Jon Batiste reflects on the South’s musical history

On a warm spring evening in Birmingham, Alabama, “Sunday Supper” is served at the historic Ballard House.

The meal has all the fixings of a classic Southern meal — beef tenderloin, baked chicken, smoked salmon, broccoli salad, macaroni and cheese and plenty more. And on this night, it’s also hosting a famous guest of honor — Grammy-winning jazz pianist and former The Late Show with Stephen Colbert bandleader Jon Batiste.

Batiste, a member of New Orleans’ famed Batiste family, is in town for a stop on his “Uneasy” tour. It’s his first solo tour, and Birmingham was a late addition to the itinerary. He said he’s always wanted to perform here and took the chance to add it to his tour after some nearby festival performances.