On “Big Money,” Super Bowl-sized singer Jon Batiste opts for a surprisingly intimate sound. The 32-minute, nine-song set will be released today, and it’s not nearly as loud as the New Orleans’ jazzman’s eye-popping wardrobe. The the simplicity of the stripped-down, mostly acoustic arrangements only intensifies the songs’ swing and sway.
Batiste pairs lyrics about devotion, values, angels and ecology with music mixing 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.
Randy Newman, another piano man with New Orleans roots , who in recent years has been slowed by health issues and kept a low profile , joins Batiste on Doc Pomus’ “Lonely Avenue,” his froggy tenor