When Grammy winning multi-instrumentalist producer, singer-songwriter Leo Sidran wrote the song “Trying Times” in early 2020, he had no idea just how prescient it would turn out to be. The song, like Leo himself, sat somewhere between jazz, singer-songwriter, and pop music, and spoke simply to the complexity of the moment: “You have to laugh just to keep from crying but it’s not so funny, these are trying times.”
Then came Covid. Sidran settled into domestic life, and set about writing a collection of songs that offered an intimate look into family life during the pandemic year, The Art Of Conversation. As they say, the personal is universal, and these songs are familiar, introspective portraits that reflect a feeling that so many of us can relate to today. Musically, much of the record rests on a foundation of Sidran’s one-man-band production style of playing drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, vibraphone, and singing. But incredibly, the record also counts on over 60 collaborators.
“Row On” is Sidran’s English adaptation of the Oscar winning song “Al otro lado del rio,” originally written by the celebrated Uruguayan composer Jorge Drexler and produced by Sidran in 2005 for the film Motorcycle Diaries. In Sidran’s English rendering, the song becomes an anthem of hope and optimism: “I think that I see a light, just on the other shore.” The song features a chorus of singers from around the world, ranging from jazz singer Kurt Elling to legendary rock producer Butch Vig (and dozens more) and even Jorge Drexler himself joins in.
The Art Of Conversation is Sidran’s 7th solo album and follows his celebrated 2018 release Cool School [The Music of Michael Franks]. Like Michael Franks, Leo’s music borrows from both jazz and songwriting traditions; it lives somewhere in between. And both Franks and Sidran share a love of Brazilian music. Nowhere is that made more clear than on the title track “The Art Of Conversation”, a bossa nova duet sung between Leo and celebrated jazz vocalist Kat Edmonson.
In fact, “The Art…” is also a nod to another of Sidran’s projects, his influential podcast The Third Story which features long form conversations with musicians and members of the creative class about their process, journeys, ambitions and experiences. Nearly every collaborator on The Art Of Conversation (including Edmonson, Elling, Vig, and Drexler) have been featured guests on the podcast along with literally hundreds of others.
Tracks 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 Produced by Leo Sidran
Tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 12 Produced by Leo Sidran and Michael Sackler-Berner
Tracks 1, 6, 10, 11, 12 Mixed by Leo Sidran | Tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 Mixed by John Fields | Track 9 Mixed by Matias Cella
Mastered by Greg Reierson
All songs written by Leo Sidran (Bulldog Music/ASCAP) except “Row On” by Leo Sidran and Jorge Drexler, and “Song For A Sucker Like You” (Ben Sidran/Bulldog Music).
Leo Sidran: drums, bass, guitars, keyboards, vibraphone, lead and backing vocals
Philip Dizack: trumpet (8)
Jorge Drexler: guest vocal (3)
Kat Edmonson: guest vocal (10)
John Ellis: tenor saxophone (8)
Al Falaschi: baritone, alto and tenor saxophones (1,11)
Larry Goldings: organ, keyboards (5)
Tatum Greenblatt: trumpet (11)
Peter Hess: bass clarinet, clarinet, flute, tenor and alto saxophones (10)
Ryan Keberle: trombone (3, 4)
Orlando LeFleming: acoustic bass (4)
Howard Levy: harmonica (1)
Anya Marina: backing vocal (4)
Moses Patrou: percussion (5, 8), backing vocal (8)
Ricky Peterson: organ (6)
Michael Sackler-Berner: lead guitar (1)
Michael Sarian: trumpet (1)
Antonio Serrano: harmonica (6)
Amanda Sidran: vocals (2, 5)
Ben Sidran: backing vocal (8)
Sol “SoSo” Sidran: backing vocal (2)
John “Scrapper” Sneider: flugelhorn (10)
David Sneider: trumpet (10)
Joanna Teters: backing vocal (11)
Nina Zeitlin: backing vocal (1)
Backing vocal choir on “Row On”: Camille Bertault, Clare Burson, Carles Campi Campon, Javier Calequi, Victoria Canal, Louis Cato, Matias Cella, Clementine, Andre DeShields, Max Darmon, Robert DiPietro, Joy Dragland, Kurt Elling, Alan Hampton, Lauren Henderson, Morgan James, Kevin Johansen, Kassin, Ryan Keberle, Jo Lawry, Will Lee, Martin Leiton, Daniel Levitin, Antonio Lizana, Clare Manchon, Anya Marina, Moses Patrou, Javier Ruibal, Michael Sackler-Berner, Amanda Sidran, Ben Sidran, Sol Sidran, Becca Stevens, Gege Telesforo, Michael Thurber, Bo Vig, Butch Vig, Doug Wamble, Tim Whalen
“Vocally he suggests an amalgam of his father Ben with a hint of Donald Fagen. His fluid laidback style is reminiscent of Bob Dorough. Musically and lyrically his compositions are smart, sharp, and sparklingly original.”
“The art of conversation is a hymn to empathy and affability, two rabidly human attributes that today, immersed in this world of grudges, susceptibilities and confrontations, have become nothing short of exotic.”
“Leo Sidran makes pop music swing, in the tradition of Mose Allison and Nat King Cole, with special attention to lyrics and production.”
“A treasure chest of intimate and introspective portraits of family life during the pandemic, performed by Sidran in his irresistible blend of jazz, singer-songwriter pop, folk and funk and supported by numerous friends.”
“One of those pretty musical creations that arose out of confinement. This album is the fruit of this extraordinary period of hope, doubt, loneliness and of the many remote artistic collaborations that new technologies have made possible.
‘The Art of Conversation’ bears witness to the maintenance of creation, especially during this period in which artists were and still are deprived of their audience.”
“He offers us his coolness, his bittersweet nostalgia, his art of doing everything without seeming to touch it. Because everything looks easy with Leo Sidran. ”
“Harmonious coping with everyday life, without escalation, frustration, boredom or other worries. How nice. Of course, he also finds the right notes.”
“With lyrics that give you pause, a voice that soothes and seduces, and a long, long list of friends and family making music and magic he will make you feel good and be happy.”
LEO SIDRAN
THE ART OF CONVERSATION
Wake Up SoSo
Body and the Brain
Row On (feat. Jorge Drexler)
Pop
Trying Times
Georgette
My Baby Doesn’t Say Goodnight
Song For A Sucker Like You
This Is Night In Brooklyn
The Art Of Conversation (feat. Kat Edmonson)
Together With You
Northern Lights