David Russell Batiste, Jr. (December 12, 1965 – September 30, 2023) was an American drummer based in New Orleans. Batiste played drums for the bands the funky Meters, Papa Grows Funk, and Vida Blue.
David Russell Batiste, Jr., was born in New Orleans on December 12, 1965. He was brought up in a musical family, Batiste started playing drums at the age of four. He also learned to play keyboards, saxophone, guitar and bass, and started to play in the family band when he was seven.
Batiste left college after two years to join Charmaine Neville’s band. He joined the funky Meters, the reincarnation of the funk band The Meters, in 1989. The funky Meters without Art Neville played under the name Porter Batiste Stoltz (PBS) (with George Porter Jr. on bass, and Brian Stoltz on guitar).He also played drums with George Porter Jr. and the Runnin Pardners.
As a solo artist, he led his own band Russell Batiste Jr. and the Orkestra from ‘Da Hood and has released two albums under the name.
Batiste also played regularly with organ player Joe Krown and guitarist Walter “Wolfman” Washington as the Krown Washington Batiste trio. This unit released a live CD Live at the Maple Leaf in 2008.
Batiste performed with a wide range of musicians and bands including Papa Grows Funk, Vida Blue, Harry Connick Jr., Champion Jack Dupree, Robbie Robertson and Maceo Parker. In 1987, Batiste was in the New Orleans funk band Nuclear Rhythms featuring percussionist songwriter Rosie Rosato, psychedelic funk guitarist songwriter Dirk Billie, bassist songwriter Mark Adam Miller and guitar and keyboard player David M. Brown.
Batiste died of heart attack at his home in LaPlace, Louisiana, on September 30, 2023, at the age of 57.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Batiste_Jr.
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OTHER NOTABLE MUSICIANS’ DEATHS
If you are thinking of committing suicide, please think of how much it will hurt your family and friends. Warning Signs of Suicide – National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 and 888-628-9454 for Spanish. Learn the signs of someone who may be contemplating suicide.
If you want to know more about any of the musicians we lost, please check them out at
http://www.wikipedia.com
October 2023
4: Rafail Kasimov, 76, Polish-born Russian composer.
3: Jacqueline Dark, 55, Australian opera singer, cancer.
2: Herbert Handt, 97, American operatic tenor and conductor; Lefteris Hapsiadis, 69, Greek lyricist.
1: Julian Bahula, 85, South African drummer, composer and bandleader (Jabula).
September 2023
30: Russell Batiste Jr., 57, American drummer (The Meters, Vida Blue, Papa Grows Funk), heart attack; Russell Sherman, 93, American classical pianist.
29:Jon Fausty, 74, American sound and recording engineer; Ron Howden, 78, English drummer (Nektar).
28: Stephen Ackles, 57, Norwegian musician; DJ Lalla, 34, Romanian disc jockey and radio presenter, drowned; Najah Salam, 92, Lebanese singer and actress.
27: Dom Famularo, 70, American drummer; Ramla Beegum, 77, Indian Mappilapattu singer and Kadhaprasangam artist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_in_2023
Photo: Russell Baptiste, Jr., with friend Khaleem Silva (from Khaleem’s Facebook page)
Sending this out with a heavy heart as we have lost a great drummer and person, Russell Baptiste. Russell is from the Word Renowned Baptiste Family. A family of so many so many talented musicians. Russell was also a 1983 Graduate of St Augustine High School and a proud member of our World Famous Marching 100 Band in which he was one of the baddest snare drummers in the City. When I was a drummer in the band during the 70’s, Russell would sit next to the drummers and play our cadence’s on the bleachers with his family cheering him on. Russell always knew he would be a member of the Marching 100 and go on the stardom. Russ had his own band: Russell Baptiste and Friends. Russ’s band has been featured in many concerts and has had many guest musicians who has played with him from around the world. I could go on and on, but it would take a book to recognize all of his talents and accomplishments. The biggest compliment I received from Russ was when he said I am his hero and I inspired him to be the best drummer he could be and he wanted me to be proud of him. Well as I always told you that I am proud of you and will always be proud of you; then, now, and forever. I will leave you with one of his sayings when ever life’s ups and downs got to all of us: Don’t make a fuss, just puff with Russ.
Take your rest my friend, until we meet again.
Love you my Brutha