Ben Sidran

Ben Hirsh Sidran (born August 14, 1943) is an American jazz and rock pianist, organist, vocalist and writer born in Chicago, Illinois, noted for his work with the early Steve Miller Band.

Sidran was raised in Racine, Wisconsin, and attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1961, where he became a member of The Ardells along with Steve Miller and Boz Scaggs. When Miller and Scaggs left Wisconsin for the West Coast and stardom, Sidran stayed behind to earn a degree in English literature. After graduating in 1966, Sidran enrolled in the University of Sussex, England, to pursue a PhD degree in American Studies.

Sidran rejoined Miller in an English recording studio the next year, playing on the 1968 album Children of the Future. While in England, Sidran was a session musician for artists who included Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Peter Frampton and Charlie Watts. Following the departure of Scaggs and Jim Peterman from Miller’s band in 1969, Sidran joined as a full-time keyboardist, appearing on the albums Brave New World, Your Saving Grace, Number 5 and Recall the Beginning…A Journey from Eden. After a brief stint in Los Angeles, where he began his career as a recording artist (teamed with Scaggs and drummer Jim Keltner) and record producer, Sidran returned to Madison in 1971 and has kept the university town as a home-base ever since, playing often with such Madison-based talents as drummer Clyde Stubblefield and keyboardist-composer Leo Sidran, Sidran’s son. Over the years, while continuing to travel, perform and produce, he taught courses at the university (on the business of music) and, beginning in 1981, hosted a variety of jazz programs for NPR (including the Peabody Award-winning Jazz Alive series) and for VH1 television (where his New Visions series in the early 1990s won the Ace Award.)

As a musician and a producer he has released 34 solo recordings and collaborated with jazz and pop artists who include Mose Allison, Van Morrison, Diana Ross, and Rickie Lee Jones. His written works include the book Black Talk (on the sociology of black music in America), the memoir A Life in the Music, Talking Jazz, a collection of his historic interviews with jazz musicians and There Was a Fire: Jews, Music and the American Dream, a cultural history of the Jewish contribution to American popular music during the 20th century and a finalist for the 2012 National Jewish Book Award.

Sidran has been referred to by the Chicago Sun Times as a “Renaissance man cast adrift in a modern world”, and by The Times as “the first existential jazz rapper”, in reference to his preferred mix of humorous, erudite commentary while playing grooves and bebop. He continues to lecture at universities, most recently on the subject of “Jews, Music and the American Dream”.

Talking Jazz includes an 80-page booklet with essays from writers, critics and musicians, classic photos from Lee Tanner, and 24 compact discs featuring conversations with 60 jazz musicians, recorded during a five-year period for Sidran’s award-winning NPR program Sidran on Record. The 24 CDs orchestrated by Sidran document the speaking voice of jazz musicians, including Miles Davis, Art Blakey, and others.

More info at the official website.

Selected Discography

The Cat And The Hat

Horizon Records & Tapes 1979

Tracks: Minority, Blue Daniel, Ballin' The Jack, Like Sonny, Girl Talk, Seven Steps To Heaven, Hi-Fly, Ask Me Now & Give It To The Kids.

Musicians on the Cat And The Hat album: Ben Sidran, Buzz Feiten, Lee Ritenour, Abraham Laboriel, Suzanne Ciani, Don Grolnick, Mike Mainieri, Ian Underwood, Steve Gadd, Paulinho Da Costa, Victor Feldman, Michael Brecker, Pete Christlieb, Joe Henderson, Jim Horn, Tom Scott, Miles Davis, Gary Grant, Tom Harrell, Jerry Hey, Dick Hyde, Clause Brooks, Thish Campbell, Craig Davis, Mike Finnegan, Frank Floyd, Gordon Gordy, Max Gronenthal, Gerard Randell & Luther Vandross.

A Little Kiss In The Night

Arista Records 1978

Tracks: Kiss In The Night, You Got The Power, Moose The Mooche, Cadillac Kid, That's Life I Guess, Doing You, Tell Old Bill, Mr. Bill Goes To Brazil & Face Your Fears.

Musicians on the A Little Kiss In The Night album: Ben Sidran, Arthur Adams, James Cooke, Jim Ed Davis, Jay Graydon, Bob Glaub, Gerald Johnson, Abraham Laboriel, Bill Meeker, Gary Coleman, David Woodford, Phil Woods, Mike Melvoin, Blue Mitchell, Mike Melvoin, Rosemary Butler, Mike Finnigan, Max Gronenthal & Sea Food Mama Singers.

The Doctor Is In

Arista Records 1977

Tracks: Get It Yourself, Song For A Sucker Like You, Broad Daylight, One Way Grave, See You On The Other Side, Set Yourself Free, Silver Serenade, Nobody's Fool, Charlie's Blues, Goodbye Pork Pie Hat & Be Nice.

Musicians on the Doctor Is In album: Ben Sidran, Larry Carlton, Phil Upchurch, Richard Davis, Chuck Domanico, John Guerin, Gary Mallaber, Tony Williams, Ray Armando, Gary Malaber & Blue Mitchell.

Free In America

Arista Records 1976

Tracks: Feel Your Groove, After Midnight, Sunday Kind Of Love, Let's Make A Deal, Beg For It (The Real Thing), New York State Of Mind, You Talk Too Much, The Cuban Connection & Free In America.

Musicians on the Free In America album: Ben Sidran, James Cooke, Phil Upchurch, Gary Zappa, Richard Tee, Bill Meeker, Henry Gibson, Michael Brecker, David Newman, Sonny Seals, Randy Brecker, Woody Shaw, Les Hopper, Jerry Alexander, Gavin Christopher, Kitty Haywood, Vivian Haywood & Mary Ann Stewart.