Jim Beard | |
|---|---|
_croped.jpg) Beard (center) performing with Steely Dan in 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Arthur Beard |
| Born | August 26, 1960 Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | March 2, 2024 (aged 63) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz fusion |
| Occupations | Musician, composer, arranger |
| Instrument | Keyboards |
| Years active | 1985–2024 |
| Formerly of | Steely Dan, Mahavishnu Orchestra |
| Website | jimbeard |
James Arthur Beard (August 26, 1960 – March 2, 2024) was an American jazz pianist and keyboardist, composer, arranger and producer who worked with Steely Dan, Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Mike Stern, Dennis Chambers, and Bob Berg, among others. First performing professionally in college alongside a bar band, Beard then became the pianist of McLaughlin's band, Mahavishnu, after moving to New York in 1985. He also produced seven albums from 1990 through 2019, and wrote several compositions for jazz artists.