Ben Sidran Timeline

Timeline

Click on year to jump to that decade

1970

1980

1990

2000

1943

Born in Chicago, Illinois August 14.

1963

Began playing with
Steve Miller and Boz Scaggs
in a band called the Ardells
at the University of Wisconsin.

Ben in 1963

1964

Moves to San Francisco, studies with John Handy.

1966

Graduates from University of Wisconsin with a B.A. in English Literature, cum laude.

1967

Moves to England. Enters University of Sussex and begins session work.

1
9
6
8

Plays harpsichord on Boz Scagg's "Baby's Calling Me Home" on The Steve Miller Band's first album "Children of the Future".

Receives Master of Philosophy degree from University of Sussex. Arrives in Paris in time for the student uprising.

1
9
6
9

Appears on The Steve Miller Band's "Brave New World" album. Co-writes the classic Miller tune "Space Cowboy."

More session work in London including work with Eric Clapton, Rolling Stones and Spooky Tooth.

Records demo tape produced by Glyn Johns with guest appearances by Charlie Watts, Peter Frampton and Greg Ridley.

Plays on Steve Miller's "Your Saving Grace."

1
9
7
0

Receives a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Sussex. Moves to Los Angeles.

Plays keyboards on AB Skhy's Ramblin' On.

Continues to co-write songs with Steve Miller including four songs on Miller's "Number Five" album.

1
9
7
1

Ben's PhD dissertation is published as "Black Talk."

Appears on Gene Clark's White Light album, as well as Jesse Ed Davis's self-titled album, and Boz Scaggs' "Moments."

Ben's first album for Capitol Records, "Feel Your Groove" is released.

1971, Ben recording "Feel Your Groove" sessions in Capitol Studio A

(L»R) Jim Keltner (drums), Sandy Konikoff (percussion), Gary Malabar (drums), Jesse "Ed" Davis (guitar), Arnold Rosenthal (bass), Ben (piano)

1

9

7

2

Moves to Madison, Wisconsin.

Produces Steve Miller's "Recall the Beginning: A Journey From Eden", and appears on Phil Upchurch's "Darkness, Darkness".

Releases his "I Lead a Life" album on Blue Thumb Records.

1

9

7

3

Produces Scottish rock band Glencoe's "Spirit of Glencoe" album.

His "Puttin' In Time on Planet Earth" album is released on Blue Thumb Records.

Teaches "Social Aesthetics of Record Production" at the University of Wisconsin department of Communication Arts.

Produces and hosts "The Weekend Starts Now," a weekly late-night television series.

Produces Paul Pena's legendary unreleased album which includes the original version of "Jet Airliner" which later becomes a Steve Miller hit.

Produces Tony Williams' "Old Bum's Rush" and appears on Steve Miller's "Anthology."

1

9

7

4

Releases "Don't Let Go" on Blue Thumb Records and begins first national tour.

Performs at Paul's Mall in Boston with George Benson and also at the Main Point in Philadelphia with the Persuasions.

With Jane Fonda on "The Weekend Starts Now"
Click to Enlarge Photo

1

9

7

5

Produces Jon Hendricks' "Tell Me the Truth" album.

Becomes artistic director of jazz programming for WTTW's "Sound Stage."

With Jon Hendricks, recording "Tell Me The Truth
Click to Enlarge Photo

1

9

7

6

Releases
"Free In America"
on Arista Records.
(First European tour)

1977

Releases "The Doctor Is In" on Arista Records.

1978

Releases "A Little Kiss in the Night" on Arista Records.

1

9

7

9

Records his critically acclaimed
"Live at Montreux"
album for Arista Records.

1

9

8

0

Records "The Cat and the Hat" for A&M Records

Click to Enlarge Photo

(Left to Right)
Abe Laboriel, Al Schmitt, Linda Tyler, Lee Ritenour, Ben Sidran,
Mike Mainieri, Tommy LiPuma, Steve Gadd, Buzzy Feiten

1

9

8

1

Records "Get To The Point" for PolyStar Records.

Becomes host of National Public Radio's "Jazz Alive."

Produces "The Jazz Life" for Pioneer Laserdisc.

On tour with Al Jarreau - Click to Enlarge Photo

1

9

8

2

Records
"Old Songs For the New Depression"
for Antilles Records.

Becomes Host of
National Public Radios' Jazz Alive.

1

9

8

3

Records
"Bop City"
for Antilles Records.

Ben with Phil Woods, Mike Mainieri, Peter Erskine
and Eddie Gomez recording "Bop City

Click to Enlarge Photo

1

9

8

4

Records
"Live With Richard Davis"
for Madrigal Records.

Begins production of "Sidran on Record" for National Public Radio.

Ben with Archie Shepp in the film "Survivors"

Click to Enlarge Photo

1

9

8

5

Records "On The Cool Side" for Windham Hill. Performs at Carnegie Hall in a tribute to Eddie Jefferson with Richie Cole, Dizzie Gillespie, Bobbie McFerrin, The Manhattan Transfer, Jon Hendricks and James Moody.

Produces "Sidran on Record" for National Public Radio

Produces "Pop Bob" for Richie Cole.

Ben and Chick Corea on "Sidran on Record"
Click to Enlarge Photo

1

9

8

6

Records
"Have You Met....Barcelona"
for Orange Blue Productions.

1

9

8

7

Records "On The Live Side" for Windham Hill.

Produces "Ever Since the World Ended" for Mose Allison.

Ben with Richard Davis
Click to Enlarge Photo

Steve Miller band members
get their star on Hollywood Blvd.

Click to Enlarge Photo

Ben with Johnny Griffin in Barcelona
recording "Have You Met..."

Click to Enlarge Photo

1988

Records "Too Hot To Touch" for Windham Hill.

Produces "Born 2B Blue" for Steve Miller.

Plays keyboards on and produces Richie Cole's "Signature."

Produces Sarah Jane Morris.

1

9

8

9

Produces "My Backyard" for Mose Allison.

Begins touring with Steve Miller.

Click to Enlarge Photo

Becomes Host of "New Visions" for VH1
(VH1 Ben Sidran Profile)

Ben with Wynton Marsalis and Marcus Roberts
on VH1 "New Visions"

1
9
9
0

Records "Cool Paradise" for the Go Jazz label. Go Jazz records is born.

"Best of Steve Miller (1968-1973)" is released; Ben receives a gold record.

Produces Bob Malach's "Mood Swings" for Go Jazz Records.

1
9
9
1

Produces Georgie Fame's "Cool Cat Blues" for Go Jazz Records.

Produces Ricky Peterson's "Smile Blue" for Go Jazz Records.

Produces and plays piano on Polygram's "After Midnight: Late Night Jazz for Lovers" and "Swing, the Verb: The Best in Straight Ahead Jazz" for Polygram.

1

9

9

2

"Talking Jazz" published by Pomegranate Press featuring the transcriptions of 40 interviews from "Sidran on Record."

Produces "The Blues and Me" for Georgie Fame on Go Jazz Records.

Produces Michael Frank's "Dragonfly Summer."

Produces Phil Upchurch's "Whatever Happened to the Blues" for Go Jazz Records.

1993

Plays organ on Steve Miller's "Wide River" and produces Mose Allison's "The Earth Wants You."

Produces Diana Ross' "Diana Ross Live: The Lady Sings...Jazz and Blues/Stolen Moments" for Motown Records (also live Pay Per View event).

1

9

9

4

Records "Life's A Lesson" for Go Jazz Records which is featured on CBS Sunday Morning show with Charles Kuralt.

Produces "The Searcher" for Bob Malach on Go Jazz Records.

Ben with Clyde Stubblefield, Frank Morgan,
and Richard Davis recording "Mr. P's Shuffle"

Click to Enlarge Photo

1

9

9

5

Produces sound track for award winning documentary "Hoop Dreams."

Annotates "All Day Thumbsucker Revisted" for Blue Thumb Records.

Produces Phil Upchurch's "Love Is Strange" for Go Jazz Records.

Executive produces Ricky Peterson's "Tear Can Tell" for Go Jazz Records.

1

9

9

6

Writes the liner notes for Paul Black & the Flip King's "King Dollar."

Produces and records his own "Mr. P's Shuffle" for Go Jazz Records.

Is appointed Fellow, Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts and Letters and receives The University of Wisconsin Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Produces "GeGe & The Mother Tongue" for Go Jazz Records.

Produces and performs on the Van Morrison Mose Allison tribute album
"Tell Me Something."

Ben with Mose Allison in England,
recording "Tell Me Something"
with Van Morrison and Georgie Fame"

Click to Enlarge Photo

1

9

9

7

Produces Dominique Eade's "When the Wind Was Cool" for RCA Records. Appears on Boz Scaggs "Boz My Time: The Anthology (1969-1997)" on Sony Records.

Produces Mose Allison's "Gimcracks and Gewgaws" for Blue Note Records. Records, performs and produces the "Go Jazz All-Stars Live In Japan" for Go Jazz Records.

Ben with Phil Woods at the Celebrity Lounge"
Click to Enlarge Photo

1
9
9
8

Appears on "Finest Jazz Vocalists Vol. 2: Blue Box" for EMI Records.

Records concert with Phil Woods, Mike Mainieri and Phil Upchurch.

Releases "The Celebrity Lounge" for Go Jazz Records.

1999

Produces the soundtrack for the award-winning documentary "Vietnam: Long Time Coming" for Sony Records.

2

0

0

0

Releases "Concert for Garcia Lorca," (nominated for a Grammy) a tribute to Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca.

Ben & Rickie Lee in New York, 2000

(Left to Right)
Buddy Montgomery, Carl Allen, Rickie Lee Jones, John Pizarelli, Ben Sidran, Richard Davis

2001

Produces Mose Allison's "Mose Chronicles" (nominated for a Grammy) and co-produces Rickie Lee Jones, "It's Like This" (nominated for a Grammy.)

2002

Releases "Walk Pretty": The Music of Alec Wilder" and the DVD "On The Live Side," featuring Phil Woods and Steve Miller.

2

0

0

3

Releases the bi-lingual children's CD "El Elefante", Winner of the 2003 Parents' Choice Award, (co-written and co-produced by Leo Sidran).

As artist in residence, develops and teaches "Jewish Popular Music in America: Irving Berlin to Lenny Kravitz" for the University of Wisconsin.
(Press Release #1) (Press Release #2)

The memoir "A Life In The Music"
is published by Taylor Trade Books.

Reviews of A Life In Music

Georgie Fame, Leo Sidran, Clyde Stubblefield, Ben Sidran, Bob Rockwell, Bill Peterson in Baden Baden, 2003.

September 28, 2003

Liquid 8 Records launches jazz label Nardis Music
(www.nardismusic.com)
with Ben Sidran.

(Press Release)

Ben at The Blue Note in Milan, Italy, 2003

Ben Sidran, David Sanborn, Leo Sidran, Ricky Peterson

2

0

0

4

Music composer, along with Leo Sidran, of original score for the award winning documentary "All Deliberate Speed", which chronicles the landmark 1954 Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education ruling.

Bonsai Records releases
retrospective compliation album in France

"Sentimental Journey"

May 22, 2004.
Ben Sidran and Shirley Manson
shut down the Civic Center.

2

0

0

5

Releases
"Bumpin' At The Sunside"
Live recording from famed Paris club,
The Sunside.

XM Satellite Radio begins airing classic
Sidran On Record radio series
(Saturday Mornings, 10AM)

Four New DVDs Released

In Concert at Ohne Filter, Germany, 1995

Jazz Legends: Live at the Palais Des Festivals Hall, Cannes, France, 1989

Go Jazz Allstars Live
(with Bob Rockwell, Gege Telesforo, Georgie Fame and Charlie Wood)

Hoop Dreams
(with additional video and music added to award winning documentary.
Soundtrack features Ben Sidran, Ricky Peterson, Shock G, Tony M, Bob Malach)