In the immediate days and weeks after Russell Batiste’s sudden passing in late September, tributes to the one-of-a-kind New Orleans drummer and bandleader flooded in from all over. There also were tribute performances, an on-air tribute show on WWOZ, a mid-game dedication to him by the St. Augustine High School Marching 100 and alumni, and a second line to send home the influential musician.
Now, with some distance from his death on Sept. 30, a planned tribute show at Tipitina’s is a chance to remember Russell in a renewed way, says Jamal Batiste, one of Russell’s younger brothers. Jamal also is a drummer and bandleader.
“This one is going to be special,” Jamal says, “in the sense of instead of seeing my brother in a casket, now we can experience his creations and contributions to New Orleans, as well as to the music community globally, in a place where he made a name for himself.”
Tipitina’s on Wednesday, April 24, will host “What?!: An All-Star Tribute to Russell ‘Young Lion’ Batiste” with a lineup of Batiste family members and musicians Russell performed with over his 40-year career. There also will be a ceremony to add Russell’s name to Tipitina’s outdoor walk of fame.
George Porter Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners will lead a set and will be joined by Ivan Neville, Stanton Moore, John “Papa” Gros and Brian Stoltz. Another portion of the show will feature members of Russell’s bands, Orkestra from Da Hood and Russell Batiste & Friends, as well as David Batiste Sr., Damon Batiste, Jamal Batiste, Ryan “Shaggadelic” Batiste and Michael “Mik Jag” Batiste. The setlist will include many of Russell’s originals.
“His spirit still lives because the music he’s created has impacted people in such a way that it’s spread far beyond the city of New Orleans, the state of Louisiana and even the United States,” Jamal says.
Gambit previews the first weekend of Jazz Fest 2024.
Tributes also are on the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival schedule for Saturday, April 27. Starting at 12:15 p.m., Sporty’s Brass Band and the Single Ladies, Single Men and Nine Times social aid and pleasure clubs will second line across the Fair Grounds. And soon after, The Batiste Brothers Band — led by Russell’s uncle, Paul Batiste — will play a tribute set at 1:30 p.m. on the Congo Square Stage.
Russell was born into the sprawling Batiste family of musicians, and although named David Russell Batiste Jr., he decided to go by his middle name to avoid confusion with his father, New Orleans funk mainstay David Batiste Sr. He learned to play multiple instruments and began performing with his father at the age of 7, and he and his younger brother Damon first played Jazz Fest in 1978 as the group Young Gifted & Black. And they later joined their father and uncles in the Batiste Brothers Band.
Russell attended St. Augustine High School and drummed for the Marching 100. He’s seen as a marching band legend and cadences he created spread to other New Orleans schools.
After attending Southern University, where he studied with Edward “Kidd” Jordan, Russell began drumming for Charmaine Neville. And over the next 40 years, he became a pillar of New Orleans music, playing with The Meters, the Funky Meters, George Porter Jr., Dumpstaphunk, the Wild Magnolias and many others. He also played in Vida Blue with Phish Keyboardist Page McConnell and Allman Brothers bassist Oteil Burbridge.
And Russell often could be found performing with his father and brothers, as he did at last year’s Jazz Fest. He also joined his Grammy-winning cousin Jon Batiste at a surprise show last May at the Maple Leaf Bar.
“He introduced the love of the drums to me,” says Ryan “Shaggadelic” Batiste, Russell’s youngest brother and a multi-instrumentalist, rapper and bandleader. “Seeing his passion for playing drums, always seeing him with other great artists” was a major influence.
On Sept. 30, Russell died of a heart attack at his home in LaPlace. He was 57.
Festin' Around the Fest
Musicians like Jon Batiste, Nikki Glaspie, Stanton Moore, Ivan Neville and Cyril Neville along with politicians like Mayor LaToya Cantrell and U.S. Rep Troy Carter immediately issued remembrances to Russell. Many called him an intuitive, creative performer and a powerful force behind the kit. He also was known for calling out arrangements on the fly and giving a live masterclass to the other musicians on stage.
“He did things as if he was performing on the Grammys or at the Coachella Music Festival,” Jamal says. “He did things at such a high level musically, and he communicated in a way to where his band members could execute at a high level as well.”
The tribute to Russell Batiste takes place at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, at Tipitina’s. Tickets are $25 via tipitinas.com.
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