J. C. Heard

Infobox Musical artist
Name = J.C. Heard


Img_capt = A fanclub poster.
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = James Charles Heard
Born = birth date|1917|8|10
Dayton, Ohio, United States
Died = death date and age|1988|9|27|1917|8|10
Royal Oak, Michigan, United States
Genre = Bebop, swing, blues
Occupation = Drummer
Years_active = 1939-1980s

J. C. Heard a.k.a. James Charles Heard (born August 10, 1917 in Dayton, Ohio, died September 27, 1988 in Royal Oak, Michigan) was a United States swing, bop, and blues drummer.

Heard was a very supportive drummer, versatile enough to fit comfortably into swing, bop and blues settings. He obtained his first important professional job with Teddy Wilson in 1939 and continued performing into the 1980s. He performed with Lena Horne, Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon, Benny Carter, Cab Calloway, Erroll Garner, Jazz at the Philharmonic, Pete Johnson, Charlie Parker, Sir Charles Thompson, Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge besides leading his own groups.

In 1946-47, he recorded with top bop musicians, led his own band at Cafe Society, was a member of Erroll Garner's trio, and toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic. In the years 1953 through 1957, he spent time in Japan as a singer/entertainer, mentoring young Japanese singers and musicians like Yukimura Izumi, George Kawaguchi and Franky Sakai. During 1957-66 he freelanced in New York (playing with the Coleman Hawkins-Roy Eldridge Quintet and with Teddy Wilson's trio in 1961). In 1966 J.C. Heard moved to Detroit where he worked as a bandleader and a mentor to younger musicians into the mid-'80s.