Mondavi Center Presents
Unlimited Miles:
Miles Davis at 100
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
7:30pm
Jackson Hall
Unlimited Miles: Miles Davis at 100 keeps one foot rooted in the rich legacy of Miles Davis while the other leaps boldly into the future.
Under the direction of award-winning pianist and composer John Beasley, this starry sextet — saxophonist Mark Turner, trumpeter Sean Jones, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, bassist Ben Williams, and drummer Terreon Gully — delves into the visionary spirit and boundless creativity of Davis.
Immerse yourself in arrangements covering each decade of Davis’ career and explore the countless ways his music continues to inspire.
Sponsored by
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The Nancy and Hank Fisher Family Fund
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Capital Public Radio
Artist Bios
John Beasley
Piano
John Beasley
Pianist, composer, and arranger John Beasley has built a genre-spanning career that bridges jazz, classical, pop, and film/TV music. A musical shapeshifter with deep jazz roots, he performed with Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard in his 20s and has since collaborated with Dianne Reeves, Christian McBride, Chaka Khan, A.R. Rahman, Chucho Valdés, and Steely Dan, among others.
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 nominations, two Latin GRAMMY nods, and an Edison Award.
As Music Director for the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, he leads International Jazz Day global gala concerts staged in cities from Istanbul and Havana to Osaka and Tangier. His musical direction for the Jazz at the White House broadcast earned an Emmy nomination.
Beasley currently tours with Dianne Reeves, MONK’estra, and European orchestras, while preparing three 2026 releases — Echoform, Secrets, and Unlimited Miles: Celebrating Miles Davis at 100 — supported by global tours. When not touring, he collaborates with 15× Oscar-nominated composer Thomas Newman on film scores including Skyfall and Spectre.
Sean Jones
Trumpet
Sean Jones
Music and spirituality have always been intertwined in the artistic vision of trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator, and activist Sean Jones. After a six-month stint with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis offered him a permanent position as lead trumpeter of the ensemble, a post he held from 2004 until 2010. In 2015, Mr. Jones was tapped to become a member of the SFJAZZ Collective. Jones has been prominently featured in recordings and performances with many major figures in jazz, including Illinois Jacquet, Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, Nancy Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Gerald Wilson, and Marcus Miller. Jones is an internationally recognized educator. He is president of the Jazz Education Network and holds the Richard and Elizabeth Case Chair in Jazz Studies at The John Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute in Baltimore. As well as artistic Director for the NYO JAZZ Program of Carnegie Hall. Previously, he served as chair of the Brass department at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Max Turner
Saxophone
Max Turner
In a career that spans two decades and encompasses a broad array of musical ventures, saxophonist Mark Turner has emerged as a towering presence in the jazz community. With a distinctive, personal tone, singular improvisational skills, and an innovative, challenging compositional approach, he’s earned a far-reaching reputation as one of jazz’s most original and influential musical forces. He has released more than a dozen albums as leader and is also prolific as a sideman. He has recorded and toured with musicians as diverse as Jakob Bro, Tom Harrell, Billy Hart, Ed Simon, Enrico Rava, Kurt Rosenwinkel, David Virelles, Ethan Iverson, Baptiste Trotignon, and the SFJAZZ Collective.
Kurt Rosenwinkel
Guitar
Kurt Rosenwinkel
Kurt Rosenwinkel is a highly acclaimed and influential jazz guitarist, composer, and bandleader. Hailed as one of the most important jazz musicians of his generation, Rosenwinkel has spent decades pushing the boundaries of the jazz genre and developing a signature sound that has captivated audiences worldwide. With a career spanning over 30 years, Kurt Rosenwinkel has released a series of groundbreaking albums, collaborated with jazz legends, and continues to inspire the next generation of jazz musicians. His innovative approach to composition and improvisation has made him a household name among jazz enthusiasts.
Ben Williams
Bass
Ben Williams
For more than a decade, Ben Williams has steadily become one of the most acclaimed and versatile bassists in modern jazz. Williams’ rise to prominence began after he won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in the double bass category back in 2009. Three years later, he nabbed a Grammy® for Best Jazz Instrumental Album as a member of guitarist Pat Metheny’s Unity Band. He has performed/recorded with such giants as Pat Metheny, George Benson, Stefon Harris, David Sanborn, Lauryn Hill, Wynton Marsalis, Robert Glasper, Maxwell, and Nicholas Payton. In 2013 and 2015 Williams received the DownBeat Magazine Critics Poll Rising Star Award for Bass.
Terreon Gully
Drums
Terreon Gully
Grammy Award-winning musician Terreon Gully is one of the most influential artists of his generation. When not busy with The Christian McBride Band, Stefon Harris, David Sanborn or Yerba Buena, Terreon finds time to squeeze in working with artists including Burning Spear, Lauren Hill and Roy Ayers. Known for his authenticity and versatility, Terreon performs in a variety of genres and musical settings, working with the best. From reggae pioneers, hip hop icons, to jazz legends, Terreon has performed, toured, and recorded with many artists, among them: the Benny Green Trio, Charlie Hunter, Real Live Band, Diane Reeves, Abbey Lincoln, Marc Cary, Russell Gunn, Lizz Wright, Jackie Terrason, and Common as well as a host of other artists. In addition to live performances, Terreon is known for his exceptional work in the studio, recording for albums, films, and commercials.
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