JAM congratulates John Beasley for 2nd Grammy

John Beasley, winner of the first edition of "Spheres of A Genius" and repeated guest lecturer at JAM MUSIC LAB Private University, was awarded a Grammy for the second time. 

At the Grammy Awards 2023, John Beasley won over the jury in the "Best Arrangement" category with "Scrapple from the Apple". Already in 2021, his arrangement of the composition "Donna Lee" emerged as the winner; now, two years later, this success is being repeated. As a multiple guest lecturer at the JAM MUSIC LAB private university, students have often been able to benefit from the knowledge of the pianist and arranger and will continue to have the opportunity to do so in the future.

About John Beasley

John Beasley is a Multi-GRAMMY® and Emmy Award-nominated pianist, composer, arranger, producer, music director. As an uncommonly versatile pianist, he has backed such jazz icons as Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard – playing in the bands of both these trumpet greats while still in his 20s. Since then, Beasley has performed with a wide range of artists from Dianne Reeves, Ivan Lins, John Patitucci, Chaka Khan, Christian McBride, Carly Simon, Steely Dan, Lee Ritenour, Somi, A.R. Rahman, and James Brown’s last concert at the Hollywood Bowl.

His extensive work as a composer-arranger extends beyond jazz, with many credits in television such as Star Trek: TNG, Cheers, and Fame; and in films scored by 15-time Oscar nominee Thomas Newman 1917, James Bond’s Spectre and Skyfall, Finding Dory, He Named Me Malala, and Shawshank Redemption.

While on tour with Miles Davis, Beasley was inspired to record his first album Cauldron, which was produced by Steely Dan’s Walter Becker. A dozen albums later, Beasley has earned ten GRAMMY nominations, six for his project called MONK’estra.