Archive for Jon Batiste

On Tyranny: Ben Folds Accuses Kennedy Center Ex-Acting Director of Paying Hecklers to ‘Harass’ Yasmin Williams in Testimony to Senators

Posted in Features, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , on 07/22/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

“I think most of us understand that when
you politicize art, you got propaganda.”

-Ben Folds, speaking to Senate Democrats at a “shadow hearing” on Wednesday

Ben Folds on Wednesday gave impassioned testimony to a panel of Senators about what he called the “toxic” Trump Administration’s “unlawful” changes to the Kennedy Center. The veteran pop icon further accused a high-ranking official who recently departed the organization for paying “hecklers” to “harass” Yasmin Williams as payback for criticizing Trump during a performance at the Center.

Folds made the remarks at a so-called “shadow hearing” staged by Senate Democrats. Because the party is in the minority, it is not legally permitted to conduct a formal hearing like Republican Senators currently are.

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Yola ‘Stands’ Tall and Proud at Post-Grammys Gig

Posted in Concert Reviews, Interviews with tags , , , , , on 04/14/2022 by Kurt Orzeck
Yola at the Knitting Factory in Boise on April 6, 2022

British-born, Nashville-based singer/songwriter Yola left the Grammy Awards empty-handed last week, losing to Jon Batiste for Best American Roots Song and Los Lobos for Best Americana Album. Still. the outcomes weren’t a huge surprise for an emerging artist whose music is not confined to a single genre.

Indeed, Yola didn’t seem phased whatsoever when she played her unique blend of pop/country/hip-hop/Americana/soul/R&B/you-name-it to the Knitting Factory in Boise. Smiles abounded through the crowd, who were enraptured by Yola’s vocal range and authenticity — and seemed to know the show was so special, they might tell their kids about it someday.

Her covers of Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” Aretha Franklin’s “Day Dreaming” and Anita Baker’s “Sweet Love” iced the cake.

If you aren’t yet familiar with the gift from the music gods that is Yola, check out my recent cover story on the artist for Music Connection. In the feature, she discusses her most recent album, July 2021’s Stand for Myself; growing up practically destitute; the “hot mess” that is U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson; and her lifelong love of Dolly Parton.

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