Although he holds a PhD from Sussex University in American Studies, BEN SIDRAN once told Rolling Stone Magazine, “I really went to the University of Mose Allison and Bob Dylan.” He has often worked with Mose Allison, including two Grammy nominated albums, but DYLAN DIFFERENT is his first tribute to Dylan.
The Chicago Daily News once called Sidran “a Renaissance man cast adrift in modern times.” In his forty year professional career (his first recording session was with the Steve Miller Band in 1967) he has recorded over thirty solo albums; produced dozens more for artists such as Diana Ross, Jon Hendricks, Van Morrison, Tony Williams and Ricki Lee Jones (his productions have been nominated four times for Grammy Awards); authored three books, including the text Black Talk (Da Capo) and the memoir A Life in the Music (Taylor Trade); produced and hosted award-winning radio and television programs for VH-1 (his “New Visions” series won the Ace award) and National Public Radio (“Jazz Alive” won the prestigious Peabody award). His Talking Jazz radio series - many hours of interviews with jazz greats, including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Art Blakey - remains a staple on satellite radio in the United States and in a 24 CD box set.
Yet despite this success in various media, Sidran, whose dry vocal delivery and sly raps prompted the London Times to brand him “the first existential jazz rapper,” continues to enjoy performing live, in clubs and concerts across the world, with his usual band of suspects.
