Nicholas Payton in Newark

Nicholas Payton is an American trumpeter, keyboardist, composer and bandleader born in New Orleans in 1973. His music draws on jazz, rhythm and blues, funk and other Black American traditions. His early albums as a leader include From This Moment, Gumbo Nouveau and Payton's Place. He also recorded with trumpeter Doc Cheatham, and their performance of “Stardust” received a Grammy Award. In the 1990s, Payton toured with Marcus Roberts and Elvin Jones before leading his own ensembles in clubs and at festivals. On later dates he has played trumpet and keyboards and sung, sometimes handling multiple instruments during the same performance. The live album Relaxin' with Nick documents his trio at Smoke Jazz Club in New York.

Jon Batiste is an American pianist, singer, composer and bandleader born in Metairie, Louisiana, in 1986. He plays jazz, soul, R&B and pop, and became widely known as the bandleader on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. His major works include the album We Are, the song “Freedom” and the score for Pixar’s Soul, co-written with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. In 2022, Jon Batiste premiered American Symphony at Carnegie Hall, performing the work with an orchestra and guest musicians. The Uneasy Tour: Purifying the Airwaves for the People followed in 2024, bringing material from World Music Radio to North American stages. That year he also performed at Coachella and Glastonbury Festival.