Playing at The Bowery Mission in NYC
About Us
The Bowery Jazz Messengers is a NYC band and charity that plays at The Bowery Mission in New York City, and other venues in the Greater New York area, where its music helps inspire anyone experiencing homelessness or poverty. The Bowery Jazz Messengers received 501C3 status in NYS in July of 2020 and also provides a positive environment for young jazz musicians to develop their craft while performing service to their community.
Who We Are
Bato Aydelotte, Founder
Bato Aydelotte is a rapper and Jazz drummer and an alumnus of LaGuardia Performing Arts in NYC. He founded The Bowery Jazz Messengers after volunteering at The Bowery Mission and recruited a variety of figures from throughout the music industry to create the band and mission.
Chris Theberge, Music Director
Chris is a New York-based recording artist, producer, and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in international performance, touring, and the music industry. A founding member of the Grammy-nominated jazz/funk combo Groove Collective, he also built and operated a successful commercial recording studio in Manhattan for a decade. Chris specializes in Afro/Latin drumming and its application to Jazz and contemporary music styles. He has studied and produced music in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Nigeria and performed at Montreux Jazz, North Sea & JVC Jazz Festivals, Red Rocks, WOMAD in New Zealand, Mount Fuji Jazz Fest, and Newport Jazz in Japan.
Atlas, Student Leader
Atlas is a student leader of the Bowery Jazz Messengers, born and raised in New York City. Currently a senior at Urban Academy High School. Atlas has been passionate about music from a young age, beginning his piano studies at 9 years old. He is currently under the tutelage of renowned NYC Latin jazz pianist and producer Ray Santiago.
In addition to his studies, Atlas actively participates in the Jazz House Kids program in Montclair, NJ, and recently completed a summer intensive at the New York Jazz Academy. His musical interests lie primarily in Jazz and Latin Jazz, with Erroll Garner and Hank Jones being his favorite pianists. Atlas continues to develop his skills and contribute to his community through his service in the Bowery Jazz Messengers program.