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• Marlon Simon Latin Jazz Ensemble

Versatility is the key to bassist Steve Beskrone's musical achievements. It is this approach that has led him to a wide range of professional and creative settings. He has worked and recorded with legends such as Ray Charles (featuring David "Fathead" Newman, Hank Crawford, Marcus Belgrave, B.B. King, Milt Jackson, Jimmy Heath, Johnny Coles and others), jazz pianist-composer Horace Silver (with Miles Davis alumnus Bob Berg and trumpet great Tom Herrell), jazz guitar icon Pat Martino and master jazz drummer Philly Joe Jones. Others include Billy Eckstine, Gloria Lynne, Janice Pendarvis, Jack Sheldon, Frank Gambale, Charlie Hunter, Tuck Andress, Jimmy Bruno, Bobby Watson, Steve Marcus, Kenny Werner, Terell Stafford, Ralph Peterson, Terri Lynne Carrington, Karrin Allyson, Uri Caine, John Swana, Elio Villafranca, Arturo Sandoval, Lenny White, Billy Hart, Shirley Scott, Mickey Roker and Dorothy Donegan. Other artists he has toured and recorded with include R&B/pop acts like Michael Sembello, the 5th Dimension, Freda Payne, Melba Moore, Tom Scott, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, the Three Degrees and the Soul Survivors. Steve can be heard on the Ray Charles recording "Love & Peace" on Atlantic Records as well as being seen and heard with Pat Martino on the Warner Brothers video "Quantum Guitar" filmed live, in concert, at the Knitting Factory in New York.

Steven's musical pursuits have taken him around the world. He has performed at many international festivals and venues as diverse as the Newport Jazz, the Antibes Festival in France, the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, the Umbria Festival in Italy, the Frankfurt Jazz Festival in Germany, numerous tours of Japan to Carnegie Hall, the Blue Note and the Bottom Line in N.Y.C. He has appeared on NBC's Saturday Night Live and PBS' Sesame Street with Ray Charles and recently appeared on ABC's Good Morning America and CBS' Day and Date show with Pat Martino. He also was a part of a televised reunion concert of the Original 5th Dimension with Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis on NBC's Today Show. Steve shared the stage at Alice Tully Hall and NYC's Central Park Summerstage as part of "FiddleFest" with Uptown String Quartet violinist Diane Monroe featuring such luminaries as Itzak Perlman, Arnold Steinhart, Wynton Marsalis, Mark O'Connor and others. In addition, Steve played on the soundtrack of the film, "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" about the unsung studio musicians of Motown.

Steve's involvement in the showroom and cabaret scene for the past few years has connected him with a great variety of stars. Among these are Shirley Bassey, Leslie Uggams, Jaye P. Morgan, Debbie Reynolds, George Burns, Joan Rivers, Chita Rivera, Perry Como, Dean Martin, Helen Reddy, Bobby Rydell, Nell Carter, Don Rickels and many others. Steve toured the US with the Broadway production of the musicals "Blood Brothers" and "Anything Goes" in Philadelphia. Also, Steve was a member of the Philadelphia 76er's HouseBand, playing for 20,000 fans every home game.

A native of Philadelphia, Steven grew up with the melting pot of musical influences that a city like Philly has to offer. He studied bass with Al Stauffer and attended the Philadelphia Musical Academy (PMA) (now a part of the University of the Arts). There he studied bass with Neil Courtney of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Steve played in the PMA jazz band under the direction of Evan Solot as well as performing with the PMA orchestra under a variety of conductors. He is currently on the faculty at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

Steve's bass style can be described as supportive, sensitive and soulful with a unique, melodic and singing solo voice. Steve currently is endorsing D'Addario strings.

Steve has been on Musicopia’s roster since 2003 and regularly subs for the Marlon Simon Latin Jazz Ensemble, which conducts the Afro-Caribbean Rhythms assembly and residency programs.