Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians
Seidman, Mitch
Seidman, Mitch (Mitchell F.), guitar, electric bass; b. Long Branch, NJ, 27 November 1953. His parents are Benson W. Seidman (b. 7/18/26, Far Rockaway, NY) and Susan Seidman (Levin) ( b.10/27/27, Springfield, PA). His sisters are Allyn (b. 5/31/50, Long Branch, NJ), Gaye (b. 10/19/55, Long Branch, NJ) and Shari (b. 3/8/62, Long Branch, NJ).
The Seidman family moved from New Jersey to Glens Falls, NY in 1962, where Mitch received flute lessons at the age of eight and guitar lessons at ten. In 1965 his family relocated to Loudonville, NY where Seidman performed in rock bands around Albany throughout his teens. He continued to perform in Boston from 1973, to where he moved in order to attend Berklee College of Music (BA in composition, 1978). A Kenny Burrell record inspired him to pursue jazz guitar, and was then encouraged by the late Attila Zoller through study and a friendship that began with lessons in 1974-1975. Through Zoller he got to know and play with Jimmy Raney and Tal Farlow, who were also influential. In 1979 Seidman moved to New York City and freelanced in styles of jazz from traditional and swing to progressive jazz, then returned to Boston in 1985 and became one of New England's busiest jazz guitarists. He also earned a Masters Degree in Music Education at Boston University in 1993, along with teaching certification for grades 6-12. At B.U he directed jazz ensembles, taught guitar, and developed and instructed their first jazz history course. Seidman has appeared in the Boston area at the Regattabar, Scullers, Ryles, and the Willow Jazz Club, Papashon in Los Angeles, and numerous other jazz clubs and concert venues throughout New England. He has appeared at Jazzmania, The Other End, the Red Blazer II, and Folk City in New York City, and at the Smithsonian's IMAX Jazz Cafe in Washington, DC. Seidman was featured with Lenny Hochman and Eula Lawrence at the 1995 Jazz is Toulon festival in Toulon, France, and was an artist-in-residence for the Centro Cultural Norteamericano in Costa Rica in 1997. He's appeared at the 1999 Internationales Jazz Guitar Meeting in Spiesen-Elversberg,Germany, and performs annually at the Classic American Guitar Show in New York. He was also featured at the 2000 and 2001 Attila Zoller tribute concerts in Brattleboro, VT. Seidman has recorded with Harold Vick, Harvie S (formerly Harvie Swartz), Ted Brown, Alan Dawson, Joe Hunt, Tony Zano, Charlie Kohlhase, and others. He has performed with John Pisano, Teddy Kotick, George Garzone, Herb Pomeroy, Hal Crook, Michael Formanek, Holly Hofmann, Vera Auer, Tyrone Brown, Eddie Jones, Freddie Moore, Johnny Williams Jr, and numerous others. He's also accompanied a number of vocalists including Eula Lawrence, Lisa Thorson, Kris Adams, Semenya McCord, and performed in duos with guitarists that include Joe Beck, Rory Stuart, and Fred Fried.
Seidman is a Professor of Ear Training at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, instructing a variety of classes and ensembles. He has taught guitar and presented jazz clinics throughout New England (Berklee, Colby, B.U., Boston College, Newport Guitar Festival) and in France, Germany, and Costa Rica, including the Jazz Workshop, Jazz is Toulon Festival, Toulon, France, July 6-16, 1995. He has adjudicated jazz festivals at Berklee and Harvard University, and is a Contributing Editor to 20th Century Guitar magazine. In 1997 he married Minnie Tse.
Recordings:
Fretware (1994); Ants in a Trance (1995); This Over That (with Fred Fried) (1998);
Congeniality (with Charlie Kohlhase and Jeff Galindo) (1999);
How 'Bout It? (2001)
As sideperson:
Leonard Hochman: Until Tomorrow (1994);
Rich Greenblatt: Mooin' (1997);
Ed Harlow: Two Views (2000, 2002)
Radio broadcasts:
Live radio performances on WGBH-FM, (Boston, MA; 1995, 2000); WERS-FM
(Emerson College;1996); Interview on Voice of America, by Martin Bush,
May 29, 1996; Interviews on WGBH-FM, WERS-FM, WMBR-FM (MIT, Cambridge,
MA) from 1995-2000
Television broadcasts:
Miles of Music, hosted by Bob Miles, June 7, 2002; Comcast and RCN
Networks-PA and NJ; Joan1' Jazz Jam, hosted by Joan Watson-Jones
(1998); MediaOne New Hampshire Cable Network
Unissued recordings:
About 30 unissued tapes.and 12 videotapes from ca. 1981 on, with Harold Vick, Ted Brown, Joe Beck, Michael Formanek, Attila Zoller, Harvie S (formerly Swartz), Hal Crook, Herb Pomeroy, Jim Hall, Alan Dawson, Tony Zano, Teddy Kotick, George Garzone, John Pisano, Vera Auer, Marcus McLauren, Walter Perkins, Charlie Kohlhase, Erik Friedlander, Jeff Galindo, and others.
Bibliography:
Works by Seidman
"Playing the Changes;Guitar," instructional book co-authored with Paul DelNero, (Berklee Press/Hal Leonard), 2006
"Surprise Endings for Ballads," in Just Jazz Guitar, November 2000,
"The Classic Trio," in 20th Century Guitar, October 1999
"Berklee College of Music," in 20th Century Guitar, May 1998
"Zokomotion," in Just Jazz Guitar, February 1998
Currently writes Fretware, a monthly instructional article for 20th
Century Guitar magazine (October 1997-present).
Works about Seidman:
"Mitch Seidman; A Transmitter and Believer in the Power of Music," by Jude Hibler, 20th Century Guitar, October 2002
(interview)
"Mitch Seidman," by Ed Benson, Just Jazz Guitar, November 2000
(interview)
"Mitch Seidman," in The Jazz Guitar; Its Evolution, Players, and Personalities Since 1900, fourth edition (Ashley Mark, 1998)
"Mitch Seidman," in All Music Guide to Jazz, third edition, (Miller Freeman Books, 1998)
"Mitch Seidman," in MusicHound Jazz; The Essential Album Guide,
(Visible Ink Press, 1998)
"El primero del ano," in La Nacion (Costa Rica), May 21, 1997
Included in Discography; "Mitch Seidman," The Drummer's Complete Vocabulary as Taught by Alan Dawson," by John Ramsay, (Manhattan Music, 1997)
"Losing Track of Space and Time," in Bostonia, Summer 1996 (interview)
"The Questionnaire," in Cadence, February 1996 (interview)
"A Private Lesson with Mitch Seidman," by Tim Price, Jazz Player, June/July 1995 (interview)
"Doin' the Hang with Mitch Seidman," by Jim Fisch, 20th Century Guitar, April 1995 (interview)
Contact information:
www.mitchseidman.com
mseidman@berklee.edu
Telephone 617-747-8357
(Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA)
