WE ARE

Released in 2021, WE ARE represents the definitive artistic statement of Jon Batiste's career, moving him from a respected bandleader to a global pop-cultural force. Recorded largely during the 2020 lockdowns and amidst the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, the album serves as a bridge between the tradition of New Orleans jazz and contemporary social consciousness. It features a massive cast of collaborators, including his father Michael Batiste, the St. Augustine High School Marching 100, and gospel legend Mavis Staples. Sonically, the album is a 'genre-less' exploration of Black American Music (BAM), incorporating elements of trap, house, and neo-soul alongside traditional swing and blues. The record's success was unprecedented for a jazz-rooted artist in the modern era, culminating in eleven Grammy nominations and a win for Album of the Year, signaling a critical and commercial embrace of Batiste's 'social music' philosophy.