Jim Beard

Jim Beard
Beard (center) performing with Steely Dan in 2017
Background information
Birth name	James Arthur Beard
Born	(1960-08-26)August 26, 1960 Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	March 2, 2024(2024-03-02) (aged 63) New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Jazz fusion
Occupations	Musician, composer, arranger
Instrument(s)	Keyboards
Years active	1985–2024
Formerly of	Steely Dan, Mahavishnu Orchestra
Website	jimbeard.com

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.