Ben Sidran
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| Ben Sidran | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Ben Sidran |
| Born | August 14, 1943 |
| Origin |  Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genre(s) | Jazz, Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Piano, Organ, Vocals |
Ben Sidran (born August 14, 1943) is an American jazz and rock pianist, organist, vocalist and writer born in Chicago, most noteworthy for his work with the early Steve Miller Band (best-known for having written the Steve Miller hit song "The Joker").
Ben was raised in Racine, Wisconsin, and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1961, where he became a member of band 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 Master's degree in American Studies.
Sidran rejoined Miller in an English recording studio the next year, playing on the album "Children of the Future." While in England, he was a session musician for artists that included Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Peter Frampton and Charlie Watts. After a brief stint as a recording artist (teamed with Scaggs and drummer Jim Keltner) and record producer in Los Angeles, Sidran returned to Madison in 1970 and has kept the university town as a home-base ever since, teaming with such Madison-based talents as drummer Clyde Stubblefield and keyboardist-composer Leo Sidran, who is also Ben's son.
Sidran's recordings include "Concert for Garcia Lorca," "Life's a Lesson," “Get to the Point,”“Old Songs for the New Depression,” “Bop City,” “On the Cool Side,” “Have You Met … Barcelona,” “Too Hot to Touch,” "Free in America,” “The Doctor is In,” “A Little Kiss in the Night,” “Live at Montreaux,” “The Cat in the Hat,” "I Lead a Life," "Puttin' In Time," "Planet Earth," and "Don't Let Go." Both as a musician and a producer he has collaborated with artists that include Mose Allison, Van Morrison, David Sanborn, and Rickie Lee Jones. His written works include the book "Black Talk."
[edit] Talking Jazz
Talking Jazz is an eighty page booklet with essays from writers, critics and musicians, classic photos from Lee Tanner, and 24 compact discs featuring conversations with 60 jazz greats, 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.
