LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� 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,
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.
鈥淓very show is both an origin story and a manifesto,鈥� said Batiste, a seven-time who won an Oscar for his work on 鈥淪oul鈥� in 2020. The tour comes on the heels of performing the and 鈥淏eethoven Blues,鈥� which reimagined the famed German pianist鈥檚 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 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, 鈥淭he Book of Alchemy.鈥�
Batiste believes his unreleased music can still forge a connection, even with those hearing it for the first time.
鈥淚 try to tell the most up-to-date origin story through the set,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you come to the show and you don鈥檛 know any of the music, or you don鈥檛 know anybody on stage and it鈥檚 your first time seeing me perform or seen me on television, you鈥檒l leave and feel like you know the songs. You鈥檒l connect with the artist, the human being and the movement. It鈥檚 almost like you鈥檙e going to see a play.鈥�
Batiste said the tour will mark the beginning of his 鈥渘ext era鈥� 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.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about getting the music to a point where you and your community and everybody is acquainted with the sound and feeling of it,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e explored every aspect of it. You鈥檝e arranged and rearranged, then go record and share it, versus the opposite, which is most often the case. It鈥檚 fresh and brand new. Then you go on tour, and you start discovering things in the music on stage you didn鈥檛 even know were there in the studio.鈥�
Along with introducing fresh sounds, Batiste said he'll incorporate some improvisation.
鈥淚鈥檓 always going to find a space in the show where there's improv,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat's at the heart of what I鈥檓 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.鈥�
Jonathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press
