David Russell Batiste Jr. was a New Orleans-based funk drummer who played for the Funky Meters, Nuclear Rhythms, Papa Grows Funk, and Vida Blue, among others.
- Died: September 30, 2023 (Who else died on September 30?)
- Details of death: Died in LaPlace, Louisiana, of a heart attack at the age of 57.
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Russell Batiste Jr.’s legacy
Batiste came from a family of musicians and at four years old, he was already playing drums. By the time he was seven years old, he’d learned keyboards, saxophone, guitar and bass. He began playing with Charmaine Neville after college, then joined the New Orleans band the Funky Meters. He also launched a solo act, Russell Batiste Jr. and the Orkestra from ‘Da Hood. Batiste became part of the “supergroup” Vida Blue in 2002, a trio that included Phish keyboardist Page McConnell and Allman Brothers Band bassist Oteil Burbridge.
Though he was praised by such big-name artists as Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, Batiste preferred playing small shows in intimate venues. He also liked to be constantly challenged in his music, leading him to play with a wide array of such bands as George Porter Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners, Dumpstaphunk, Bonerama, Papa Grows Funk, the Wild Magnolias, and the Joe Krown Trio.
Batiste was seen as a mainstay of the New Orleans music community, playing with almost every prominent musician in the city. He appeared on a dozen albums and played hundreds of shows in scores of venues both in New Orleans and beyond.
Tributes to Russell Batiste Jr.
Full obituary: NOLA
