Ben Sidran

Born: August 14, 1943

Ben Sidran has been a major force in the modern day history of jazz and rock and roll, having played keyboards with or produced such artists as Van Morrison, Diana Ross, Michael Franks, Rickie Lee Jones, Mose Allison and Steve Miller.

It's been a long and varied journey for Sidran—from playing boogie-woogie piano as a six year old in Racine, Wisconsin, leaning into his jazz records, “literally like an Eskimo huddled around a fire,” to growing up to play boogie-woogie piano around the world. Despite the reality that he is better known in Europe and Japan than in America—a fact of life for most jazz musicians—Ben Sidran is an American success story.

Tomorrow May Not Be Your Day: The Unissued Atco Recordings 1970-1971

By Jesse Ed Davis

Label: Real Gone Music
Released: 2025
Track listing: Tomorrow May Not Be Your Day; Crazy Love; Kansas City; Rock and Roll Gypsies; Tracks Of My Tears; Every Night Is Saturday Night; Love Minus Zero/No Limit; Slinky Jam; Qualified; Washita Love Child ( jam 1); Washita Love Child (jam 2); kiowa teepee (Washita Love Child); Washita Love Child; Ain��t No Beatle; Caravan; Pat's Song (Golden Sun Goddess); Ululu.

Remembering Nancy King, New Releases From Colin Hancock's Jazz Hounds featuring Catherine Russell, Plus Amy Engelhardt, Dara Starr Tucker, Jennifer Madsen & More

by Mary Foster Conklin
August 25, 2025

This broadcast includes new releases from Colin Hancock's Jazz Hounds featuring Catherine Russell, Amy Engelhardt, Dara Starr Tucker and Jennifer Madsen, with birthday shoutouts to Bernice Petkere (Close Your Eyes, Lullaby of the Leaves), Terry Pollard, Iola Brubeck, Ben Sidran, Mary Stallings, Cecilia Smith, Jenny Klukken, Lenora Zenzali Helm, among others, plus a remembrance of the ...

Tom Gershwin, Jim Witzel, Jonathan Moritz, Jennifer Madsen and more

by Benjamin Boddie
August 20, 2025

Today's Music--Right Now! Fantastic music by Tom Gershwin, Tyler Henderson, Tyreek McDole, Jim Witzel, Jonathan Moritz, Jennifer Madsen, Airmen Of Note, Art Hirahara, NYO Jazz, Etienne Charles, Alex Sipiagin, Joe Farnsworth, Dwight Trible, Greg Chako, Mike Clark & Mike Zilber, Danny Grissett, Naama, Ben Sidran, Benny Benack III, Nicole Glover, Alan Broadbent, Jacob Chung, Mark Winkler, ...

RIP Sheila Jordan, New Music from Carlos Jimenez, Eric Alexander & Vincent Herring, and more, Birthday Music from Cyrille Aimee, Stuff Smith, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and More

by David W. Daniels
August 19, 2025

The program will feature classic jazz, current jazz that is in the tradition of classic jazz, jazz fusion, and music by local artists covering all forms of jazz.? We do this in three hour long segments: 1: Classic jazz; 2: Recent jazz that is in the tradition; and 3: Jazz musicians who had birthdays during the ...

Ben Sidran at 82: Still auditioning for the role of myself

by Leo Sidran
August 16, 2025

Every year on his birthday, my dad Ben Sidran and I sit down for a conversation. It started when he turned 76, and we've done it ever since--capturing an ongoing record of where his head and heart are at that particular moment. Over the years we've talked about music, memory, politics, travel, the craft ...

Moses Patrou on songwriting, survival, and his new album Confession of a Fool

by Leo Sidran
July 24, 2025

New York-based multi-instrumentalist Moses Patrou has quietly carved out a singular career over the last two decades--as a drummer, percussionist, singer, songwriter, organist, and sideman to many (including Amy Helm, Ben Sidran and Will Bernard). With the release of his new album Confession of a Fool, Patrou steps into the spotlight with what feels like a ...

Joanie Pallato & Bradley Parker Sparrow, Peter Johnstone, Fareed Haque

by Cheryl K.
July 19, 2025

During this week's two-hour program of Jazz and improvised music, we start off with pianist Sonny Clark (July 21, 1931--January 13, 1963). Then onto selections from new releases by the trio Transcendence, vocalist/composer Joanie Pallatto and pianist/composer Bradley Parker-Sparrow, reed player Dave Liebman, percussionist Adam Rudolph, and drummer Billy Hart, keyboardist Peter Johnstone, guitarist Fareed Hague, ...

Alan Broadbent, Jacob Chung, Allan Harris, Nicole Glover and more

by Benjamin Boddie
July 18, 2025

Today's Music--Right Now! Fantastic music by Alan Broadbent, Jacob Chung, Bill O'Connell, Allan Harris, Nicole Glover, Michael Dease, Joshua Redman, Tessa Souter, Tim Jago, Mike Clark & Mike Zilber, Tyler Henderson, Jed Levy, Joe Kennedy, Kieran Brown, Nicholas Payton, Dave Anderson, Dave Bass, Karla Harris, Jordan VanHemert, Dom Salvador, Eric Scott Reed, Tyreek McDole, and more. ...

Benny Benack III, Brandee Younger, Something Blue, Robert Glasper and more

by Benjamin Boddie
July 9, 2025

Today's Music--Right Now! Fantastic music by Benny Benack III, Brandee Younger, Mike Clark & Mike Zilber, Ola Onabule/Nicolas Meier, Something Blue, Diego Rivera, Robert Glasper, Tessa Souter, Michael Dease, Clifford Jordan, Cyrus Chestnut, Mark Masters Ensemble, John Clayton, Hot Toddies Jazz Band, Planet D Nonet, Behn Gillece, Bobby West, NYO Jazz, Pete McGuinness, Rob Clearfield, Tyreek ...