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Boston Globe
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Jon Batiste on his Super Bowl performance and the need to be authentically himself
'I've been telling folks who knew me back then 'Who would've thought?' When I [lived in New Orleans], I worked in the Superdome for a week selling hot dogs and nachos and now [to] be a part of this historic moment, to be back home' was tremendously meaningful, Batiste says, pointing to the importance of what that moment represented at this moment in America. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'The Super Bowl is one of the things that we all connect around and tune into. Trombone Shorty and I grew up playing together in the Maple Leaf Bar and I was sitting on the 50 yard line and he's there with Lauren Daigle–who's a great friend of mine as well–and they did 'America The Beautiful,'' says Batiste. 'It just meant so much for so many reasons.' Batiste's instincts guided him well long before the Super Bowl. In addition to his work on Colbert's show, he has released eight studio albums, won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his original score for the 2020 Disney-Pixar film 'Soul,' and currently serves as the Creative Director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. Batiste says that every endeavor requires a certain amount of attention and care. 'My process is always about being present in the moment. Whatever is in front of me is the thing that I'm giving my whole self to, and I'm authentic about it,' he explains. 'I've studied the craft of all of the things that I'm involved with and I continue to study the craft, but it's also about figuring out how to bring my one of a kind self. There's only one perspective and that is Jon Batiste's perspective.' Advertisement His point of view was especially poignant in 'American Symphony,' which 'It's just a part of life that I've learned…everybody has their own version of it. By being vulnerable and opening your life up, it then allows for other people to see their life in what you're going through,' he says. 'It brings us all closer to each other in my own personal community, and then the world at large... Just because you see me on stage and I may be celebrated in a certain way, it doesn't mean that my life is any different to you on the basic level.' The day after his Super Bowl appearance, Batiste released the two-track project 'My United State,' featuring 'Star-Spangled Blues' and 'Notes From My Future Self.' At his Boston show, Batiste plans on bringing those songs to life. He's also excited about performing tracks from 'Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1),' which reimagines the German pianist's work. Being a connoisseur in a variety of genres, including jazz, roots, pop, and R&B, means challenging perceptions of what it means to be a Black male musician. Advertisement Not only has Batiste embraced his idiosyncrasies, but his successful career proves the infinite power of showcasing the multidimensionality of Black folks. 'I feel like we have so many visions of who we are that don't serve us. The truth of it is…with this system, there's so much that is built to not really give you insight into the true nature of who we are. If you're not from [the Black community], you have to put effort into it to really get to a space where you can see [how stereotypes are perpetuated]. Otherwise, you're going to believe the lie.' Batiste's quirky nature was captured in his 2021 video for the song 'Freedom,' which featured the singer sporting a pink pastel suit and vibrantly dancing in his visual love letter to New Orleans. He says that the spirited persona fans saw in 'Freedom' embodies him perfectly. 'Just by being true to myself, I clash with those perceptions [against Black people]. If the value for me is to represent what I believe is the best of us, then I'm already breaking through any of those limiting, toxic beliefs by just existing,' he says. Batiste understands that he'll continue to be placed under a microscope because of his identity, but it simply gives him more fuel for his art. 'I know that I meet pushback just by being the authentic version of myself and representing the highest of who we are. I'm not really trying to go out there and make people see something. I'm existing as the thing that I know that we are and I'm representing that–y'all need to keep up.' Advertisement JON BATISTE 8 p.m., $182+, Saturday, April 5, Citizens Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston,
New York Times
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Super Bowl LIX: Foods the football fans and out-of-towners must try in New Orleans
Editor's note: With Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, The Athletic reached out to two writers, Larry Holder and Chris Branch, who have made the city their home for years to discuss an important pregame and postgame topic — the cuisine. NEW ORLEANS — People come to New Orleans for many things. Architecture, history, culture, drinks … the whole joie de vivre. But above all, New Orleans is about food — no matter what Travis Kelce says. Take it from these two locals: There is so much more to New Orleans' food than the highlights you know. Fusion is a passe term in food these days, but New Orleans cuisine was built on it. Cajun, Caribbean, African, French, Spanish — it's all in the proverbial gumbo pot here. Advertisement The Athletic asked us to pick three dishes for out-of-towners to try with the Super Bowl at Caesars Superdome this week, which, frankly, was an impossible task. But here goes: Is it dessert? Is it a meal? Is it safe to eat? There's a reason this mind-bender sits atop the menu on the appetizers for this classic, eclectic New Orleans restaurant that's been jam-packed in the city's Riverbend area since 1996. A post shared by Jacques-imo's (@ Technically, it's a quiche, and it used to be coined simply 'alligator cheesecake,' presenting a more dangerous appeal. Still, it's become one of the more famous dishes in the city and often leads to a trip next door to watch Rebirth Brass Band at the Maple Leaf Bar. I'm starting my list with the simplest yet arguably best thing here. I've lived in Louisiana now for more than 30 years, and a shrimp po'boy is the homey food I still crave most. A post shared by Domilises Poboys⚜️ (@domilisespoboys) Domilise's serves its po'boys alongside icy mugs full of light beer, in an old-school house on a discreet corner. It's perfect. It sounds so simple: a club sandwich with one more ingredient and one more element. It's grilled, and it's heated — as in with a hot sausage patty instead of the traditional ham. Bar manager Jacob April came up with it basically on a whim during the COVID-19 pandemic. The popular eatery known for its roast beef po'boys doesn't prominently promote the sandwich on the menu, even though I've openly told owner Jeff Carreras it's the best sandwich I've ever eaten. During a lunch, a patron next to me ordered a simple hot sausage po'boy, and he dropped his sandwich in disgust after watching me scarf down the tall, triangular pile of scrumptiousness. Tracey's also carries a bit of a Super Bowl backstory. The bar/restaurant boldly became the first in New Orleans to promote it would refuse to show Super Bowl LIII, helping to spur the city's 'Boycott Bowl' after the blown pass interference call late in the 2018 season NFC Championship Game that likely would've propelled the New Orleans Saints to their second Super Bowl appearance. The Magazine Street establishment landed headlines across the country as the pioneer of the bar bowl boycott movement. Advertisement Gumbo is a must in the city, and I went with the most decadent for my choice. This restaurant is owned and operated by John Folse, who might be one of the most famous Cajun chefs on the planet. A post shared by Restaurant R'evolution (@restaurantrevolution_nola) The gumbo possesses a dark roux — the best kind of roux — and boasts a whole-roasted quail stuffed with seasoned rice, andouille sausage and oysters. You might be OK with dying after eating a bowl of heaven. I kicked this idea around with my double-byline friend and thought maybe it's become too cliche. A platter of grilled slime covered in garlic butter and parmesan cheese on top of a rock might not sound amazing, but there's a reason it's become one of the delicacies you're always seeing in videos coming back from a commercial of any game played in New Orleans. A post shared by Drago's Seafood Restaurant (@dragosrestaurant) Drago's is the king of the chargrilled oysters. Versions from Acme and Felix's are more than adequate to feed the fix. All three franchises have locations downtown and throughout the surrounding areas. Many establishments serve charbroiled oysters in the area, but some are certainly better than others. Picking three dishes was a real struggle, but any visitor should witness the funky, delicious stuff that Turkey and the Wolf (and its sister restaurants, Molly's and Hungry Eyes) produces daily. Collard Green Melt for the lunch win! — Shandy (@shandy21) May 13, 2021 This melt tastes like a Reuben with no pastrami. It is remarkable, messy and won't leave your mind for days. Branch's smorgasbord: The Muffulettu at Porgy's Seafood Market, Gulf fish with pumpkin brodo at BABs, Le Pig Mac at Cochon Butcher, the entire menu at La Boulangerie. Holder's smorgasbord: Barbecue nachos from Blue Oak BBQ, cheeseburger and a 'Monsoon' from Port of Call, muffuletta from Central Grocery & Deli, beignets from Cafe du Monde (basically just to say you had them), barbecue shrimp from Pascal's Manale or Mr. B's, anything from the following restaurants: Clancy's, Brigtsen's and Peche, a top-shelf frozen margarita from Superior Grill, a French 75 from Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar, a Lucky Dog (street vendor hot dog). (Top photo of Drago's charbroiled oysters: William Widmer / The Washington Post via Getty Images)
