Music Review: Jon Batiste opts for chill vibe on stripped-down album, 'Big Money'

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On “Big Money,” Super Bowl-sized singer Jon Batiste opts for a surprisingly intimate sound.

The just over 32-minute, nine-song set will be released Friday, and it’s not nearly as loud as the New Orleans' jazzman's eye-popping wardrobe. The stripped-down, mostly acoustic arrangements create a chill vibe. Simplicity somehow only intensifies the songs’ swing and sway.

Batiste pairs lyrics about devotion, values, angels and ecology with music that mixes folk and funk, gospel and the blues. The range is such that Batiste even plays a little fiddle and mandolin, but he shines brightest on two songs featuring his solo piano.

The first is a wonderful duet with Randy Newman, another piano man with New Orleans roots, who in recent years has been slowed by health issues and kept a low profile. They cover Doc Pomus’ “Lonely Avenue,” and Newman’s legendarily froggy tenor provides a comical contrast to Batiste’s vocal sheen. “I could die, I could die, I could die,” Newman sings. “It sounds like I’m dying.”

Also stellar is “Maybe,” a ballad filled with thick chords and questions about the big picture. “Or maybe we should all just take a collective pause,” Batiste sings, before launching into a keyboard exploration worthy of Jelly Roll Morton.

The bouncy “Lean on My Love” draws from Prince, Sly Stone and the Spinners as Batiste sings in unison with Andra Day. The equally buoyant title cut rhymes “money” and “dummy” in a strummy sing-along that includes backing vocals by the Womack Sisters, granddaughters of soul singer Sam Cooke.

“Pinnacle” chooses a similar tempo to kick up Delta dust around a delightful word salad. “Hop scotch/Double Dutchie jumping rope/Twistin' it and ya wobble it/And let it go,” he sings on one verse.

Batiste’s gospel influences are most evident on the closing reggae tune “Angels” and the ballad “Do It All Again,” a love song that could be interpreted as secular or spiritual.

“When I’m happy, it’s your shine,” Batiste sings. As always, he makes joy sound genuine.

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