bio
“Beasley, the one-time keyboardist for Freddie Hubbard and Miles Davis, reflects a variety of generational influences, incorporating the emphatic chordal clusters of Herbie Hancock, the rhythmic quirkiness of Monk and the lush intelligence of Art Tatum into a highly refined personal voice.”
— Los Angeles Times
Pianist, composer, and arranger, John Beasley’s career brims with accomplishments that bridge musical and visual media. An uncommonly versatile pianist, he backed jazz icons Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard in his 20s. Since then, he has performed with Dianne Reeves, Christian McBride, Chaka Khan, Kenny Garrett, Stanley Clarke. He even performed one concert with James Brown reviving Brown’s Soul on Top big band music. Beasley’s extensive work as a composer and arranger extends far beyond jazz, with numerous credits in television and film, including blockbuster movies scored by 15x Oscar nominee Thomas Newman. His 20+ recordings have earned him 2 GRAMMY® Awards, 12 nominations, and 2 Latin Grammy nominations.
His vision and musical insight have brought him to the podium as Music director (MD) for the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz since 2011, where he directs the annual global “International Jazz Day” concerts and competition galas. The 2016 Jazz at the White House gala hosted by President Obama earned Beasley an Emmy nomination for “Best Musical Direction.” He honed his craft as MD with Steely Dan, Queen Latifah, AR Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire), and Chucho Valdés “La Creación” tour. Beasley relied on his MD instincts when directing various TV singing competitions, including Duets (Kelly Clarkson/John Legend) and as Assoc MD for American Idol, where he contributed to Carrie Underwood’s win. He then spent a decade working as Lead Arranger for American Idol and The Tonight Show with MD Rickey Minor.
In 2017, Beasley decided to follow his teenage dream and form a big band, MONK’estra, which released a trilogy of albums showcasing his unique arranging voice. These three albums earned six consecutive GRAMMY® nominations and an award for “Best Arrangement” for Donna Lee. He brought the music of MONK’estra to global stages, including to student big bands.
Beasley became an in-demand arranger-conductor for European jazz orchestras and have since conducted commissions for Frankfurt’s HR Big Band, Stuttgart’s SWR Big Band, Sweden’s Blue House and Bohuslän’s orchestras, and other big bands from Belgium to Russia. Two big band projects, Somi: Holy Room and SWR’s Bird Lives earned four GRAMMY® nominations and an award. He ventured into Fado-jazz projects with Portuguese singer Maria Mendes and the Holland’s Metropole Orkest, which brought 2 Latin Grammy nominations and a Dutch Edison prize for “Best Jazz Vocal Album” with Close to Me.
Beasley began composing for TV at the age of 24, working for Paramount, Disney, and other studios on shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation, Cheers, and Fame, among others. His performance can be heard on films composed by Thomas Newman, including Elemental, 1917, James Bond’s Spectre & Skyfall, Finding Dory, He Named Me Malala, Shawshank Redemption, among others. Newman invited John to orchestrate and conduct his big band MONK’estra in Steven Soderbergh's Let them all Talk with Meryl Streep.
Beasley's output remains prodigious. He is currently composing a commission for the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, set to debut on November 1st. He will release his third album this year Returning to Forever, a reimagination of Chick Corea/Return to Forever music on August 23. This adds to earlier releases: El Trio: Live in Italy, an Afro-Cuban jazz-rock fusion album described as “10 spectacular charts played beautifully” by LatinJazz.net, and Butterfly Effect, a duo album with Swedish saxophonist Magnus Lindgren that earned 4.5 stars in Downbeat.
As an educator, Beasley is committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians. He conducts master classes at music schools around the world or online, and his bands are often intergenerational. He has been fortunate to write commissions for youth orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic's YOLA and Carnegie Hall’s NYO.
As an educator, Beasley is committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians. He conducts master classes at music schools around the world or online, and his bands often intergenerational. He has been fortunate to write commissions for youth orchestras, including Los Angeles Philharmonic's YOLA and Carnegie Hall’s NYO.
In July 2024, Beasley was appointed President of the Board of Directors of the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers (ISJAC).
AWARDS Info:
• 2 GRAMMY® wins: “Best Arrangement”
• 12 GRAMMY® nominations:
o 6 of 12 nominations: “Best Arrangement”
o 4 of 12 nominations: “Best Large Jazz Ensemble”
o 1 of 12 nomination: “Best solo” piano
o 1 of 12 nomination: “Best Instrumental Album” Positootly!
• 2 Latin Grammy nominations: “Best Arrangement”
• 1 Emmy nomination is for “Best Musical Direction”
• Edison Award (Netherlands): “Best Jazz Vocal” Close to Me with Maria Mendes
KEY POSITIONS current / held:
President, International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers (ISJAC)
GRAMMY® Govenor (2 terms)
PHOTOS: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/79yvbv20gc0jx9ay13f5a/AM02Em5QLgk3vHC2P_2Ra6Y?rlkey=lyikpaminvf9dk78ecdne55gi&dl=0
QUOTES on John Beasley and MONK’estra
“John Beasley, the one-time keyboardist for Freddie Hubbard and Miles Davis, whose playing reflects a variety of generational influences, incorporating the emphatic chordal clusters of Herbie Hancock, the rhythmic quirkiness of Monk and the lush intelligence of Art Tatum into a highly refined personal voice.”
–Los Angeles Times
"Beasley hits us dead center, features rapid-fire surprises, spiky asides and a quirky sense of truthful swing. Beasley’s band will leave you rapt. He brings Monk to life once again for modern-minded listeners. –Downbeat 5 stars
‘'John Beasley’s bold refashionings of Thelonious Monk once again hit the jackpot. Beasley's not just breathing new life into Monk's repertoire - he's firing up the big band scene.” –BBC Music Magazine
“Beasley is a very clever arranger who works his charts hard, and this album is continuously surprising.
An ingenious interpreter of Monk [Beasley] conducts like Thad Jones.” –JazzTimes
“MONK’estra brought the project thrillingly to life with their razor-sharp ensemble work and rhythmic authenticity… hip-hop merges with swing and sensuous Ellingtonia sits on a sparse contemporary pulse.
–Financial Times, 4 stars
Beasley's Monk'estra set was a dazzling display of fresh interpretations. The enlightening set closed with vigorous applause from the house.”
–All About Jazz
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Lorna@JohnBeasleyMusic.com
“Beasley is a very clever arranger who works his charts hard, and this album is continuously surprising.
An ingenious interpreter of Monk [Beasley] conducts like Thad Jones”
“Beasley’s Monk’estra set was a dazzling display of fresh interpretations. The enlightening set closed with vigorous applause from the house.”
“MONK’estra brought the project thrillingly to life with their razor-sharp ensemble work and rhythmic authenticity… hip-hop merges with swing and sensuous Ellingtonia sits on a sparse contemporary pulse”
“John Beasley’s bold re-fashionings of Thelonious Monk once again hit the jackpot. Beasley’s not just breathing new life into Monk’s repertoire – he’s firing up the big band scene.”
“Beasley hits us dead center, features rapid-fire surprises, spiky asides and a quirky sense of truthful swing. Beasley’s band will leave you rapt. He brings Monk to life once again for modern-minded listeners.”