Ben Sidran Releases ‘Nicks Bump on New Nardis Music Label Get Bumped with Cocktail Recipe on Enhanced CD Digi-Pak ‘Classic Cool Compilation CD Also Released This Month

Ben Sidran, the legendary jazz keyboardist and songwriter, will release an all-new recording of classically cool jazz tunes with Nicks Bump. This second major release from the new Nardis Music label debuts this month, at a suggested retail price of $12.95. Also on February 17, Nardis Music will release Classic Cool, the second Nardis Music compilation CD featuring new and classic music from Gege Telesforo, Georgie Fame, Ben Sidran, and several other artists.

(PRWEB) February 18, 2004 --Ben Sidran, the legendary jazz keyboardist and songwriter, will release an all-new recording of classically cool jazz tunes with "Nicks Bump." This second major release from the new Nardis Music label debuts on February 17, at a suggested retail price of $12.95. Also on February 17, Nardis Music will release "Classic Cool," the second Nardis Music compilation CD featuring new and classic music from Gege Telesforo, Georgie Fame, Ben Sidran, and several other artists. Suggested retail price for "Classic Cool" is $9.95. Both will be distributed throughout North America by Liquid 8 Records and Navarre Entertainment.

"Nicks Bump" features an extra treat – a smooth digi-pak that includes a video extra featuring bartender Ethan concocting the mix of espresso, Stolichnaya Vanilla, Godiva chocolate liquer, Baileys Irish Cream, and three dark-roasted coffee beans – one each for health, wealth and happiness. This fun-filled extra feature is guaranteed to help listeners get bumped" as they listen to the music.

In the classic tradition of the fifties and sixties, when jazz groups like Benny Golsons Jazztet and Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers would stay on the road perfecting their groove before recording their music, the Nicks Bump band road-tested this music through two years of touring in Europe, Japan and the United States.

The songs, too, come from the halcyon days of groove jazz -- Lee Morgans Zambia", Eddie Harris Mean Greens" and Sonny Clarks Blue Minor" to mention a few -- and are brought up to date through the production and recording technology of Hector Coulon, the discovery of producers Ben and Leo Sidran. Coulon understands the past and is hands on with the future," says Sidran, commenting on Coulons drum centric mixes and his skillful blending of the wisdom of Art Blakey and Dizzy Gillespie, captured via audio excerpts from Sidrans own enormous stockpile of jazz interviews.

Nicks Bump finds Ben Sidran returning to the Wurlitzer electric piano and Hammond B-3 organ, instruments he helped popularize during the early seventies with his recordings for the Blue Thumb and Arista labels, classic sides that were heard on jazz and rock stations across the country. Also featured in the band are saxophonist Bob Rockwell, 2003 recipient of Denmarks coveted Ben Webster award, bassist Billy Peterson, drummer Leo Sidran, and guitarist Louka Patenaude.

The feeling we captured in two intense days of recording is exactly what we were after," says the elder Sidran. If there is a lesson in this experience -- and why not? -- it is that, in the words of Art Blakey, the purpose of this music is to ‘wash away the dust of everyday life.

Everywhere we play, people love to enjoy themselves and we love to make them happy. Finally, we put it on record." Nicks Bump may just be the frothy anecdote to these nerve-wracked times.

Ben Sidrans career spans the spectrum of jazz, and he has worked with some of the worlds greatest artists, including Van Morrison, Rickie Lee Jones, Carole King and Steve Miller (co-creating the hit Space Cowboy" in the 1970s). He was the composer and music producer for the acclaimed documentary Hoop Dreams and served as music producer for Diana Ross The Lady Sings Jazz & Blues, among many other film, television and radio credentials. Sidran runs his own company, Go Jazz Records, and is an artist in residence at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, Sidran is on the Board of Governors for the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the agency which administers the Grammy Awards. The memoir Ben Sidran:A Life in the Music was just published this year, and he was featured twice on National Public Radio when he released a Parents Choice award-winning childrens album, El Elefante, on Liquid 8 Records Baby Music Boom label in 2003.

Nardis Music is the new jazz label founded by Ben Sidran in collaboration with Liquid 8 Records & Entertainment of Minneapolis. The first Nardis Music release was "The Original" by legendary drummer Clyde Stubblefield. For more information about Nardis Music, Nicks Bump and Ben Sidran, visit http://www.liquid8records.com and http://www.nardismusic.com.
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