“Inspirational, entertaining, life-affirming and swinging like crazy.” – London Jazz News
Ben Sidran’s love of music has led to work as pianist, singer-songwriter, author, record producer and music journalist. Also, he has accomplished many other things in his sixty-year career. Further, he acts as his own short-order cook, juggling his own career and his projects. He has produced Steve Miller, Mose Allison, Diana Ross, Boz Scaggs, Phil Upchurch, Tony Williams, Jon Hendricks, Richie Cole and Van Morrison. He recorded his most recent solo album, 2024’s Rainmaker, in France and features a collection of original songs. He channels today’s complexities through his “hipster” filter and demonstrates why he is indeed the “first ever existential jazz rapper”.
It’s been a long and varied journey for Sidran. As a six-year-old in Racine, Wisconsin, he played boogie-woogie piano, leaning into his jazz records, “literally like an Eskimo huddled around a fire”. Then, he would grow up to play boogie-woogie piano around the world. He may be better known in Europe and Japan than in America. Also, this is a fact of life for most jazz musicians. Despite that, Ben Sidran is an American success story.
He’s a jazz pianist of international renown, lyricist of a rock classic, award-winning national broadcaster, record and video producer. Also, he’s a scholar, author, journalist, and father to a second-generation musical prodigy. Sidran makes your average Renaissance man look like a slacker.
He is joined by his longtime bandmates and collaborators, Billy Peterson on bass and Leo Sidran (his son) on drums. Also, featuring special guest Ricky Peterson on organ.
Recommended for fans of Mose Allison, Marcia Ball, Dan Hicks and Joey DeFrancesco.
📸: Jean-Baptiste Millot
