. 'I'm always going to find a space in the show where there's improv,' he said. 'That's at the heart of what I'm all about in trying to represent the cultural music that I come from. I really take a responsibility to push forward. This is about bringing people together, channeling the moment and communal expression.'
San Francisco Chronicle
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Jon Batiste announces Big Money Tour with promise of fresh sounds, improvisation and connection
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jon Batiste is hitting the road again. The Grammy and Oscar winner is launching his second headlining tour, promising fresh sounds for his forthcoming album and material from his latest project, 'Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1).' Batiste announced Thursday that his Big Money Tour: Jon Batiste Plays America will begin Aug. 27 in Kansas City. He'll groove through more than 30 venues across the U.S. in cities like Detroit, Austin, Texas, Nashville, a co-bill with Diana Ross in St. Louis and Philadelphia, before closing in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 31. For the first time, Batiste will grace the stages of the Encore Theater in Las Vegas and the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. He hopes the tour will offer attendees a deeper connection to him as an artist for the tour, a nod to his ninth studio album. 'Every show is both an origin story and a manifesto,' said Batiste, a seven-time Grammy winner who won an Oscar for his work on 'Soul' in 2020. The tour comes on the heels of performing the national anthem at this year's Super Bowl and 'Beethoven Blues,' which reimagined the famed German pianist's work and debuted No. 1 on Billboard's classical albums chart. Batiste, a Louisiana native, is known for his signature rich blend of R&B, hip-hop, swing, jazz and pop. He's also the former bandleader for the 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.' The multitalented musician will wrap up his intimate Maestro Tour shows on Monday in Los Angeles. He expects to be joined on the road by his wife, Suleika Jaouad, who is currently facing cancer for the third time and recently released a new book, 'The Book of Alchemy.' Batiste believes his unreleased music can still forge a connection, even with those hearing it for the first time. 'I try to tell the most up-to-date origin story through the set,' he said. 'If you come to the show and you don't know any of the music, or you don't know anybody on stage and it's your first time seeing me perform or seen me on television, you'll leave and feel like you know the songs. You'll connect with the artist, the human being and the movement. It's almost like you're going to see a play.' Batiste said the tour will mark the beginning of his 'next era' of music. He views the live performances as an opportunity to introduce new material to audiences, allowing the songs to evolve through connection before ultimately recording them for his forthcoming album. Tickets will be available through artist presales beginning Friday. 'It's about getting the music to a point where you and your community and everybody is acquainted with the sound and feeling of it,' he said. 'You've explored every aspect of it. You've arranged and rearranged, then go record and share it, versus the opposite, which is most often the case. It's fresh and brand new. Then you go on tour, and you start discovering things in the music on stage you didn't even know were there in the studio.' 'I'm always going to find a space in the show where there's improv,' he said. 'That's at the heart of what I'm all about in trying to represent the cultural music that I come from. I really take a responsibility to push forward. This is about bringing people together, channeling the moment and communal expression.'
Winnipeg Free Press
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Jon Batiste announces Big Money Tour with promise of fresh sounds, improvisation and connection
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jon Batiste is hitting the road again. The Grammy and Oscar winner is launching his second headlining tour, promising fresh sounds for his forthcoming album and material from his latest project, 'Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1).' Batiste announced Thursday that his Big Money Tour: Jon Batiste Plays America will begin Aug. 27 in Kansas City. He'll groove through more than 30 venues across the U.S. in cities like Detroit, Austin, Texas, Nashville, a co-bill with Diana Ross in St. Louis and Philadelphia, before closing in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 31. For the first time, Batiste will grace the stages of the Encore Theater in Las Vegas and the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. He hopes the tour will offer attendees a deeper connection to him as an artist for the tour, a nod to his ninth studio album. 'Every show is both an origin story and a manifesto,' said Batiste, a seven-time Grammy winner who won an Oscar for his work on 'Soul' in 2020. The tour comes on the heels of performing the national anthem at this year's Super Bowl and 'Beethoven Blues,' which reimagined the famed German pianist's work and debuted No. 1 on Billboard's classical albums chart. Batiste, a Louisiana native, is known for his signature rich blend of R&B, hip-hop, swing, jazz and pop. He's also the former bandleader for the 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.' The multitalented musician will wrap up his intimate Maestro Tour shows on Monday in Los Angeles. He expects to be joined on the road by his wife, Suleika Jaouad, who is currently facing cancer for the third time and recently released a new book, 'The Book of Alchemy.' Batiste believes his unreleased music can still forge a connection, even with those hearing it for the first time. 'I try to tell the most up-to-date origin story through the set,' he said. 'If you come to the show and you don't know any of the music, or you don't know anybody on stage and it's your first time seeing me perform or seen me on television, you'll leave and feel like you know the songs. You'll connect with the artist, the human being and the movement. It's almost like you're going to see a play.' Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Batiste said the tour will mark the beginning of his 'next era' of music. He views the live performances as an opportunity to introduce new material to audiences, allowing the songs to evolve through connection before ultimately recording them for his forthcoming album. Tickets will be available through artist presales beginning Friday. 'It's about getting the music to a point where you and your community and everybody is acquainted with the sound and feeling of it,' he said. 'You've explored every aspect of it. You've arranged and rearranged, then go record and share it, versus the opposite, which is most often the case. It's fresh and brand new. Then you go on tour, and you start discovering things in the music on stage you didn't even know were there in the studio.' Along with introducing fresh sounds, Batiste said he'll incorporate some improvisation. 'I'm always going to find a space in the show where there's improv,' he said. 'That's at the heart of what I'm all about in trying to represent the cultural music that I come from. I really take a responsibility to push forward. This is about bringing people together, channeling the moment and communal expression.'
