Jazz Legend Locks Down Another Grammy Nomination
Pianist and Composer John Beasley poses in Venice, California on October 11, 2020. (Maxim Elramsisy / The Corsair)
Six-time Grammy nominee John Beasley is nominated for a 2020 Latin Grammy for his work on the song “Asas Fechadas,” with Maria Mendes. Beasley, who moved to Santa Monica in his early teens, is an acclaimed pianist, composer, music director, arranger, producer, and ensemble leader.
Beasley is also on the first round ballot for several 2020 National Grammy Award Nominations. The Recording Academy's voting membership, which consists only of music creators, including artists, songwriters, producers, and engineers, vote on these first round ballots to determine the nominees. Grammy nominee announcement day is one of the biggest days in music. These nominations are very meaningful because music peers, rather than the public or the music industry, are listening, appreciating and voting for each other. It is the highest form of acknowledgment.
Beasley has played with numerous renowned musicians including Freddie Hubbard, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan, Carly Simon, Christian McBride, Dianne Reeves, Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke, Lee Ritenour, and also performed in one of James Brown’s last shows.
Beasley served as Music Director for Steely Dan, Queen Latifah, and all eight of the “International Jazz Day Global Concerts”, earning the Outstanding Music Direction Emmy Nomination for “Jazz at the White House” with President Obama. He has worked on numerous television shows including “American Idol” and “The Emmy Awards”. Film credits include his work with celebrated film score composer Thomas Newman on “1917,” James Bond films “Spectre” and “Skyfall,” “A Bug’s Life,” “Finding Nemo,” “Wall-E,” “He Called Me Malala,” and “Get on Up,” the James Brown biopic starring the late Chadwick Boseman.
In August, Mack Avenue Records released “MONK’estra Plays John Beasley.” MONK’estra is Beasley's 15 piece Grammy nominated jazz ensemble. The new project includes Beasley’s arrangement of Duke Ellington’s “Come Sunday,” which features Grammy nominated classical baritone vocalist Jubilant Sykes.
Born and raised in Santa Monica, Sykes is Beasley’s dear childhood friend. Regarding working with Beasley, Sykes says, “He is absolutely stellar. He is one of the best at what he does. I don't think there's anyone greater than John. He is really terrific.”
Beasley has strong ties to the Santa Monica College (SMC) music department. Both of his parents, Rule and Lida Beasley, are known as accomplished musicians and Santa Monica music education icons.
Lida was a brass instrumentalist, band conductor, and orchestrator who directed award-winning music ensembles in Santa Monica’s junior high and high school programs. She also rebuilt the SMC Concert Band and Symphony Orchestra, both of which still exist today. Rule is a bassoonist, pianist, and composer. During his 20 years as an SMC music professor, he taught many classes, built one of the premiere music theory programs in the U.S., and led the Jazz Band for two years.
When asked about Beasley’s connection to the college’s music program, SMC Jazz Studies Professor Keith Fiddmont, who has performed with Beasley many times throughout their 32 year friendship, said, “They [SMC jazz band] had already heard about this kid that could really play and it was Rule’s kid so… he definitely played with them ... even though he was just in Jr. high school. [The director] told me John was his star.”
Dr. Brian Stone, recent SMC Symphony Orchestra Director and former music student of Lida and Rule , remembers one performance from Lida’s SMC Symphony Orchestra, where Rule and John played a dual piano concerto to sold out crowds.
About the Beasley’s, Stone said, “I love Rule, he has a wonderful sense of humor. His teaching was a model of a teacher's gift in academic subjects because of his ability to both be pinpoint clear but at the same time, thorough. I mean that's a natural gift… Lida definitely had a performers charisma. I mean, sometimes people say ‘well you know they're really a teacher, they're really a professor,’ but in her case it was different because she had the presence and charisma of a performer...she had a powerful, powerful presence in rehearsals that gave a transformative feeling. You left rehearsal feeling different than when you came.”
Stone went on to say, “They have all three left an incredible musical footprint on the Westside.”
Beasley is currently in Germany performing with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, and is looking forward to the Latin Grammy Awards, presented from Miami on Nov. 19.
The National Grammy Award nominees will be announced during an hour-long livestream event at 9 a.m. PT on Nov. 24.
In the studio known as “The Hive” with John Beasley, a multi Grammy-nominated and Primetime Emmy Awards Nominated Music director. (Kevin Tidmore / The Corsair)
