“Steinway means family to me. My grandfather and great-uncle owned Steinway dealerships in Arkansas and Texas, so I grew up playing on the showroom pianos in their stores. Steinways have a touch and tone that is a signature. No other pianos I have played on have this feel and sound. Steinway means family legacy and artistry to me.”
John Beasley
Pianist, composer, and arranger John Beasley has built a genre-spanning career bridging jazz, classical, pop, and film/TV music. A musical shapeshifter with deep jazz roots, he rose to prominence in his 20s performing with Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard, and has since collaborated with artists including Dianne Reeves, Christian McBride, Chaka Khan, A.R. Rahman, Chucho Valdés, and Steely Dan.
Beasley’s acclaimed recordings include the GRAMMY®-winning MONK’estra trilogy, Returning to Forever, Bird Lives, El Trio: Live in Italy, and Positootly! His work has earned two GRAMMY Awards, 14 GRAMMY nominations, and two Latin GRAMMY nominations, reflecting his wide-ranging impact as both an composer, arranger, and producer.
As Music Director for the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, Beasley leads the globally broadcast International Jazz Day gala concerts, staged in cities including Istanbul, Havana, Osaka, and Tangier, with Chicago hosting in 2026. His musical direction for Jazz at the White House earned an Emmy nomination.
In 2026, Beasley launches his new project Unlimited Miles, touring the U.S., Japan, and Canada, alongside continued touring with Dianne Reeves, leading European orchestras and his own MONK’estra. Upcoming releases include Invisible Piano with the SWR Big Band, recorded on a Steinway Spiro, and Unlimited Miles: Live from Blue Note Tokyo. When not touring, Beasley collaborates closely with 15-x Oscar-nominated composer Thomas Newman, contributing to major film scores including Skyfall and Spectre, and joining Newman on the upcoming Star Wars feature.
John Beasley is a Steinway Artist