In the fall of 2018, Jon Batiste played a six-night residency at the historic Village Vanguard in downtown New York City. The pianist/bandleader delivers selections from those nights under the title, Anatomy of Angels: Live at the Village Vanguard. The release is comprised mostly of Batiste’s own compositions, which range from bluesy (“Dusk Train To Doha”) to Coltrane-esque explorations (the titular track “Anatomy of Angels,” “Creative.”) In addition to his own works,Rachael Price from Lake Street Dive joins him for Ray Noble’s “The Very Thought Of You.” Batiste also arranged on one of the most famous works of his idol Thelonious Monk, “‘Round Midnight.”

Batiste says of this recording, “The music on this release is all live, no edits or retakes. It’s a snapshot of live art. I composed and arranged these songs as vehicles for exploration, to be dissected and put back together, live in action, never to be played the same way twice. Listen to this with open ears, eyes occasionally closed, a full heart and empty hands – listen without distractions and it’ll gift you. Someone in the audience at this show witnessed an angel appear on stage in the midst of the band during our performance. I believe them.”