Jon Batiste Exits ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,’ Louis Cato Named New Bandleader

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He’s exiting to “pursue personal and professional interests.” Louis Cato, who has served as interim bandleader this summer, will take over on a permanent basis

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Cato will take over permanently when the show returns for its eighth season on Tuesday, Sept. 6.

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“Louis has done a great job this summer, and he is very humble, so he won’t say this. But I will. He’s a musical genius,” Colbert said

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“He can play basically every instrument over there. Give him an afternoon, he’ll learn how to play Mozart on a shoehorn.”

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Cato, has been with “The Late Show” since its relaunch under Colbert. The revised band will be include Joe Saylor

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