NEW ORLEANS - It’s a weekend of purpose as Batiste Fathers and Sons of The New Millennium pioneered by Damon Batiste and David Batiste Sr., New Orleans’ “Royal Family of Music” stacks the deck for fun, enlightenment and philanthropy all driven with intentionality as hurricane relief on Friday, women’s empowerment on Saturday and a Sunday welcome home for Peter G. Batiste take center stage at BB King’s Blues Club in New Orleans, December 18-20th. 

Damon Batiste, founder of New Orleans South Africa Connection (NOSACONN), with a focus on Music, Arts, and Culture Recovery has teamed with Charles Sharp and the Black Emergency Managers Association International (BEMA) and Sergio Cabrera, founder of Mambo Mundo to organize “Operacion Asentamientos Humanos” to create a disaster preparedness and relief campaign through an international physical and virtual disaster relief concert at the BB King’s Blues Club on Friday, December 18th.

The concert headlines Grammy Award- winning Latin artists: Jorge Moreno, Xperimento, Jose Conde, Jamal Batiste and others from the Caribbean who have volunteered their talent and time to help raise awareness, money and relief materials for thousands of people in San Pedro Zula (Honduras), Leon and Managua (Nicaragua) and St. Thomas, St. Ann, and Kingston, Jamaica, whose lives and livelihoods have been all but destroyed by the increasingly catastrophic effects and impacts of Climate Change and Global Warming, culminating with the COVID-19 crisis.

Grammy Award-winning Jorge Moreno's never before released song "Martial Law" written in 2010 is now more in tune with the times as "the world is in chaos, racism, civil unrest, climate change, a pandemic and unemployment are hitting us all at once," said Moreno in the YouTube description of "Martial Law" (https://youtu.be/JKY1q-Xami8).

Change is Coming" by Jamal Batiste (https://youtu.be/I6JvjCBGwhc), not to be confused with the perennial classic by Sam Cooke, answers the call for rebuilding after the storm. Lyrics by Michael Batiste affirm “Operacion Asentamineto Humanos”' vision: "We done been through the struggle. We done been through the pain. We done shared some tears. Now it's time for a change. Victory state of mind, we know a change is coming.”

Organizers say they are being the "change," they want to see. "I kept getting reports from family and contacts in the region about how bad things are, but I saw nothing in the U.S. media." So, I started calling friends just a few days ago and this project that will help people, now has a life of its own," said Sergio Cabrera, founder of Mambo Mundo. "I appreciate the artists, disaster relief organizations in the US and on the ground in Honduras, Nicaragua, and Jamaica, Telemundo 42, Coca Cola, BB King’s Blues Club and all the volunteers that are just making this happen. It's all truly in the spirit of Christmas and our resistance to the pandemic we are experiencing."

The current list of artists who will perform live before a socially distanced audience at BB King’s Blues Club are Jose Conde; Itawe; Hector Gallardo; Damon Batiste; Jorge Moreno; Xperimento; and Jamal Batiste. The lineup is subject to change as more humanitarian musicians hear about the call to action to help the survivors of Hurricanes “Eta” & “Iota” in Honduras, Nicaragua and Jamaica.

During the 2020 hurricane season, two “level 4” hurricanes, “Eta & Iota,” struck the Caribbean and Central America causing extensive loss of life, destruction of livestock, homes and the devastation of economies. The storms exacerbated the struggle of the survivors as the result of the global Covid-19 pandemic that began March 2020. “Operacion Asentamientos Humanos” is a call to action to help relieve the critical situation.

Knowing the pain of sudden destruction, “NOLA” is responding the best way it knows how with its culture of music and food. Damon Batiste’s “New Orleans South Africa Connection” (NOSACONN), with a focus on Music, Arts and Culture Recovery and BB King’s Blues Club have leveraged the elements of music, food and location to create a memorable experience that will help the hurricane survivors and also the attendees of the virtual and live event. The socially distanced audience members will benefit by knowing they have assisted in helping fellow human beings in the spirit of Christmas overcome a disaster. (Photo left: Damon & David Batiste, Sr.)

José Cónde lives his lyrics. He gets grooves from the names of trees. He leaves melody lines on his own answering machine. He can turn a playful refrain to his dog into a dance anthem. His songs are odes to hot dresses, Brazilian muses, discombobulated elephants, and life-giving springs. Out of an NYC Afro Cuban music cocoon, Jose Conde has emerged with a Moog synthesizer, looper, a yamaha vintage organ, electric guitar, Cuban tres, vocal and acoustic beats, and a slew of new free form jams and structured songs in pocket, to launch his new sonic experiment and journey into tropical, electric, eclectic funk. Conde recently relocated back home to Miami and has started a new phase on his musical path. Bravely exploring rhythmic crosscurrents has long been a passion of Conde and it led him to win the Best Latin Album IMA in 2008 with his Ola Fresca group along with other industry accolades.

Jorge Moreno is a Cuban-American musician and winner of the 2002 Latin Grammy Award for Best New Artist. In 2002 he was awarded a Latin Grammy Award for Best New Artist, and the following year he received a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Pop Album.

Xperimento is a bilingual, multicultural, cross-genre, All-Star band from Miami, FL that blends world sounds. In other words, TREMENDO PARTY!

Itawe is the lead singer of Locos por Juana is a GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY nominated bilingual band. dance track, “Te Quiero Ver.” The song has become a global streaming and YouTube viral phenomenon.

Organizers of the disaster relief campaign say they are focusing first on Honduras, Nicaragua, and Jamaica because they have known on the ground disaster relief workers that can get the direct assistance to the people in need. The members of Operacion Asentamientos Humanos are asking all to support the survivors of Hurricanes Eta and Iota. You can get involved today and help save lives and livelihoods by donating. Visit www.nosaconn.com The New Orleans South Africa Connection and click the donate button. 

For more information and additional ways to help and give, visit: https://www.facebook.com/BEMAinternational/.  Contact “Operacion Asentamientos Humanos” at [email protected].

The humanitarian vibe of “Operation Asentamientos Humanos” is a great opening act for BB King’s Blues Club Saturday, December 19th offering, an empowerment event for women. With the world seeing the upward mobility of women in the case of The U.S. Vice-President-Elect Kamala Harris and Stacey Abrams, whose run for Governor of Georgia, fueled the state to deliver Georgia for the Biden-Harris Ticket, “Motivat-Her” is just the fare for the ladies that goes beyond entertainment. YNV By Toriano presents “Motivat-Her,” a women’s empowerment traveling pop-up with a purpose. Comedian Mike Ross with special guest radio host @iamPeteypaul and Fireball Show will be at “Her” service. Ladies are invited to socially distance and forget about the panic of the pandemic as they imbibe laughter, tasty treats, sip their favorite soothing beverage and shop from 1:00-6:00 pm. Vendors interested in sharing their wares, contact Kesala Wheeler at 504-975-1352. “MotivatHer” is powered by BB King’s Blues Club, KeSalon Coiffure and NOSACONN, Inc.

As a part of this event we will be welcoming back to the Big Easy Peter G Batiste, Sr., who was displaced by Hurricane Katrina and had been living in Dallas Texas for the past 14 plus years. Peter is the youngest siblings of the Batiste Brothers Band who chose music as a profession. He is a graduate of the famed St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. Peter attended the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts on a Athletic and Academic Scholarship. Peter also attended Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) where he performed in the Jazz Band under the direction of Kidd Jordan. He is former AVP at Jefferson Guaranty Bank in Metairie and Banking Officer at Century Bank in New Orleans. While in Dallas, he served as Musical Minister at St Joseph Chosen Church of God.  

In a conversation about the significance of this weekend’s events that is topped off with “In Music We Trust” to celebrate brother Peter’s return, elder brother David explains, “New Orleans has always led the way with music, food, arts and culture. From slaves from different tribes of Africa that congregated in Congo Square creating that gumbo sound of authentic new music from Jazz to Zydeco to Gospel with great musicians Louis Armstrong and Danny Barker on the riverboats of the Mississippi and others, it’s just natural for music to flow from New Orleans in these times to remind the world that we are going to bounce back from this pandemic.”

“It’s all about family,” said Peter, reinforcing what his brother said about Black Fathers, who contrary to the popular narrative, are present for their families. “What’s going to bring us, New Orleans tourism and the world’s industries through this pandemic? It will be family and the music,” added Peter. “You can’t kill the music and it’s going to provide healing as people laugh and dance and just enjoy. I am blessed to be back home making music with my family and friends.”  Exiled from New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina, Peter’s return is a reminder that their roots are strong and the music plays on with the Batiste Fathers and Sons of the New Millennium.

According to Damon, the music of the Batistes made them the Unofficial Community Band for all City Wide Urban and Recreation activities including, “Black Mardi Gras” at Claiborne & Orleans Avenue in ‘80's and Early ‘90's until the Hip Hop, Bounce, Clear Channel & National takeover. “From “Operacion Asentamientos Humanos” to “In Music We Trust,” these events are just the beginning of local, national and international partnerships to heal the world through music, arts, and culture as we recover from the pandemic and prepare for on-going disaster relief and recovery campaigns,” said Damon Batiste.

With all that is cooking in New Orleans at BB King’s Blues Club on December 18th, 19th, and 20th, the old southern saying is apropos: “yawl come back now, ya’ hear!” Be on the lookout for more “behaviorally healthy events” as NOSACONN, Inc and BB King’s Blues Club promote uplifting events during the pandemic and beyond. See www.nosaconn.com and NOLA.com for all things New Orleans as the Batistes share with the world, “In New Orleans, Music is our Medicine.”

8th Ward Black Seminoles Chief Kyoung and 7th Ward Flaming Arrows with Big Chief Kevin Goodman with we are da Flyawata Band will close out.

EMAIL / [email protected]

Geraldine Wyckoff, OffBeat Magazine

NEW ORLEANS (August 27, 2020) - It was more than fortunate that drummer Mark Lomax II and saxophonist Eddie Bayard looked up saxophonist Kidd Jordan when they were in town for a residency at Loyola University. These two hugely talented, Ohio-based artists, who obviously share Jordan’s passion for creativity, arrived in New Orleans just before the coronavirus cast its ugly spell, otherwise this session might never have happened. Keyboardist Darrell Lavigne, who has played with Jordan for decades, got the call and flew in from his home in Houston, Texas to join Kidd and his son, trumpeter Marlon Jordan. The band is captured live on Last Trane to New Orleans, recorded at McDonough 35 High School and released on Kidd’s daughter, Rachel Jordan’s RJ Records label.

Throughout his long career, Kidd Jordan has played in all realms of music. It shows on the diversity he and the like-minded members of the band bring to the project as heard on the fun and danceable “Re-Rebirth of Cool,” and the bluesy “Come Ye (The Revival).” Kidd’s great knowledge and sound come together under his signature passion for freedom of expression on Last Trane to New Orleans.

Jazz Futures: Benny Green, piano; Christian McBride, bass; Carl Allen, drums; Marlon Jordan, trumpet; Tim Warfield, tenor sax; Antonio Hart, alto sax; Roy Hargrove, trumpet; Mark Whitfield, guitar. Photo credit: KEN FRANCKLING

By NATE CHINEN & ALEX ARIFF • JUL 25, 2020

Christian McBride was 19, a vigorous young bassist just making his name on the scene, when he paid his first visit to the Newport Jazz Festival as a member of Jazz Futures. Skip ahead some 30 years, and McBride is the artistic director of the festival, as well as our esteemed host at Jazz Night in America. It's in these dual capacities that he helped curate the music in our three-part Newport Jazz Festival Special.

We're calling this third episode The Modern All-Stars, and the name really fits. We'll be hearing from several stellar performances at Fort Adams State Park — everything from an acoustic Herbie Hancock Trio in 1988 to singer Cécile McLorin Salvant with Artemis in 2018. Also in the mix: a 2001 set by the late trumpeter Roy Hargrove, and even a bit of that Jazz Futures hit, which featured Hargrove alongside McBride and others.

Jazz Futures: Benny Green, piano; Christian McBride, bass; Carl Allen, drums; Marlon Jordan, trumpet; Tim Warfield, tenor sax; Antonio Hart, alto sax; Roy Hargrove, trumpet; Mark Whitfield, guitar.

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