Jon Batiste Shows us ‘Big Money’ and It’s Money!

Jon Batiste isn’t interested in doing what’s expected — not by the industry, not by genre conventions, and certainly not by the legacy he’s already cemented. Coming off the classical-jazz fusion of 2024’s Beethoven Blues, and riding high from an Oscar, multiple Grammys, and a stint as musical director for The Late Show, Batiste now pivots into uncharted territory with Big Money — a swaggering, genre-obliterating third full-length studio album set to drop August 22nd from Verve Records and Interscope Records. The project’s title track and debut single, also called “Big Money,” is out today, marking a bold new chapter for the New Orleans-born virtuoso – and its Money!

Unfolding like a cinematic anthem for the post-genre generation, “Big Money” combines the deep groove of Batiste’s Louisiana roots with glimmering synths, thick brass, and a beat that hits with the confidence of a boxer stepping into the ring. But beneath the funk and flash, there’s an urgency. The lyrics are sharp, observational, and defiantly self-aware, pushing back on systems of power while celebrating resilience and independence. In Batiste’s hands, the song becomes something more than a single — it’s a mission statement.

Speaking with Rolling Stone, Batiste described the Big Money era as “a redefinition of what power sounds like. It’s a celebration, a provocation, and a spiritual awakening — all rolled into one.” He’s not exaggerating. The track is produced with a cinematic sense of drama, layering textures from across Batiste’s wildly diverse palette: soul, hip-hop, jazz, gospel, even hints of Afrobeat. It’s a bold risk, but one that lands with a striking clarity — like a spotlight suddenly thrown on an artist who refuses to be boxed in.

That refusal is exactly what’s powering The Big Money Tour: Jon Batiste Plays America, launching this summer and running into the fall. The tour promises to be more than a concert — it’s being billed as an immersive experience, one part spiritual revival, one part genre-bending spectacle. With over 30 dates confirmed across the U.S., Batiste is bringing this new sound to intimate theaters and open-air venues, stripping away the distance between artist and audience in favor of something more raw and communal.

For fans in the Pacific Northwest, Batiste is bringing Big Money to life with two nights of performances at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville, Washington on September 10 and 11. It’s a rare opportunity to see one of the most vital performers of our time in a setting that promises both intimacy and intensity.

While the tour’s aesthetic borrows from church, street corners, and basement jams alike, Batiste’s vision is anything but retro. In his own words, Big Money is about “embracing abundance in every form — love, truth, rhythm, liberation — and rejecting any attempt to contain us.” It’s the kind of statement that doesn’t just describe a sound. It defines a movement.

The full album is expected to follow the single later this year, though Batiste has been characteristically cryptic about the details. What’s certain is that Big Money will be unlike anything he’s done before — a project that synthesizes the sweeping emotion of We Are, the technical ambition of Beethoven Blues, and something completely new: a fearless, funk-fueled firestorm of modern music.

“Jon Batiste isn’t crossing genres — he’s erasing the borders altogether.” And with “Big Money,” it sounds like he’s just getting started.

For those ready to witness the next stage of Batiste’s evolution live, tickets for the Big Money Tour are on sale now. Don’t wait — this is one show that won’t stay quiet.

Jon Batiste 2025 Tour Dates:
05/18 – San Francisco, CA @ Davies Symphony Hall
05/19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
06/11 – Oslo, NO @ Oslo Konserthus
06/12 – Berlin, DE @ Admiralspalast
06/14 – Bern, CH @ Casino Bern
06/15 – Milano, IT @ Teatro Dal Verme
06/16 – Roma, IT @ Sala Santa Cecilia
06/18 – København S, DK @ DR Koncerthuset
06/21 – London, UK @ Southbank Centre
06/22 – Wien, AT @ Wiener Konzerthaus
06/24 – Paris, FR @ Salle Pleyel
06/25 – Amsterdam, NL @ Het Concertgebouw
06/28 – Lenox, MA @ Tanglewood Music Center
08/27 – Kansas City, MO @ The Midland Theatre
08/28 – St. Louis, MO @ The Muny *
08/29 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Zoo Amphitheatre
08/31 – Santa Fe, NM @ The Santa Fe Opera
09/01 – Santa Fe, NM @ The Santa Fe Opera
09/03 – Vail, CO @ The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheatre
09/04 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
09/06 – Las Vegas, NV @ Encore Theater
09/07 – Las Vegas, NV @ Encore Theater
09/08 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
09/10 – Woodinville, WA @ Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
09/11 – Woodinville, WA @ Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
09/16 – Eugene, OR @ Cuthbert Amphitheater
09/18 – Saratoga, CA @ Mountain Winery
09/19 – San Diego, CA @ The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park
09/20 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
09/24 – Madison, WI @ The Orpheum Theater
09/25 – Madison, WI @ The Orpheum Theater
09/27 – St. Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre
09/28 – Omaha, NE @ The Astro
10/01 – Nashville, TN @ Grand Ole Opry House
10/04 – Sugar Land, TX @ Smart Financial Centre
10/05 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion At Toyota Music Factory
10/08 – Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
10/09 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Au-Rene Theater
10/10 – Orlando, FL @ Dr. Phillips Center – Walt Disney Theater
10/11 – St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Amphitheatre
10/21 – Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
10/22 – Columbus, OH @ Mershon Auditorium
10/24 – Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
10/26 – Akron, OH @ Akron Civic Theatre
10/28 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Heinz Hall
10/30 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia
10/31 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem

* = w/ Diana Ross