A Symphony of Love and Resilience: Reviewing the American Symphony with Jon Batiste and Sulieka Jaouad

Dear All,

I have watched American Symphony three times.

This is so not in my nature. I am more of a rolling stone that gathers no moss.

However, in these days of guns and grit, I found this documentary to be a powerful oasis. It is full of conflicting emotions, real emotions that touch the heart.

Sulieka Jaouad, a best-selling author and wife of Jon Batiste, lay in her hospital bed, too weak to write. I cried tears of compassion.

Subsequently, the tears brought me back to a time many moons ago. That was when my husband Herb was fading away from an unknown disease.

No, it was not cancer.

After two years of watching him go from vibrant to vacant, he was finally diagnosed with a rare parasitic infection. It had been hiding in his body. Parasites, as I learned, are clever at sabotage. They hid away in his body back from our time hiking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu and working with Shaman Augustine Rivas in the Peruvian rainforest.

We can all learn from each other’s stories.

I resonated with this documentary about music, love, fear, and un resonated with uncertainty. In my bones, I felt the hard days and even harder nights they experienced. This was so similar to what Herb and I had lived through.

He recovered, and life moved on.

Sulieka is better after a second bone marrow transplant. That is good news. I also encourage you to sign up for her weekly newsletter.

Why am I writing this? I mostly write about leadership and how to transform ingrained, outdated behavior patterns that are in the way of success.

What does this doc do with team collaboration, communication skills, or conflict resolution?

Films, books, and music that offer views to transform negatives into positives are needed now.

The answer is everything. It is about something most of us will experience at one time in our lives. It is about the shared journey of dichotomies of love, fear, and loss.

Ultimately, this is about how to support each other with caring and grace.

In today’s world, there is a void. We have forgotten how to be authentic. Many of us worship at the altar of financial success and celebrity rather than (fill in what you see missing in today’s world.)

Moreover, here, you have a tutorial about how to show up. You can feel the compassion. Then you hear the words, how to tell the truth without spilling our guts (as I like to say). You can find Heart Truth, which most people first hear as the hard truth.

Heart truth and hard truth can live in the same sentence.

You will find that in the documentary. There is a realness that is ingratiating.

And then there is the music: American Symphony. This latest musical endeavor by the incomparable Jon Batiste combines a deeply personal exploration of love, loss, and resilience.

He was offered the opportunity to create a new kind of symphony. Having spent seven years studying at Julliard, he was up for the task.

It also is an inventive way of bringing together various forms of music. This is about our once-young nation that is in the process of growing up. There is harmony, disconnection, forgetting, chaos, and the ability to attempt to right the wrongs of the past. This is America.

Jon Batiste’s narrative, interwoven with the poignant story of his wife, Sulieka Jaouad, creates a symphony that resonates on both a musical and emotional level.

A melodic journey shows a way to blend complex emotions.

The American Symphony, performed at Carnegie Hall, opens with a rich, immersive soundscape that immediately captures the listener’s attention. Batiste, known for his masterful blend of jazz, soul, and pop, skillfully crafts a melodic journey that mirrors the complexities of life.

The arrangements are lush and dynamic, creating a sonic that serves as the canvas for the emotional unfolding that unfolds.

Jazz Roots and Fusion blend for magical music.

True to Batiste’s signature style, jazz roots while fearlessly venturing into new territories. The fusion of genres, from the soulful cadences of jazz to the rhythmic pulses of pop, adds layers of texture to the musical tapestry.

All in all, this dynamic range allows Batiste to convey a spectrum of emotions, mirroring the highs and lows of the human experience.

There are our roots in indigenous drumming and chanting coupled with survival songs of slavery. It’s all there, the good, bad, ugly and beautiful.

Collaborative Synergy is the same as team collaboration.

American Symphony is not merely a solo endeavor but a collaborative symphony featuring a cadre of talented musicians. The interplay between instruments, the emerging harmonies, and the collective energy contribute to the symphony’s richness.

Most importantly, as Jon says, “The result is not as important as the process.”

Batiste’s ability to seamlessly collaborate with other artists enhances the depth of the narrative. Here, he creates a symphony that is both intimate and expansive.

In other words, again from Jon, “If you make something from the heart, someone out there will feel that.”

Resilience in Adversity

Ultimately, Sulieka’s story, woven into the fabric of the documentary, introduces themes of resilience and hope. The emotional highs and lows mirror the couple’s journey through adversity, illustrating how love and art can be powerful catalysts for healing.

As the symphony progresses, it becomes evident that American Symphony is not just a musical endeavor but a testament to the transformative power of resilience in the face of life’s challenges.

What happens when the power goes out? There is another power grid available.

I don’t want to have a spoiler alert. All I will say is to watch for the moment when there is an actual, unintended power outage.

When the unexpected occurs, we all need to learn the art of improvisation.

A Symphony beyond sound reaches the heart.

In conclusion, American Symphony is not just a documentary; it’s a testament to the transformative power of music when it intertwines with an honest and deep narrative.

Jon Batiste’s exploration of love, loss, and resilience, anchored by the poignant story of Sulieka Jaouad, creates a symphony that transcends the boundaries of sound.

It becomes a journey through the intricacies of the human experience, leaving a lasting imprint on the listener’s heart and soul. American Symphony is a masterpiece that resonates profoundly, inviting us to embrace vulnerability and find strength in the beauty of shared stories.

All I can say is listen and learn.

Here’s to your success,

Sylvia Lafair

PS. Let me know what you learn from Jon and Sulieka about leadership, team collaboration, and, most importantly, authenticity.