On March 10, I watched the 96th Academy Awards. A performance that caught my attention was Jon Batiste’s rendition of “It Never Went Away,” from the Netflix documentary “American Symphony.” The song was nominated for “Best Original Song” that night.

Jon Batiste is a renowned singer, songwriter, bandleader, composer and multi-instrumentalist who has previously worked on projects with Lenny Kravitz, Prince, Lana Del Ray, Stevie Wonder and Willie Nelson. In 2015-2022, Batiste appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” and I knew I had to see him live. The concert was a unique experience.

On March 15, Batiste brought the energy to College Street Music Hall in New Haven, CT. In a light blue suit, he waved to the audience, picked up a melodica, and began to chant, “I feel good, I feel great.”.The sold-out crowd quickly caught on, lighting up the room and making everyone excited. I couldn’t stop smiling; I even felt good and great.

Batiste opened with “Hello, Billy Bob,” the perfect track for introducing his latest album, “World Music Radio.” Serving as a warm welcome to the crowd, other songs performed included “I’m From Kenner” and “TELL THE TRUTH.” Throughout the performances, the crowd and stage were filled with joy.

During the first song, two saxophonists walked out of the dark to play in the upper level of the venue. They both came out and performed solos, a surprise that made everyone in the audience turn around in awe to watch them. 

Lots of action was happening on the stage, and some of this included traditional dancers. They danced around the stage in circles, side by side, and with Batiste. They brightened up the atmosphere of the concert and added to its happiness.

A large butterfly was used as a backdrop on stage. It’s an important symbol for Batiste, as he wrote a song called “Butterfly” dedicated to his wife, Suleika Jaouad, who is battling leukemia. 

The musician started more chants as he sang through the other songs on the setlist. He and his background performers sang, “So much freedom,” a chant that quickly caught on with the audience and rang in my head throughout the whole concert.

As mentioned earlier, Batiste is a multi-instrumentalist, which I greatly admire. He seamlessly switched between melodica, tambourine, electric guitar, synthesizer and more throughout every song he played. 

Coming from someone who started playing the piano when I was young, I was very impressed to see him bringing a chordophone instrument to the stage. He made it seem easy and added a unique element to his performance. 

Batiste never stopped smiling, dancing, and playing different instruments while on stage, showing off his charisma, talent, dedication, audience engagement and versatility. His vibrant energy helped make this concert truly memorable.

The venue was filled with smiles from the youngest fans to the oldest, and everyone was so excited to see him. There was a lot of action going on throughout the venue and all audience members could feel the energy, regardless of where they were sitting. 

All in all, Jon Batiste’s “Uneasy” Tour was an electric and magical night for music fans of all ages. He is a talented and energetic musician who made this concert welcoming, even if you don’t listen to his music. He had an impressive music repertoire even before becoming a solo artist, and I can see him becoming a mainstream artist in the industry within the next few years.