Pianist, singer/songwriter, producer, author, and host
Ben Sidran is a literate performer known for his engaging, jazz-influenced sound and laid-back, conversational style. Essentially a pianist/vocalist with a storytelling approach in the tradition of
Mose Allison,
Sidran grew from a supporting player with rocker
Steve Miller to a solo performer, and to an award-winning radio and TV host. Along the way, he has produced albums for such luminaries as
Allison,
Van Morrison,
Michael Franks,
Rickie Lee Jones, and others. He has also hosted shows for National Public Radio and VH1.
Born in Chicago in 1943,
Sidran grew up in Racine, Wisconsin. In the early '60s, he played with
Steve Miller and
Boz Scaggs in a band called the Ardells at the University of Wisconsin. After
Miller moved to San Francisco and secured a recording contract, he called on old friend
Sidran to join him in
the Steve Miller Band following the departure of original keyboardist
Jim Peterman.
Sidran contributed on the keys and as songwriter on several
Miller albums beginning with
Brave New World in 1969, co-writing the classic "Space Cowboy" and three other tunes on that LP. He also authored "Steve Miller's Midnight Tango" on
Number 5 and collaborated with
Miller on several other tunes through the years. He also produced his friend's underappreciated
Recall the Beginning...A Journey from Eden in 1972.
Sidran received a Ph.D. in philosophy/musicology, writing his doctoral thesis on African-American culture and music in the United States. The thesis was published to positive critical response in 1971 as Black Talk. Since 1972, he has released a number of solo albums in a cool, easy swinging style similar to
Allison, including 1976's
Free in America, 1977's
The Doctor Is In, and 1978's A Little Kiss in the Night. While his early albums relied on acoustic instruments and lyrical references to his musical heroes, his later releases used electronic instruments and tasty synthesizers for an interesting sound best presented on albums like 1985's On the Cool Side and 1988's
Too Hot to Touch.
Through the years,
Sidran and
Miller have remained close friends, popping up from time to time on one another's recordings or live performances. In 1988,
Sidran co-produced one of
Miller's most interesting latter-day recordings,
Born 2B Blue, a collection of jazz standards dressed up in the same cool, low-key arrangements
Sidran employs on his own albums. Also during the '80s,
Sidran began expanding his profile by hosting shows for National Public Radio, including the Jazz Alive series, for which he earned a Peabody Award.
During the '90s,
Sidran released a number of albums on his own Go Jazz label, including 1994's
Life's a Lesson, 1996's
Mr. P's Shuffle, and 1999's The Concert for García Lorca. He also appeared on television, hosting the Ace Award-winning New Visions program on VH1. Also during this period, he collaborated with
Van Morrison and
Georgie Fame on the tribute album Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison. He then formed the Nardis label with his son, and delivered such efforts as 2004's
Nick's Bump, 2006's Live à Fip, 2009's
Dylan Different, and 2013's
Don't Cry for No Hipster. In 2017
Sidran returned with Picture Him Happy, a philosophical production centered on the myth of Sisyphus and featuring backing from guitarist
Will Bernard, bassist
Will Lee, saxophonist
John Ellis, and others. ~ Jim Newsom