Jon Batiste speaks to GRAMMY Camp jazz students during 2018 GRAMMY Week

Jon Batiste

Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

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Jon Batiste, Michael McDonald Offer Real Advice To GRAMMY Camp Musicians

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As part of their New York GRAMMY Week journey, GRAMMY Camp — Jazz Session students received expert advice from two pros representing the creative and business sides of the music industry
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Jan 24, 2018 - 9:04 pm

Carnegie Hall. The Blue Note. Madison Square Garden. Radio City Music Hall. Broadway. New York is positively brimming with storied music history. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. For a young musician, it's certainly akin to being the proverbial kid in a candy store.

As a matter of fact, 18 young high school musicians are getting their opportunity to sample the sweets that form the rich music culture of the Big Apple as participants in this year's GRAMMY Museum's GRAMMY Camp — Jazz Session program. Their week-long musical adventure is anchored by select appearances and performances at official GRAMMY Week events such as GRAMMY In The Schools Live!, the MusiCares Person of the Year after-party celebration and the GRAMMY Celebration, the Recording Academy's official after-party.

But before they hit the downbeat, the Jazz Session students participated in an exclusive Industry Insider Night centered around a question-and-answer dialog with Jon Batiste, "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" bandleader, and Michael McDonald, artist manager for Mick Management and MusiCares Board Chair.

Taking place at New York's impressive Hudson Yards complex, the purpose of the intimate setting was to provide the students with an opportunity to gain credible insight from two professionals representing different sides of the music industry: the creative side and the business side. And Batiste is technically part of the family in being a flesh-and-blood alumnus of the GRAMMY Camp — Jazz Session program.

The dialog was compelling, the stories were interesting, the questions insightful, and the advice offered was candid. Here are seven tips that Batiste and McDonald passed on to the GRAMMY Camp musicians — principles that formulate solid advice for any young musician mulling a career in music.

1. Wherever You End Up, Find Your Tribe

New Orleans native Batiste picked up and moved to New York to attend the prestigious Juilliard School. While getting an education and furthering his music abilities were top of mind, the Stay Human bandleader drove home the point that his choice was also based on the potential to trade fours with like-minded musicians.

"College is a place to meet people, and New York is a hub of music," said Batiste. "There's so many opportunities. So I think that coming to New York was very important [for me] because it just exposes you to so many different things. And then going to Juilliard, I met so many people who I just considered to be part of my creative family. Wherever you end up: find your tribe."

2. Prepare For The Real World By Doing Things "Before It's Time"

As the saying goes, being school smart is one thing. But being real-world smart can be a totally different ball. And for music students, making that transition from music school phenom to is forged with potential obstacles. Batiste urged the students to keep an eye on the big picture by getting an early start on tackling the things they want to do in their careers.

"The biggest thing I learned from that whole transition [from school to the real world] is to be trying to do the thing before its time so that you're ready before the opportunity does come," said Batiste. "I wanted to lead a band so I was leading a band. I wanted to learn from musicians who I listened to on recordings so I sought them out. … When you get out of school, it will feel like more of a natural transition."

"I always say, 'There's always room for the real deal.'" — Michael McDonald

3. It's OK To Suck

Sometimes musicians can become obsessed with trying to play every note perfectly. While allotting countless hours to woodshed is no doubt part and parcel to honing one's instrumental prowess, Batiste turned the tables with a thought-provoking nugget of wisdom based on personal experience.

"I wished someone would have told me that it's OK for it to really suck at first. In fact, if it doesn't suck it probably means you're not trying hard enough," said Batiste, who regaled the students with tales of when he used to perform for NYC subway patrons. "Push it to the point where it's uncomfortable. We pushed ourselves to do stuff that we didn't see people doing and it wasn't comfortable, but I think that created an understanding of what we wanted to do and how to critique [ourselves] so the next time it will be better."

Michael McDonald, Jon Batiste, David Sears at a 2018 GRAMMY Week event in New York
2018 Industry Insider Night For GRAMMY Camp— Jazz Session

4. Focus On Finding Your Vision

While technology is considered a double-edged sword by some, the truth is that technological advances have afforded musicians more autonomy and flexibility. Starting a YouTube channel, social networking and recording album-ready music in a bedroom are just three examples of how young musicians can tap technology to their benefit. Technology and tools aside, McDonald stressed an aspiring musician should exhibit self-starter qualities and spend ample time to decide the direction they want to their career to head in.

"If you can't start something on your own, if you don't have a vision, if you don't know what you like, I can't do anything for you," said McDonald, whose client roster includes the likes of Batiste, Maggie Rogers, Ray LaMontagne, and Walk The Moon. "For me, to take on an artist, I want to see someone who has initiative, drive, and is resourceful, and can do a lot of things on their own."

"Wherever you end up: find your tribe." — Jon Batiste

5. Make A List And Let Creativity Flower

Lists are good for a number of things. Grocery lists. To-do lists. Shopping lists. Instruction lists. While formulating lists can help manage productivity, Batiste explained that he employed a certain kind of list to help spark connections and foster creativity.

"What I did at one point, because I really couldn't articulate it, I made a list of every single thing that I like," said Batiste. "It didn't even matter if it was music or not. There was random stuff on the list and I tried to make connections between them. The creative mind is mysterious. Stuff will emerge."

As it turns out, McDonald went through the exact same exercise on his own. Great minds really do think alike

6. Don't Chase Today's Trends

While keeping tabs on the Top 10 list can be enticing, McDonald recommended that the students shouldn't become consumed with altering their course to match the sounds of the artists landing billions of streams and YouTube views.

"Don't chase what's happening this year or what the trend is," said McDonald, who got his career start on the road with Dave Matthews Band in the '90s. "I always say, 'There's always room for the real deal.' Dave Matthews came out in the '90s. That was acoustic guitar, saxophone and violin. And it was coming out at the same time as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots. The trend was grunge but these guys just were who they are."

7. Heed Your Belief System

When asked about the age-old question concerning art versus commerce — or if a musician needs to "sell out" to make it — Batiste advised the students that the answer will come from within. Specifically, a young musician should be mindful of their values and beliefs and steer toward what moves them with passion and vigilance.

"The question is more about: What do you believe? Who are you? Why do you play?" said Batiste. "When you answer that, it's like, 'Well, that's why I play.  Let me figure out how to make money doing that and let the chips fall where they may.' Do the art because you love it. If you really love it, it's probably a part of who you are. I'm always singing. I'm always creating ideas. That's me. It's not my love for the art. It's who I am."

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Veronica Leahy performs at GRAMMY In The Schools Live! in New York

Baritone saxophonist Veronica Leahy

Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

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GRAMMY Jazz Band Plays Duke Ellington, Count Basie & More | 2018 GRAMMY Week

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The GRAMMY In The Schools Live! program showcased the formidable chops of this year's GRAMMY Camp — Jazz Session band and celebrated music education in the Big Apple
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Jan 25, 2018 - 10:46 pm

After spending the first few days of GRAMMY Week getting acquainted, rehearsing and plotting their schedule, the members of GRAMMY Camp — Jazz Session finally got to let the music do the talking at the GRAMMY In The Schools Live! concert in New York City on Jan. 25.

What Happened At 2018 GRAMMY In The Schools Live!

Taking place at The New School's John L. Tishman Auditorium, the GRAMMY Museum event proved to not only showcase this year's class of Jazz Session students and the many alumni of the program who were in attendance, but it also spotlighted the year-round initiatives of the Museum, which include a range of programs for youth musicians and music education.

The event also acknowledged the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum's 2018 Music Educator Award recipient Melissa Salguero, a music teacher at P.S. 48 in the South Bronx.

"This is one of the most epic moments of my life. My dream was to teach in a city that loved and cherished music," said Salguero. "To be honored in New York City as a New York teacher, this has been one of the most amazing experiences in my life."

But on this January evening, the spotlight shone brightly on the 18 young musicians in the Jazz Session band — comprising five saxophones, five trumpets, four trombones, bass, drums, guitar, and piano.

With direction from conductor Justin DiCioccio, the band performed a taught set list showcasing, in DiCioccio's words, the "different styles and moods of jazz." Out of the gate, the band swung through Neal Hefti's "Whirly Bird" with a brisk fervor, highlighted by the sax chairs trading solos.

Jon Batiste
2018 GRAMMY In The Schools Live!

They segued into "Cabeza De Carne," a Latin clave-based tune that put some pep in the audience's collective step, and Benny Golson's "Along Came Betty," which seemed to bottle the sounds one might hear at 2 a.m. at a late-night NYC jazz club.

"We've had one rehearsal, by the way," quipped DiCioccio in between songs.

Following a take on Randy Brecker's "Sponge," which featured cool riffing and angular walking bass lines courtesy of guitarist Jordan Reifkind and bassist Augustus "Gus" Allen, respectively, the Jazz Session members kicked into high gear.

The ensemble performed a spirited take of Buddy Rich's "West Side Story Suite." The multi-layered composition was chosen in honor of the centennials of composer Leonard Bernstein and famed drummer Rich. Appropriately, the sprawling tune was sparked by brassy punctuations and impressive stick work by drummer Varun Das.

Next, the musicians' showcased depth and range that belied their experience on "Red Hair, No Freckles," a complex piece composed by GRAMMY Museum Executive Education Director David Sears, who offered, "If we play it right, your body should move." Judging by the audience reaction, they indeed got it right. The collective navigated the multiple odd time signatures in the piece with aplomb while interpreting the tune's R&B, funk and progressive pop flavors that ably mixed elements of Earth, Wind & Fire, James Brown and Chicago.

For a special encore, the Jazz Session band was joined by one of their own, alumni Jon Batiste. The gregarious pianist/bandleader for "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" — who came straight from a show taping to play with the students — sat in for a performance of Duke Ellington's "Kiki" and Count Basie's "Splanky."

In the presence of the senior musician, the band upped their game and matched Batiste's fire, measure by measure. For his part, the smiling Batiste dazzled the ivories, with his playing light as a feather and forceful at the appropriate moments and improvised solos that were ripe with articulate calls and responses, motifs and linear flourishes. Jazz Session pianist Esteban Castro, who stepped aside for the final two songs, smiled for the duration as he witnessed the masterclass.

As for the Jazz Session members, the experience and education they amass during their GRAMMY Week crash course will certainly bode well for their future careers. And the time they are spending together in the Big Apple constitutes a form of networking, which one alumnus described as an integral part of the GRAMMY Camp — Jazz Session experience.

"[I advise them to] keep in touch with each other," said David Grossman, a pianist/bassist who was a Jazz Session band member in the mid-'90s. "They might know this but their fellow bandmates, hopefully, they'll know [each other] for a long, long time."

"These are some of the finest young jazz players in the country and we are giving them a very unique lens of what it means to work in music," said Scott Goldman, Executive Director of the GRAMMY Museum. "The kind of challenges that they will face as a working musician, the kind of discipline that is required by a working musician — this is an experience that I don't think you are going to get in any conservatory setting."

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Odesza

Odesza

Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images

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Music Industry Heavyweights Attend 2018 Billboard Power 100

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Industry professionals from across the music business gathered at the annual GRAMMY Week event to share their thoughts on power, the secrets to their success and more
Bryan Reesman
GRAMMYs
Jan 25, 2018 - 10:08 pm

On Jan. 25 Billboard magazine unveiled its Power 100 list, honoring the current players who are blazing new paths and scaling new horizons in the music industry, The annual GRAMMY Week event in celebration of the new list was hosted at Manhattan, New York's chic Nobu 57, drawing music industry magnates and top-selling artists as well as the honorees of Billboard's Visionary, Executive of the Year and Label of the Year awards.

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With the idea of the Power 100 list, the concept of power and what it means to those in the industry takes on different meanings.

For Daniel Glass, founder and president of Glassnote Entertainment (and No. 81 on the list), the P in power stands for passion.

"I think power moves the needle and really furthers the development of music and artist," said Glass. "I think it comes with respect, passion and perseverance."

"Power ought to be a couple of things," noted Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy, who ranked as No. 44 on the list. "In our business, it ought to be good judgment and particularly the ability to judge talent and art and recognize the next generations that are coming through. Power also has to do with creating an environment where an artist's career can flourish and soar. Power is just being fair and open-minded and mentoring and bringing along the next generation of music people and executives."

"I think a lot of people at the party here do lead by example," said Pentatonix member Kirstin Maldonado. "They are very powerful in what they stand for and how they use their power."

Diplo
2018 Billboard Power 100

Mentors have been important for many people on the list, ranging from parents to music teachers to executives to other artists who fostered future talent. They have left indelible impressions on those they've worked with.

When asked about mentoring in today's business world, which has changed measurably over the last decade, Adam Alpert, CEO of Disruptor Records and Selector Songs (No. 76), remarked, "It's hard to bridge that generational gap, but those who are able to are fortunate. What is more prevalent is the younger generation working more together and trying to help each other more. And realizing that it's not so much about competition but there's room for everyone to be successful and there's always room for more great music."

Artists at the event also offered words of advice for younger people who wanted to follow in their footsteps, even being younger themselves. Pentatonix's Scott Hoying recalled how his group said yes to everything, taking on many gigs, creating as much content as possible and meeting whomever they could meet.

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"Saying yes, gaining momentum and creating a network is so important," said Hoying. "A lot of people say no to a lot of things because they're nervous or anxious about it, but stepping outside of your comfort zone is what is going to make you grow."

Harrison Mills, one half of GRAMMY-nominated electronic duo Odesza, feels that authenticity is sometimes unappreciated, or not as important to some people as it should be.

"Copping trends can really hurt you in the long run," he said. "If you're trying to build a career, think about how you want to sound in 10 years — think about yourself and what you want to represent and not a trend."

Odesza Talk New Album, 'A Moment Apart'

On the business side, Glass stressed learning the history of the business. "Learn what the predecessors did to pave the way," he advised. "It's really important to respect the past before you go forward."

The awards presentation was a good place to start, as it highlighted individuals whose careers have flourished and thrived in the long haul, building upon lessons from the past.

Clive Davis introduced Jody Gerson, CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group, who received this year's Visionary Award.

"After three decades of experience, she has built a truly wonderful track record identifying and developing talent," said Davis. "She is the highest-ranking female executive in music and the only female global chairman in music and she's the first woman CEO of a major music publishing company."

Gerson's signings have included the Bee Gees, Prince, Adele, Coldplay, and many others. Upon accepting the award, She told Davis, "I actually learned how to be a publisher by pitching songs to you for all those years." She joked that he turned most of them down initially, but that experience taught her resilience.

Atlantic Chairman/COO Julie Greenwald and Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman accepted the award for Label of the Year, sharing the honor with their superiors, dedicated staff and artists. The company had the biggest album of 2017 with Ed Sheeran's ÷, which sold the equivalent of 2.8 million albums. They had the first Hot 100 No. 1 single in 19 years from a female rapper, Cardi B with "Bodak Yellow." They also scored five of the most streamed songs of last year.

Live Nation Entertainment CEO/Director Michael Rapino topped the Power 100 list this year. Since joining Live Nation in 2005, he quadrupled the company's enterprise value. It is now up to $9 billion, and Billboard estimates that the company accounted for 64 percent of the tickets sold in North America in 2017.

"I think it's a great time in the business," Rapino told the crowd upon accepting the Executive of the Year award. "Sometimes we have a live versus recorded debate and we love both sides of the business, but it's great to see the live side doing well, helping sell some concert tickets and some music. It's equally great to see subscription and record labels booming and growing back. Both sides are incredible. There are 41 new entries on the [Power 100] list, so hopefully we get a whole new generation of young, diverse individuals, both on live and recorded, continuing to make this the best place to work."

After the ceremony, John Amato, president of the Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group expressed his pleasure at seeing the GRAMMYs returning to New York City this year for the milestone 60th GRAMMY Awards for the first time in 15 years and commended Portnow as a "true visionary."

"I really love working with him on this event as well as our GRAMMY contenders issue," Amato said. "I'm so excited for the show."

For Portnow, who was born and raised in New York, and who started his career here, the GRAMMYs return to New York is special and exciting.  

"Everybody's pumped," declared Portnow. "I think the excitement is palpable. There are a lot of statistical reasons why we should be here. Half our members are east of the Mississippi. Half of the business is here. New York being the home of so many iconic and important music styles. The venues and the clubs and the history."

He views this trip back to New York as a chance to experiment and try new things never done before. He noted that while some may be rousing successes and some may not, it will be an exciting learning and growing experience for the GRAMMY Awards.

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(Bryan Reesman is a New York-based freelance writer.)

Chris Stapleton

Chris Stapleton

Photo: Steve Granitz/Getty Images

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Chris Stapleton, Sting & More Added To Perform At 2018 GRAMMYs

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Jon Batiste, Emmylou Harris, Gary Clark Jr., Zuleyka Rivera also slated to perform on Music's Biggest Night
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jan 24, 2018 - 6:30 am

The Recording Academy has just added additional performers to the already impressive lineup for the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

Watch Spike Lee's Star-Studded 'NY Stories' Film

Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and 13-time GRAMMY winner Emmylou Harris will join two-time GRAMMY winner and current nominee Chris Stapleton. Vocalist Zuleyka Rivera will perform alongside previously announced performers Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee.

Also, 16-time GRAMMY winner Sting will make his return to the GRAMMY stage, and musician Jon Batiste will perform with GRAMMY winner Gary Clark Jr. in a special tribute to Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipients Chuck Berry and Fats Domino.

Making his second appearance on the GRAMMY stage, two-time GRAMMY winner Chris Stapleton has three nominations this year: Best Country Solo Performance for "Either Way," Best Country Song for "Broken Halos" and Best Country Album for From A Room: Volume 1.

Previously announced GRAMMY performers include Brothers Osborne, Alessia Cara, Cardi B, Eric Church, Miley Cyrus, Childish Gambino, Daddy Yankee, DJ Khaled, Luis Fonsi, Elton John, Kesha, Khalid, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, Little Big Town, Logic, Patti LuPone, Bruno Mars, Maren Morris, Pink, Ben Platt, Rihanna, Sam Smith, SZA, Bryson Tiller, and U2.

Childish Gambino
60th GRAMMY Awards Performers

Hosted by award-winning television personality and performer James Corden live from Madison Square Garden in New York City, the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live on CBS on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.

Neil Portnow, Mayor Bill de Blasio and John Poppo in New York

Neil Portnow, Mayor Bill de Blasio and John Poppo cut the ribbon on the Recording Academy's new headquarters in New York
Photo Cindy Ord/Getty Images

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2018 GRAMMY Week: The Recording Academy Hits The Ground In New York

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With Music's Biggest Night returning to the Big Apple for the first time in 15 years, the Academy kicked off GRAMMY Week in NYC style
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Jan 22, 2018 - 9:27 pm

The Recording Academy jolted the electricity in New York City up a few notches today. With Monday, Jan. 22 ushering in GRAMMY Week, the reality of the return of Music's Biggest Night to Madison Square Garden for the first time in 15 years beckons. And if the two official events that bookended the day are any indication, the excitement in the city is palpable.

Watch Spike Lee's Star-Studded 'NY Stories' Film

To start the proceedings, this morning Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow and Chair John Poppo participated in a special ribbon-cutting ceremony with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to christen the organization's new local headquarters: an impressive townhouse situated across East 37th Street from the J.P. Morgan Museum.

"This marks the first time the Academy will own our own offices and a real piece of the Big Apple," said Portnow.

During his remarks, de Blasio commented on how New York City will benefit by the powerful force that is GRAMMY Week.

"We're so happy to have the [60th GRAMMY Awards] back where, in our humble opinion, they belong," said de Blasio. "There will be real economic opportunity created by this wonderful week: It's projected to have an impact of [$200 million] on the city's economy, and we know that impact will go well beyond the seven exciting days ahead."

Speaking of impact, in the evening the Recording Academy hosted an official GRAMMY Week welcome reception convening local officials, dignitaries, and the organization's executive staff and elected leadership. The reception was nestled within Hudson Yards, an impressive real estate development that will ultimately become a massive nexus of culture, commerce and cuisine.

Spanning seven full city blocks and more than 18 million square feet, the sprawling project is touted as the largest private real estate development in the history of the United States, and the largest development in New York City since Rockefeller Center.

"[Hudson Yards] is really the new heart of New York," said Jay Cross, president of Related Hudson Yards. "It's where the city is going in the next five or 10 years."

But the focus for this week in New York is the 60th GRAMMY Awards, a milestone telecast for not only the organization but also for Portnow.

Peter Asher at the GRAMMY Week kickoff reception at Hudson Yards
2018 GRAMMY Week Kickoff Event & Welcome Reception

"[This year] is actually interesting for me," said Portnow, a native New Yorker. "It's full circle because my first year as President of the Academy was the year that we were here last [in 2003] and we were in Madison Square Garden. It's not only a homecoming but it's quite emotional. We're thrilled to be here."

"The GRAMMYs coming here, given New York being the cultural capital of the United States, is so important for the city," said Corey Johnson, speaker of the New York City Council.

The GRAMMYs' storied history includes previous telecasts hosted at Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden and the Uris Theatre. As a melting pot of so many popular genres, New York is an appropriate home for Music's Biggest Night, which will honor music excellence in 84 categories.

"This is the music and cultural center of the world," said Poppo. "You can't think about music without thinking about the iconic [New York] venues and how many different kinds of music started here. Salsa started here. Hip-hop — no matter what anybody tells you — started here. You had the punk revolution. You had folk blowing up in Greenwich Village. The days of Studio 54 and disco and Broadway. It just goes on and on."

Fittingly, GRAMMY Week will feature a slate of events that are arguably as diverse as New York's cultural footprint.

The festivities will include the Producers & Engineers Wing's annual celebration honoring Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz, the GRAMMY Salute to Classical Music celebrating the music of Leonard Bernstein, multiple performances by the GRAMMY Museum's GRAMMY Camp — Jazz Session students, and Clive Davis and the Recording Academy's Pre-GRAMMY Gala, which will honor one of this year's top GRAMMY nominee, Jay-Z.

"The key thing about [GRAMMY Week] this year, because it's in New York and we have a free pass, [is] we've had an opportunity to reinvent [our] events," said Poppo. "And that's what is exciting."

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