Jim Beard, Steely Dan Keyboardist, Dies at 63

Jim Beard, a keyboardist who performed with Steely Dan, has died on the age of 63. Based on a press release, the composer, producer and arranger died on March 2 “from issues on account of a sudden sickness.”

The musician has been a touring performer with Steely Dan since 2008. Most just lately, he was on tour with the band as they supported the Eagles on their Lengthy Goodbye tour. His final present with them was on Jan. 20 in Phoenix.

Beard was born on Aug. 26, 1960, in Philadelphia. By his teenagers, he was finding out arranging with jazz composer and trombonist Don Sebesky and the piano with British keyboardist George Shearing. In school, he performed with jazz musicians Slide Hampton and Purple Rodney.

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In 1985 Beard moved to New York Metropolis, the place he continued to select up gigs and play stay and within the studio with jazz and fusion musicians.

Who Else Did Keyboardist Jim Beard Play With?

He turned a touring member of guitarist John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu within the mid-’80s and began working with saxophonist Wayne Shorter in 1986. Over the following half-decade, Beard toured with jazz guitarists Joe Scofield and Pat Metheny.

Round this time, Beard launched the primary of his solo albums, 1990’s Track of the Solar. Greater than a half-dozen adopted till just a few years in the past.

He stayed busy over the many years writing, arranging and performing with dozens of artists, together with Bela Fleck, Al Jarreau, John Mayer, Meshell Ndegeocello, David Sanborn, Esperanza Spalding and Steve Vai. In 2008, he was recruited by Steely Dan as their touring keyboardist; he additionally carried out on solo works by late Steely Dan co-founder and guitarist Walter Becker.

The assertion saying Beard’s demise notes that he died in a New York hospital “surrounded by family members” and is survived by a son, daughter, his mom and a brother and sister.

Steely Dan missed some dates on the Eagles tour final fall when chief Donald Fagen fell ailing and was within the hospital. The tour will play Chicago this weekend.