Pixar’s new animated film Soul is the story of Joe Gardner – a middle school music teacher with aspirations of becoming a reputable jazz performer. Released on December 25th via Disney+, the film’s major themes were tied to that of love, gratitude and living life to its fullest potential. Jamie Foxx stars as Soul’s main character, but the soundtrack to this movie is provided primarily by the composition and performances of real-life musician, Jon Batiste.
As one of several of the film’s musical consultants (which also included Questlove, Herbie Hancock and Daveed Diggs), Batiste’s perception about jazz can be found throughout Soul. As a native of New Orleans, Louisiana; the birthplace of the genre, the pressure of being from that city can weigh heavy on certain artists. “There is a responsibility to uphold a level,” Batiste states. “You need to be on the highest level possible. The quality has to be there – musicians from New Orleans have always been leaders in many forms of black music. I always try to maintain that quality in my compositions.”
For over five years, Jon Batiste and his group Stay Human appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as the program’s house band. He also comes from a respected lineage of musicians, which includes his father Michael, Alvin Batiste, Lionel Batiste of the Treme Brass Band, Milton Batiste of the Olympia Brass Band, composer and arranger Harold Batiste, and Russell Batiste Jr. During his jazz education at The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and Juilliard, he learned about different methods of creation. Batiste also spoke about the importance of inspiration. “I always try to find inspiration in everything that I’m doing. This film is so inspiring – it’s about finding purpose,” he said. “I had a lot of inspiration just from the film and all of the different forms of music that the film is drawing from.
The fact that Soul is Pixar’s first film with an African-American lead; it increased the importance of composing a soundtrack of a certain caliber. Jon expressed his feelings about being involved with such a groundbreaking part of cinematic history. “For a long time, I wanted to do something with Disney/Pixar, and I wanted to be representative of all the things that I am about. Soul was the perfect fit.” Many of these aspects are a daily part of Batiste’s life. His love for jazz as well as black music reached past the film itself, and into the emotions of the audience.
With gratitude being one of Soul’s central themes, it is appropriate to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected many artist’s creative process due to the lack of physical interaction. In losing the ability to collaborate with other musicians in the traditional sense, one becomes grateful for the opportunities that they are afforded. “When you’re a musician who is used to playing music with other people, its an adjustment,” Batiste spoke. “So, I think you just have to find balance, and figure out a way to find your voice during these difficult times.”
One of the standout quotes from the film is when its main character proclaims, “Music is all I think about, from the moment I wake up in the morning to the moment I fall asleep at night.” This same passion for music is prevalent in Soul’s soundtrack, as well as how Jon Batiste approaches all of his compositions – be it large or small. The film’s music is simply an extension of the artist’s creative genius, which allows the viewer to enjoy its sounds, while learning some lessons along the way.