I’ll admit I was a bit intimidated to listen to Ben Sidran’s CD Blue Camus. A quick search of the legendary pianist’s career cites philosophy, existentialism and hipster culture – not subjects you’d normally associate with jazz music. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find I could easily follow along with what I heard on the record.

As a jazz innovator, it’s safe to say that Ben Sidran isn’t one to follow trends or make sure his art fits into a specific category. His music is a clear indication of this, with elements of funk, bebop, R&B and ‘70s grooves in his compositions. Then of course there’s the spoken word aspect which led to Sidran being proclaimed “the first existential jazz rapper” by The London Times. Combine all of this with literary references (allusions to Garcia Lorca’s poetry in “King Of Harlem,” George Orwell’s dystopian fiction in “’A’ Is For Alligator” and Albert Camus’ philosophy of existentialism on the album’s title track “Blue Camus”) and you’ve got some head-scratching food for thought.

If you’re not familiar with any of the above names, will it matter? Not really. Sidran himself is a no frills, musician’s musician, meaning that it comes down to the music at the end of the day. He endeavors to keep everything simple. If someone can’t feel good after listening to a piece because they’re so freaked out about the intellectual content, then the music isn’t doing what it’s supposed to do. Just consider other times where the lyrics of a song didn’t make sense. This really is no different.

Now let’s focus on the musical integrity of Blue Camus… It’s pretty darn captivating! Normally I take time out at this point to highlight which tracks stand out. Truth be told though, they’re all equally lively, groovy and interesting. When the melodies are not pulling you in, then you’re probably fascinated by Sidran’s delivery of the lyrics which is cool - plain and simple. Nothing’s over the top, just a chill vibe that produces a strange kind of sway.

All in all, Blue Camus is an album that makes you think - when you’re not too busy swinging that is!

For more information on Blue Camus, please visit
Ben Sidran’s website or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.