The highlight of this year’s Newport Jazz Festival for me was seeing the charismatic bandleader and piano virtuoso Jon Batiste perform with his band Stay Human. The Juilliard graduates are based in New York City, but their music and performance style is all New Orleans. Batiste, who comes from a long line of Louisiana musicians, has the spirit of The Crescent City in his soul. His band’s mission is to bring the joy of live music to the masses, to lift people up by engaging with them during performances. Jon Batiste and Stay Human had the crowd on their feet and filled the Harbor Tent with the kind of rousing excitement that comes naturally with music rooted in the New Orleans tradition. I love it when I can experience a little piece of home here in Newport.

Hiromi is quite possibly the most dynamic musician I have ever seen. She is a photographer’s dream!

Our Evangeline is becoming a Jazz Festival regular. She hasn’t missed a festival since 2010 when she was in my belly. Here she is with my mom, clearly feeling the familiar New Orleans love coming from Jon Batiste and Stay Human.