PHOTOS

ABOVE IS MILTON BATISTE ALVIN BATISTE AND HAROLD BATTISTE AT JAZZ FEST

THE BATISTE KIDS FEAT: JON BATISTE, JAMAL BATISTE AND TRAVIS BATISTE

BATISTE BROTHERS AND BATISTE GUEST WAS THE OCCASION

Paul A. Batiste Conservatory of the Arts, Inc. will use the Jazz Fest $2,000.00 grant to buy equipment and supplies to archive and convert videos, photographs and movies into hard drives.

I am developing media in the form of audio, digital, tape, CD, DVD, etc. I am using media to Teach, Lecture, Mentor etc. I have taught music at Orleans Parish Schools and surrounding areas for decades. At Paul A. Batiste, we are presenting helpful media to continue streaming and broadcasting to the public. My former students includes five time grammy winner Jon Batiste whom I started with the Batiste Kids at a very young age. We have also help send students to the White House. Quote from the Times Picayune: “The cast and crew later participated in a q and a with the students and Rachel Goslins, the director of the President's Committee on the Arts."

I founded the Batiste Brothers Band/Batiste Family® in the seventies. We founded the Gladiators in 1962. My experience can further give hope to our youth and struggling adults. You can find my efforts at www.paulbatisteconservatory.com.

-Letter from a wonderful student of Mr. Paul Batiste-
My name is Cherolyn Thompson. I played the flute in your band at
Gentilly Terrace from 2001-2004. I just wanted to look you up and tell
you how much I appreciate you and everything that you taught me those
three years. Playing in the band has to be some of my fondest memories
from my childhood. Thank you for giving me my first real taste of
leadership and discipline. Thank you for introducing me to what I've
always considered to be my first love. It's been years since I've
actually been able to play (after Katrina my older sister took her
flute back from me), but I plan on picking it back up real soon. I
have enstilled in me a love for music I will never forget, as I'm sure
all the rest of your students have.

Thank you again,
Cherolyn

Unfortunately, we are not performing at Jazz Fest this year

PAUL

When the kids are away, their

Teachers will play!

Talented teachers by day turn into celebrated

musicians by night.

Stories by KENNETH SNOW

Contributing writer

They listen to loud music, run with a fast crowd and stay out late. After a particularly rowdy night, you
may even see their pictures in the newspaper. And they have a powerful influence on your child.   
 Fifteen years old and onstage, live at the Apollo!  That day in 1965, Paul Batiste was far more interested
in finishing his schooling than in making a career of it.  The performance was a talent show and the Gladiators, who
had driven all the way from New Orleans, had won.
 " Another one of my biggest thrills in high school was when we backed up Aaron Neville in a live performance of
"Tell It Like It Is.' " Batiste said.  "In the "70s we opened for a lot of bands like The Temptations, O'Jays, Major Lance
(of Monkey Time' fame) and Chris Kenner, who did 'Land of a Thousand Dances' "
 Today the Batiste Brothers Band records on its own label, Artang Records, and has produced
two CDs, "Spice" (1991) and the recently released "New Orleans Music."  On that one, he plays guitar,
keyboards and sings.  
Meanwhile, the local favorites have begun to build a strong international following, especially in Japan.                                                                           
 In 1992 they were the first New Orleans group to play the Kobe Urban Resort Fair, where they
were warned not to be offended by a low key response from the reserved Japanese audience.   
 "But before we were finished, " Batiste said,  "they were second-lining up on the stage with us.  Those
10,000 people were all up and dancing."  
 The performance that sparked a love affair with New Orleans sound -- more than 60 local
performers were invited to last year's fair -- was all in a day's work for a man who has taught music
in Orleans Parish for over a decade.
 Batiste began studies for a music education degree at Southern University in New Orleans in 1971.
 "I went to SUNO to learn music theory.....in hopes of pursuing a performing career," he said.
However, his instructors persuaded him to turn toward teaching,  Another push came when he
found that he had a gift for communicating with children while teaching music at a summer camp.
 As for growing fame and international appearances, "I'm entrenched in education," he said.  "I have thorough
plans for my future that includes going back for my master's and opening a private music school in New Orleans." 

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with either nylon or steel strings. Some modern guitars are made of polycarbonate materials. Guitars are made and repaired by luthiers. There are two primary families of guitars: acoustic and electric.

Start with the choice of guitar.  Use the guitar that's available to you.  If you're going to choose one, start with the acoustic.  The classical guitar will allow you to play without the guitar pick.  The goal is learn to play using a pick or fingers on the right hand.

You can learn to play the guitar.  I will help you!!  In the coming weeks, we will explore the method of learning the instrument.

Let's start with the Mel Bay Modern Method for Guitar, Book 1.  See you next time.  Questions?  paul@batistebrothersband.com

In this Web Site, there is a lesson on Music Theory.  If you haven't already gone to that page, go there!!
From the Mel Bay Book, learn the parts of the guitar:

Pre-lesson exercises


Start with the neck and the frets.  See you next time.


Now that you have studied the parts of the guitar, Let's move on to some neat right hand exercises.
Starting at the first string, play each string eight times and when you get to the sixth string, begin to play in the other direction (downward to the first string).  Use the down stroke.  We will move to the up stroke later in the lesson.  Play this exercise daily.

Practice should be a minimum of 20 minutes a day.  One hour is preferred.  However, consistency is the most important thing.  It's not how long one practices, it's how long one is away from one's instrument.  See you next time.

Today, let's practice the left hand.  Place your first finger on the first fret on the first string.  The first finger should be close to the first fret but not on the fret.  Press with the thumb behind the neck.  Bend the wrist so an egg can fit in the palm of your hand.

Now, play F eight times and rest for eight counts.  Repeat this exercise up the neck.  See you next time.
Now that you understand what makes it tick, let's get to the nuts and bolts.


First String
Play open, first finger first fret, third finger third fret eight times.  Repeat often!  Good!
You are now going to play the most popular beginner's song......."Mary Had a Little Lamb."


First string open—second string third finger third fret—second string first finger first fret......relax.  work on this until you are comfortable.  How about eight times on each note?
This should take a long time.  Then, we'll learn the rest of the song.  See you next time.

Lessons

Go to page 7 in the Mel Bay book.  The lesson is on E,F and G.
reminder:
Whole note receives 4 counts
Half note receives 2 counts
Quarter note receives 1 count

Content copyright 2021. Paul Batiste. All rights reserved.