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The Frame

Stephen Colbert announces his 'Late Show' band leader — New Orleans jazz musician Jon Batiste

By The Frame Staff
Published Jun 4, 2015
Jon Batiste performs live on stage at the Marketing Society event during day two of Advertising Week Europe at Kensington Palace State Apartments on April 1, 2014 in London, England.
Jon Batiste performs live on stage at the Marketing Society event during day two of Advertising Week Europe at Kensington Palace State Apartments on April 1, 2014 in London, England.
(
Tristan Fewings/Getty Images For Advertising Wee
)
(L-R) Joe Saylor, Eddie Barbah, and Jon Batiste of Jon Batiste and Stay Human perform at Soho House Chicago pre-opening with Grey Goose on Aug. 2, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois.
(L-R) Joe Saylor, Eddie Barbah, and Jon Batiste of Jon Batiste and Stay Human perform at Soho House Chicago pre-opening with Grey Goose on Aug. 2, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois.
(
Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Soho House Chic
)
Jon Batiste and Stay Human perform at Soho House Chicago pre-opening on Aug. 2, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois.
Jon Batiste and Stay Human perform at Soho House Chicago pre-opening on Aug. 2, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois.
(
Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Soho House Chic
)
(L-R) Joe Saylor, Eddie Barbah and Jon Batiste of Jon Batiste and Stay Human perform at Soho House Chicago pre-opening with Grey Goose on Aug. 2, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois.
(L-R) Joe Saylor, Eddie Barbah and Jon Batiste of Jon Batiste and Stay Human perform at Soho House Chicago pre-opening with Grey Goose on Aug. 2, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois.
(
Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Soho House Chic
)
Jon Batiste performs at Soho House Chicago pre-opening with Grey Goose on Aug. 2, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois.
Jon Batiste performs at Soho House Chicago pre-opening with Grey Goose on Aug. 2, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois.
(
Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Soho House Chic
)
Stephen Colbert announced masterful musician Jon Batiste is joining him on CBS's new late night program as the show's bandleader.
Stephen Colbert announced masterful musician Jon Batiste is joining him on CBS's new late night program as the show's bandleader.
(
Betsy Newman/CBS
)
Jon Batiste performs live on stage at the Marketing Society event during day two of Advertising Week Europe at Kensington Palace State Apartments on April 1, 2014 in London, England.
Jon Batiste performs live on stage at the Marketing Society event during day two of Advertising Week Europe at Kensington Palace State Apartments on April 1, 2014 in London, England.
(
Tristan Fewings/Getty Images For Advertising Wee
)
Jon Batiste performs onstage during the Legal Defense Fund Annual Gala to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Brown V. Board of Education at the New York Hilton Midtown on Nov. 6, 2014 in New York City.
Jon Batiste performs onstage during the Legal Defense Fund Annual Gala to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Brown V. Board of Education at the New York Hilton Midtown on Nov. 6, 2014 in New York City.
(
Craig Barritt/Getty Images for NAACP Legal Def
)

About the Show

A daily chronicle of creativity in film, TV, music, arts, and entertainment, produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from November 2014 – March 2020. Host John Horn leads the conversation, accompanied by the nation's most plugged-in cultural journalists.

Stephen Colbert is re-emerging and making a series of announcements about his version of "The Late Show" on CBS — from releasing a video where he shaved his beard Wednesday, to one introducing his new band leader Jon Batiste on Thursday.

"His music makes the audience feel so good, we may have to install a ‘Do Not Make Love’ sign," Colbert said in a press release.

Batiste is a 28-year-old New Orleans jazz musician who's worked with Prince, Lenny Kravitz and more, and the HBO series "Treme" was partially based on Batiste's family. He previously appeared as a guest on "The Colbert Report," where Colbert shared a spontaneous moment when Batiste mocked Colbert for reading scripted lines; Colbert then threw away his notes.

He followed that up with a performance with his band Stay Human, taking the music from inside to outside the show's studio, leading the crowd in a bit of a party with his song "Express Yourself."

"Get ready for a love riot in late night," Batiste said in a release. "Love riots" are what he calls his trademark roving street concerts. He did one that started at New York City's Webster Hall — and the party even went on into the city subway.

Batiste also posted a celebratory GIF:

Batiste grew up playing in his family's band and studied at Juilliard. His album "Social Music" went to number 1 on the Billboard Jazz Album chart. He's releasing his first album on a major label later this year.

Colbert this week also launched a new podcast, his show's website and social media accounts. We'll likely see more of Colbert and Batiste ahead of the show's debut — it hits CBS late nights on Sept. 8.