Faculty

Hailing from Dallas, Texas, Edwin Livingston has been involved in music from a young age. His many musical pursuits have led him to record and tour extensively with these celebrated artists: 

Elvin Jones, Ellis, Delfeayo and Jason Marsalis, The Headhunters, Los Hombres Calientes (Grammy nominated for Best Latin Jazz Album), Bill Summers, Munyungo Jackson, Donald Harrison Jr., Alvin Batiste, Ronnie Laws, Debra Laws, Lionel Loueke, D.J. Logic, David ”Fathead” Newman, John Beasley, The MONK’estra, Otmaro Ruiz, Mike Garson, Russell Ferrante, Sadao Watanabe, Justo Almario, Leni Stern, Kevin Toney of The Blackbyrds, Dave Weckl, Will Kennedy, Peter Erskine, Vince Wilburn, Jr., Jimmy Branly, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Tootie Heath, Dave Weckl, Joe LaBarbera, Hot Buttered Rhythm, Gecko Turner, Henry Butler, James Clay, Barbara Morrison, Queen Latifah, Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Afro-American Chamber Music Society Orchestra, Catina DeLuna & Lado B Brazilian Project (Grammy nominated for Best Arrangement), Benjamin Wright Orchestra, Raphael Saadiq, Justin Timberlake, Will.I.Am, Brian McKnight, Mary J Blige, Aretha Franklin, Dave Slonaker Big Band (Grammy nominated for Best Large Ensemble Album), Vince Mendoza, Bob Mintzer (Grammy nominated for Best Large Ensemble Album), Yellowjackets, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jovanotti, Keiko Matsui, Melody Gardot, Seal, Natalie Cole, Ben Vereen, Sadao Watanabe, Frankie Valli, Thelma Houston and many others. 

Livingston has appeared in several feature films, including Ray, Dreamgirls, Dolemite Is My Name and Low Down. He has performed on NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live with John Legend and Sara Bareilles. He has also performed with Seal on The Late Late Show with James Corden, with Melody Gardot on Later…with Jools Holland, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Today Show, LIVE with Regis and Kelly, and A&E’s Private Sessions with Queen Latifah. 

In addition to a full playing, touring and recording career, he is on the faculty at the USC Thornton School of Music, teaching bass and small ensembles in the Jazz Studies program of the Contemporary Music department. 

Livingston holds an M.F.A. in Performance/Composition from California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). 

His most recent recording, The Edwin Livingston Group: Transitions, is available on all platforms.