Steve Beskrone

Adjunct Assistant Professor, School of Music
Bass Department Chair

Contact Info

School of Music

Terra Hall 1005

For approximately 20 years, Steve Beskrone has been a bass instructor at UArts, where he teaches electric and double bass, conducts clinics, and coaches various ensembles. He has been the chair of UArts’ Bass Department for approximately five years.

Biography

Versatility is the key to acoustic/electric bassist Steve Beskrone’s musical achievements. It is this approach that has led him to a wide range of professional and creative settings.

Beskrone has worked and recorded with legends such as Ray Charles, master jazz drummer Philly Joe Jones, jazz guitar icon Pat Martino and jazz pianist-composer Horace Silver. He has also worked with a long list of great musicians that includes Karrin Allyson, Tuck Andress, John Blake, Ralph Bowen, Jimmy Bruno, Uri Caine, Terri Lynne Carrington, Dorothy Donegan, Billy Eckstine, Frank Gambale, Oscar Hernandez, Charlie Hunter, Gloria Lynne, Steve Marcus, Janice Pendarvis, Ralph Peterson, Mickey Roker, Arturo Sandoval, Shirley Scott, Jack Sheldon, Sid Simmons, Terell Stafford, Byron Stripling, Dave Stryker, John Swana, Elio Villafranca, Bobby Watson, Kenny Werner and Dave Valentin. Other artists with whom he has toured, performed and recorded include R&B/pop acts like the 5th Dimension, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Essra Mohawk, Melba Moore, Maria Muldaur, the O’Jays, Freda Payne, Tom Scott, Michael Sembello, the Soul Survivors, the Three Degrees and Mary Wilson.

Beskrone’s involvement in the showrooms of Atlantic City and cabaret scene in the ’80s and ’90s has connected him with many stars, among them Shirley Bassey, George Burns, Nell Carter, Perry Como, Buddy Greco, Robert Klein, Dean Martin, Maureen McGovern, Jaye P. Morgan, Helen Reddy, Debbie Reynolds, Don Rickels, Chita Rivera, Joan Rivers, Bobby Rydell, Leslie Uggams and many others.

Experience

  • Beskrone studied bass with legendary bassist and educator Al Stauffer.
  • From 1974 to 1976, Beskrone attended the Philadelphia Musical Academy (now University of the Arts). There, he studied with Neil Courtney of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
  • Beskrone has performed at many international festivals and venues as diverse as the Newport Jazz Festival, Rhode Island; the Antibes Festival, 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, Birdland and the Iridium in N.Y.C. He has appeared on NBC’s Saturday Night Live and PBS’ Sesame Street with Ray Charles.
  • Most recently, he was part of sax great and former James Brown sideman Maceo Parker’s tribute to Ray Charles. The project performed at the Exit Zero Festival in Cape May, New York, Rochester Jazz Fest, Saratoga Jazz Festival and the Ottawa Jazz Fest.
  • Beskrone was house bassist at the innovative Prince Music Theater. He is bassist for Philadelphia Theater Company, Opera Philadelphia, and rhythm section bassist for the great Philly Pops Orchestra and the newly formed Philly Pops Big Band.

Connect with Steve Beskrone on Facebook 

Work

Awards & Accolades

Spotlight feature, Philly Pops, 2018
Performance listing, Collingswood, 2014
Horace Silver Quintet, Live from Umbria Jazz Festival, 1976
Cavalcade of Bands Jazz Clinician 

Contact

sbeskrone@uarts.edu
215-514-2069