John Beasley's MONK'estra
Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 8pm
presented by Irvine Barclay Theatre
Artist Sponsor
James McGaugh
Media Sponsor
This performance will include a 15-minute intermission.
Conductor/Arranger/Pianist
John Beasley
Trumpets
Ryan DeWeese, James Ford, Brian Swartz, Brandyn Philips
Trombones
Francisco Torres, Wendell Kelly, Ryan Dragon, Lemar Guillary
Woodwinds
Bob Sheppard, Danny Janklow, Tom Luer, Kirsten Edkins, Adam Schroeder
Bass
Edwin Livingston
Drummer
Terreon Gully
Grammy Award winner and 9-time Grammy nominee, John Beasley, has taken the music of MONK’estra, his smashing 16-piece big band, to over 50 stages around the world.
The feel and sound of MONK’estra captures the spirit of Thelonious Monk’s singular style with its off-beat melodies, humor, strange beauty, and unbounded swing in fresh arrangements flavored with hints of New Orleans, hip-hop, Afro-Cuban, contemporary and atmospheric rhythms and colors.
The International Review of Music described it as “Some of the most mesmerizing big band music of recent memory.”
MONK’estra has released a trilogy of albums through Mack Avenue Records: MONK’estra Vol 1, MONK’estra Vol 2, and MONK’estra Plays John Beasley with the first release in Thelonious Monk’s centennial year in 2017. The albums and John’s arrangements have been nominated for two Grammy nominations for each release with an impressive six nominations and one win. It has received 5 starts in DownBeat, Jazz Journal UK, Audiophile Sound, and earned Best Big Band and Best Arranger in many jazz lists.
John Beasley reimagines Monk’s compositions with an eye to the future that pays loving tribute to the master’s music while infusing it with contemporary harmonies, unstoppable grooves, and a contagious sense of fun.
John Beasley is a versatile pianist, composer, arranger who began his career in his 20s backing jazz icons Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard. Since then, Beasley has performed with a wide range of artists, including Dianne Reeves, Ivan Lins, John Patitucci, Chaka Khan, Christian McBride, Carly Simon, to name a few. He was music director for international tours with Steely Dan, AR Rahman and Queen Latifah and currently a co-MD for Chucho Valdes La Creation tour.
In 2011, John Beasley was appointed Music Director for the Herbie Hancock Jazz Institute (formerly the Monk Institute) which presents International Jazz Day’s annual global gala concerts. Beasley has directed the concerts in Paris (2x), Instanbul, Osaka, St Petersberg, Havana, Washington, DC, New Orleans, New York and Los Angeles. The 2016 Jazz at the White House hosted by President Obama earned Beasley an Emmy nomination for Best Musical Direction.
Beasley’s work as a composer-arranger extends beyond jazz, with many credits in television such as Star Trek: The Next Generation, 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, Shawshank Redemption, and Let them all Talk, to name a few.
Beasley also worked as MD for TV specials/series, including Sports Illustrated 50 Years of Beautiful and musical competitions, Duets with John Legend and Sing Your Face Off. Beasley was lead arranger for ten years on the American Idol show with his first year as associate MD ushering Carrie Underwood's victory.
In 2022, Beasley will be juggling several tours including Chucho Valdes, Dianne Reeves, Maria Mendes, El Trio, his own band MONK’estra and conducting various European orchestras (HR Big Band, Bohusulan Big Band, SWR Big Band, Bielefeld Philharmonie) on projects featuring music of Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Charlie Parker, Weather Report, along with a new original project.
Beasley is committed to nurturing the next generation by doing master classes with school and national big bands and orchestras around the world. His commission, "Fête dans la Tête," with Carnegie Hall's National Youth Orchestra was released in May 2022. He also wrote a commission for LA Philharmonic’s Youth Orchestra Los Angeles called "A History of Jazz."
Unlimited Myles
Myles Weinstein, President
Season Sponsor
Venue Sponsor
Corporate Sponsors
Public Partners
City of Irvine and UC Irvine
Official Health Care Partner
UCI Health
Corporate Sponsor
Haskell & White LLP
$100,000+
Paul and Bonnie Lubock
$50, 000+
Tom and Mayumi Adams
Thomas Rogers and Sally Anderson
Worah Family Foundation
$25, 000-$49, 999
Clifford and Jennifer Cheng
Gerrit and Amy Cole Foundation
The Hiland Foundation
Bill and Carolyn Klein
The Richard and Elizabeth Steele Fund
Judy and Wes Whitmore
$10, 000 -$24,999
Gregory Bates and Joann Leatherby
Eugene and Carol Choi
Paul and Anne Devore
Farhang Foundation
David and Trudi Gartley
Mike Gordon
Haskell & White LLP
Harason Horowitz
Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation
Terry and Judy Jones
Mike Kerr and Jenny Backhaus
Jerry and Whitney Mandel
Goran Matijasevic
William and Janice Parker Family Fund
William and Pat Podlich
Robert E. Romney
Richard and Cheryll Ruszat – Montessori Schools of Irvine
Mary Watson-Bruce
Greg Zaret
$5, 000 - $9, 999
Stephen and Mary Auerbach
Robert and Lillyan Cendejas
Rohit Deshpande and Anita Watumull
Gary Fabian and Deb Solon
Chuck and Janet Henze
Jack and Joy Kayajanian
Robert Kazer and Jill Richter
Ken and Chantelle Labowe - Labowe Family Foundation
Josh Martin, Emerald Real Estate Partners, and Tom Politowski
Natalie Miles
Tom Newmeyer
Andrei Olenicoff Memorial Foundation
James and Lynn Payne
Jill M. Prentice
Christopher and Lynne Ramsey
Salwa Rizkalla
Adreana Souleles
Craig and Kirsten Springer
Alexander and Sachiyo Stimpson
Andrew Vollero
Ms. Renee Walter
Brian and Beth West
$2,500 - $4, 999
Terri Beber and Terry McDonald
Ellen Breitman and Brien Amspoker
Terry Causey
Alice and Dennis Creighton
Albert and Anne Encinias
Arlene and Steven Fienberg
Douglas and Kathleen Forde
Greg and Sumie Haase
Michael and Charisse Lyseight
Patricia M. McIntyre Foundation Fund at the Chicago Community Foundation
Mark J. Nielsen
Marcia Novegrod
Arthur Ong and Ginger Sun
Bill and Joyce Perrone
Ron and Jan Redmond
Bob and Jo Anne Simon
Eric and Donna Stovner
Robert Zasa and Judy Amiano
$1,000 -$2,499
Beth and Michael Adler
Charlotte W. and Richard D. Alexander Charitable Foundation
Scott and Katherine Arbuckle
Diane and Dennis Baker
Brad Crosley
Gail Doe
Jeanne Egasse and Boyd Philpot
Francis and Ruby Foo
David and Judy Fukuda
Stanford Gertler
Gary Good and Jackie Charnley
Roger and Patt Grable
Mary Graham
Geeta and Sanjiv Grover
Loren Hansen and Lorraine Caukin
Karen Kewell Jacoby
Dr. Elliott Kornhauser and Mr. Joe Baker
Rachel Levin
Lutz Moeckel
Janis and Dave Murray
James Pick and Rosalyn Laudati
Diana Putz
Josh and Carolyn Roberts
Phil and Joy Ruggiero
Arkady and Ella Serebryannik
Sally Anne and Don Sheridan
Walter and Masami Stahr
Robert and Veronica Start
CarolAnn Tassios
Michele and Irwin Walot
Kurt and Ellen Youngs
$500 -$999
Mark Achong
Dana and Angelika Aswad
John W. Ballantyne
Michelle Bentcliff and Ann Litke
Peter and Kari Bretschger
Wayne and Nancy Broadhag
Robert Cassidy
Esther Cervantes and Steve Rivero
Denise B. Chilcote
Michael and Melanie Cooper
Han Dinh and Martin Le
Joan Donahue
Ann Donat
Nancy Eisenberg
Christine Fluor and Walter Scacchi
Ian and Kari Gibson
S. Glass Family
Gleicher / Chen Family Foundation
Dr. and Mrs. Ben Goelman
The Gromfin Family
Marcus Hickerson
Kathleen Koch
John LaRue
John Long and Tamara Taylor
Patti Martinez
Mrs. Karen Martinez
Susan M. Mason
Duane and Kathleen Mauzey
Dr. & Mrs. John Middlebrooks
Philip and Pamela Milner
Kenneth Niedziela
Rey O'Day
Mike Peak
Bebe and Otto Reyer
Karen Rook
Jeff and Linda Schulein
Kent and Saudia Sentinella
Joe Simrell
Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Sutton
Dr. Anthony Vasek
Fred and Patricia Viele
Emily Crean Vogler
Gary and Cathy Wyatt
$250 - $499
The Aber Group Inc
Fredric and Lisa Albert
Mike Baginski and Kim Ling
Mrs. Kaui Balderston
George and Linda Bauer
Bruce Beckman
Pat Berry
William and Annette Blaney
Judy Bloomingdale
Ms. Nancy Braden
Scott Brinkerhoff
Mr. Jelle Brons
Sylvia Burnett
David and Lisa Butler
Luisa Cano
Robert and Valerie Carter
Michael Casey
Eileen and Henry Cohen
Anahid Crecelius
Mike Davis
Charles Davison
Myrtle Deakins
Mary Susan Denley
Mr. David Dijkstra
Don and Debra Drysdale
Kent and Irene Dunlap
Doug Elliott
Kelly YuehChun Feng
Joanne Fernbach
Kevin and Candice Gomez
Dan and Nicole Honigman
Harason Horowitz and Mark Chapin Johnson
Melvin and Hazel Hoshiko
Korey Jorgensen
Jessica Kaltman
Arlene Kato and Mike Kurihara
Judy Kaufman
Kerry Krisher
Bruce Larson
Michael Lawler
Vicki and Richard Lee
Robert and Kathy Lopez
Edward Luedke
Capt. Kevin M. Mac Donnell
Dr. Frank and Mrs. Linda Meyskens
William D. Miller and Florence E. Miller
Daniel Morrison
Ms. Maryellen Musgrave
Susan O'Brien
Cyrus Parker-Jeannette
Jorge Perez Valdes
Brad Rawlins
Kenneth Reinhard and Julia Reinhard Lupton
Mr. and Mrs. Rivadeneyra
Dr. Stephen Rochford
Paul Schmidhauser and Cindy Hughes
Kris and Geraldine Shah
Richard and Ann Sim
Gary and Melanie Singer Charitable Fund
Dorothy J. Solinger
Tina Sommers-Bernhardt
Daniel and Jeanne Stokols
Sullivan Family
Kim Tang
Cindy Tyan
Alvin Umeda
Jeanne Villacorte
Beth Waterman
Carl and Deborah Weinert
Mark and Lou-Ann Weltman
Hemantha and Sophie Wickramasinghe
Jim and Sandra Williams
Dexter and Gisele Winzey
Kelley Yasbek
Andy and Wendy Yurcho
$100-$249
Brian and Gloria Abrams
Susan Adleman
Hoku and Kalani Aichele
Lillian Aranda
Theresa Battel
Rosanne and William Beam
Melissa Beck and Daniel Pugh
Sally Bender
Stephen and Susan Billard
Chris Blank and Josie Badeaux
Mr. Paul Blank
Carol Boot-Storie
Kerry and Paul Boulian
Mr. and Mrs. J. Boyer
William and Lindsay Brennan
Mr. Steven Brenneis
Dawn Burdick
Mr. & Mr. Christopher Cabrera
Peggy Campbell
Dr. Michael Cater, MD
Ms. Sarah Chamberlain
Patrick J. Chambers
Grace Chen
Jeff Corp
David Coscia and Mark Armstrong
Vivian Daniel
RJ, Rita, and Timmy De Rama
In Memory of Irene DeNoia
Ernest Duarte
Ron and May Duff
Peggie Fariss
Mr. Kevin Finley
Aviva and Fred Forster
Ms. Ellen Fujikawa
Eileen Garbutt
Charles Gates
Mr. John Gibbs
Manuel Godoy
Michael and Kristina Golden
Anna Gonosova
Ms. Judith Guffey
Patricia Hansen
Gayle and Phil Harp
Sheila and Hal Harrison
Jennifer Hart
Fred and Cheryl Heinecke
Edwin Henderson
Julie Hill
Ms. Jan Hirsch
Peter Holden and Angela Howley-Holden
Holmes Family
Rita B Hopper
Dr. Dena Hulbert
Mr. Simon Huttegger
W. Itoga & Sons
Gary Jackson and Linda Globerman Jackson
Laurie Jacobs
Jasbir Nami Kaur
Kyle and Cherrill Kawakami
John Keating
Mrs. Patricia Keenan
Kenneth Keller
Audrey Kapelinski
Lynne Koffler
Colin and Joan Koransky
Karen Kotake
Angela Kraus
Mr. Richard Krey
Jennifer and Robert Langer
Robert and Karen Lechich
Cheryl and James Lewis
Amy Li
Dave and Jennifer Link
Anne Llewellyn
Willard and Bettina Loomis
Ramon Lugo
Ms. Helene Luley
Lorena Mague
Dr. Sari Mahon
Ms. Amira Mansour
Milena Marsico
Christine A. Marx
Thomas and Glynett Mcteer
Erica Morikawa
Elaine and Cameron Mummery
Mr. Ramon Munoz
Ms. Barbara Musil
Ms. Elizabeth Olson
Virginia Olson
Tilden and Lisa Osako
Judy Oswald
Lauren and Richard Packard
Tom and Diane Pardue
Gerald Parham
Thomas and Davida Parham
Karin S. Paul
Ms. Julie Patterson
Dr. Dolly Platt
Paul Ramey
Elaine Ramsay
Anita and Bruce Reisman
Dennis and Marie Richman
Paul and Kristen Schmidt
Jack and Katharine Schoellerman
Jill Sekiguchi, DDS
George Sidorakis
Tom Slickelman
John L. Smith and Mary Anne Anthony-Smith
Jack and Molly Spiegel
Michael and Marilyn Staffieri
Ingrid Strayer
D. Stroebel
John and Margaret Sun
James and Nadine Turner
Margaret Vaneck
Joanne Vargas
Linda Venezia
Kathy Vickers
Elliot Vogelfanger
David and Renee Warren
Philip and Judith Westin
Bruce and Susie White
Steven and Elizabeth White
Henry and Yen Yang Wu
Susan Yee
Hoku and Mark Aichele
Kaui Balderston
Gregory Bates and Joann
Leatherby
Melissa Beck and Daniel Pugh
Rachel Berman and David Finch
Paul Blank
Mr. and Mrs. J. Boyer
Nancy and Wayne Broadhag
David Coscia and Mark
Armstrong
Vivian Daniel
Charles and Maureen Davison
RJ, Rita, and Timmy De Rama
Eduardo and Elsie Espinosa
Judith Guffey
Roger and Patt Grable
Kevin and Candice Gomez
Paul and Marilynn Gushard
Patricia Hansen
Gayle and Phil Harp
Lisa Hudson
Kyle and Cherrill Kawakami
Karen Kotake
Lorena Mague
Janis and Dave Murray
Hon. Julie A. C. Owen
Julie Patterson
Christopher and Lynne Ramsey
Brad and Susie Rawlins
Jill Sekiguchi
Traci Shirachi and Cory Chhiap
Michael and Marilyn Staffieri
Tom Slickelman
Fred and Patricia Viele
David and Renee Warren
Bruce and Susie White
Roxanne Wong
Andrew and Wendy Yurcho