Colbert raves about his bandleader, 'His music makes the audience feel so good, we may have to install a 'Do Not Make Love' sign.'
- Jun 5, 2015
AceShowbiz - Stephen Colbert has announced jazz musician Jon Batiste as his "Late Show" bandleader. The funnyman introduces Batiste in a video which shows him enjoying Batiste and his band's performance in New Orleans.
"His music makes the audience feel so good, we may have to install a 'Do Not Make Love' sign," Colbert says of Batiste in a statement. Batiste adds, "I'm thrilled! This is a match made in heaven. Get ready for a love riot in late night."
Batiste is from New Orleans, Louisiana. He grew up playing percussion and piano in his family's band before studying at Juilliard. He has collaborated with other artists including Prince, Lenny Kravitz and Wynton Marsalis.
He serves as the artistic director at large of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem and is going to release his first album on a major label this fall. Batiste appeared as himself on HBO's "Treme".
The announcement comes just a day after Colbert released a video in which he shaved his beard, which he had grown since he signed off of "The Colbert Report" in December.
"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" will kick off September 8 on CBS.
