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Ted Sirota

Ted Sirota was born May 3, 1969 in Champaign, IL and grew up in South Suburban Chicago, in Flossmoor, IL. Ted began playing drums and percussion in 1980 at the age of 10. By age 15, after hearing the great Max Roach perform at The Jazz Showcase, Sirota decided (against all warnings!) to pursue a career in music. In high school Ted developed a love for both Reggae music and Jazz, and was inspired to play his instrument by drummers like Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Sly Dunbar, Carlton Barrett, and Style Scott. After graduating from High School, Sirota left Chicago for Boston to attend Berklee College of Music in the fall of 1987. Shortly after arriving in Boston, Sirota began studying with the legendary Jazz drummer/teacher Alan Dawson at his home in Lexington, MA. Dawson’s methods and guidance had a profound and lasting impact on Sirota’s drumming style. Ted’s tenure at Berklee was a crucial period in his development as a young musician. Along with studying with Dawson, Ted studied with Boston drumming legend Joe Hunt at Berklee. Hunt’s unique musical conception and teaching style, combined with Dawson’s emphasis on technique and musicality, helped to form a musical road map for Ted’s studies and development. This was a fertile time for musicians at Berklee, and Ted absorbed as much as possible by playing with and learning from his peers and teachers. Ted met guitarist Jeff Parker in early 1988, and the two formed an enduring musical friendship that continues to this day. Sirota jammed frequently with other students/friends such as Lalah Hathaway, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mark Turner, Seamus Blake, Dwayne Burno, Antonio Hart, Roy Hargrove, Danilo Perez, Geoff Keezer, Chris Cheek, Jorge Rossy, Joshua Redman, and many others. Sirota began his professional career during this period playing occasional jazz gigs, but mostly working in local Blues and Reggae bands. Eventually, Sirota became a founding member of the Last Kwartet - a jazz collective with Jeff Parker on guitar, Chris Lopes on bass, and Sara P. Smith on trombone. Sirota graduated from Berklee in May of 1991 and continued to gig throughout New England before relocating back to Chicago, along with bassist Chris Lopes, in the fall of 1992. In Chicago, Sirota and Lopes reunited with Parker and Smith to reform the Last Kwartet. The band performed regularly at clubs like the Hot House, the Bop Shop, the Get Me High Lounge, and the Deja Vu, and received critical acclaim from the local press. However, the group never released a recording and disbanded in 1994. As a freelance drummer Sirota began working with the late/great tenor saxophonist Lin Halliday, and many other celebrated local musicians like Von Freeman, Jodie Christian, Rob Mazurek, Bobby Broom, Fred Hopkins, Patricia Barber, Dave Spector, Little Smokey Smothers, Pinetop Perkins, New Orleans vocalist Johnny Adams, and many others. It was also during this period that Sirota spent a two year stint touring the U.S. with Blues legend Eddie Kirkland. Travelling with, and learning from Kirkland was a very important part of Sirota’s development as a musician and person. In late 1994, Sirota joined the jazz band Sabertooth, which performed every Saturday night from midnight-5:00am at Chicago’s most legendary Jazz club, the Green Mill. Sirota continues to hold down the drum chair with Sabertooth every Saturday at the Green Mill and is now in his nineteenth year (!) with the band. It is his presence with Sabertooth that Sirota might be most recognized by fellow Chicagoans. Sirota’s tenure as a bandleader began in 1996 when he formed his own group, Ted Sirota’s Rebel Souls, which continued to feature Jeff Parker on guitar. Rebel Souls released their debut recording, “‘Rebel Roots” on the British label Naim in 1996 to critical acclaim, and Sirota started to become recognized as a drummer and bandleader on an international scale amongst jazz listeners. “Rebel Roots” was followed by “Propaganda” in 1998, and “Ted Sirota’s Rebel Souls vs. the Forces of Evil in 2000. The band then recorded “Breeding Resistance” for the legendary Chicago label Delmark in 2004, and finally once again with Naim for “Seize the Time” in 2008. The band appeared at the Chicago Jazz Festival in 2004 and once again in 2010. Rebel Souls toured in the U.S. and Europe. Aside from Parker, the band has included such stellar Chicago musicians as Rob Mazurek, Kevin Kizer, Geof Bradfield, Noel Kupersmith, Greg Ward II, Dave Miller, Clark Sommers, and Jake Vinsel. Rebel Souls continue to play and are carefully plotting their next move! Throughout the years, Sirota has continued to broaden his base as a drummer, performing with artists such as Lalah Hathaway, Greg Osby, Ted Nash, Frank Kimbrough, Ben Allison, Ralph Alessi, Drew Gress, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Phil Upchurch, Fareed Haque and many others. In January 2013, Sirota returned to his first musical love, Reggae music and formed Ted Sirota’s Heavyweight Dub. As the name suggests, the band concentrates on the instrumental and Dub Reggae pioneered by artists such as King Tubby, Scientist, Lee Perry, Roots Radics, The Revolutionaries, Tommy McCook, Johnny Osbourne, Hugh Mundell, and others, while continuing to showcase Sirota’s talents as a composer. The band features fellow Green Mill employee/ soundman K-rAd (AKA Chris Grabowski) working the mixing board and dubbing out in the tradition of the Jamaican masters mentioned above. Other members include: Matthew Lux – Bass (Iron & Wine, Isotope 217 etc)

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5
Album Review

The Scientist Meets Ted Sirota: Heavyweight Dub

Read "Heavyweight Dub" reviewed by Mark Corroto


Like fellow Chicagoan Mars Williams, Ted Sirota does not limit himself solely to jazz. The saxophonist Williams fronts the hip-hop funk freestyle band Liquid Soul and Sirota has assembled this Jamaican music band. Reggae music, the drummer's first love, has been incorporated into his longstanding jazz outfit Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls. With Heavyweight Dub he dives headlong into unexpurgated Jamaican music. Those familiar with Sirota's work in Sabertooth, who released Dr. Midnight (Delmark, 2007) and their longstanding gig ...

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Take Five With...

Take Five with Ted Sirota

Read "Take Five with Ted Sirota" reviewed by Ted Sirota


Meet Ted Sirota: Veteran Chicago drummer, Ted Sirota, has been playing the drums since 1980. Ted has lead his own band, Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls, since 1996. Rebel Souls have recorded five CD's for the Naim & Delmark labels. Ted has also played every Saturday night from 12:30-5:00am at Chicago's top jazz club, The Green Mill, for the past 18 years with Sabertooth. In January 2013, Ted embarked on his latest project--Ted Sirota's Heavyweight Dub. With his new band Ted ...

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Album Review

Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls: Seize The Time

Read "Seize The Time" reviewed by Troy Collins


In the grand tradition of such revolutionary bandleaders as Charles Mingus and Max Roach, Chicago-based drummer Ted Sirota leads his flagship band, The Rebel Souls, through their fifth long player, Seize The Time, with the same vivacious energy he fostered over their four previous releases, hearkening back to Rebel Roots (NAIM, 1996).

Despite a rotating roster of sidemen (former members include Jeb Bishop, Rob Mazurek, and Jeff Parker), Sirota has maintained the Rebel Souls for well over a ...

232
Album Review

Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls: Seize The Time

Read "Seize The Time" reviewed by Glenn Astarita


U.K.-based Naim label has been a cornerstone of high-end audio quality, and that tradition continues on Seize The Time, a studio date featuring Chicago drummer Ted Sirota and his diverse perspective on the jazz idiom. The mindset, or perhaps underlying force, behind this session is encapsulated by the drummer who suggests that the world is in a state of flux, marked by compounding crises. But as the album title states, it is necessary to seize the opportunity, as crisis often ...

310
Album Review

Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls: Seize The Time

Read "Seize The Time" reviewed by Mark Corroto


To call this Rebel Souls disc ambitious is not an overstatement, and to label drummer Ted Sirota and company bold, does not unnecessarily over-dramatize their mission. Seize The Time is the band's fifth disc, of which three prior releases were also on UK's NAIM--Rebel Roots (1996), Propaganda (1999) and Vs. The Forces Of Evil (2000)--preceding the US-released Breeding Resistance (Delmark, 2004).

Not one to hold his tongue, Sirota, like all great agitators, lets his voice be heard through his art. ...

214
Album Review

Ted Sirota: Breeding Resistance

Read "Breeding Resistance" reviewed by Terrell Kent Holmes


From Billie Holiday's “Strange Fruit" to Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite, jazz has played its part in the all too frequent struggles against oppression and despotism. Drummer Ted Sirota, with his band Rebel Souls, has written another page in this long and rich tradition of protest music with Breeding Resistance , designed to raise awareness of our global situation. “Saro-Wiwa" (an elegy to a Nigerian civil rights activist), is a brass-driven tune with a lilting African rhythm that ...

141
Album Review

Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls: Breeding Resistance

Read "Breeding Resistance" reviewed by Rex  Butters


Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls know danger when they create it. Arriving on Chicago's Delmark label, Breeding Resistance taps into an honorable jazz tradition of music as political activism. Mingus, Shepp, Kirk, Haden, and more recently Dapp Theory, David Budbill, and Vijay Iyer have successfully wed jazz and politics. Drummer Sirota drives his ensemble through a catalogue of styles, faithfully visiting dub, swinging post bop, Soweto, and more.

Sirota's longtime partner in Rebel Souls, Chicago guitar whiz Jeff Parker, ...

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Event

Fareed Haque, Ted Sirota And Others At Constellation, April 22, For Fundraiser

Fareed Haque, Ted Sirota And Others At Constellation, April 22, For Fundraiser

Source: Anthony Buttitta

Some of Chicago’s finest jazz, classical, blues and world musicians come together to make a joyful noise against the fascist agenda of the Trump/Pence regime. All proceeds will go to fund actions and publicity for Refuse Fascism. Fareed Haque / Goran Ivanovich Duo George Flynn with Cory Tiffin & Leila Bowie Juli Wood Trio with Dan DeLorenzo & Mike Schlick Erwin Helfer (solo piano) Chicago Afro-Beat Project Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 8:30 pm ...

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Crowdfunding Campaign

The Scientist Meets Ted Sirota's Heavyweight Dub Kickstarter Project Underway

The Scientist Meets Ted Sirota's Heavyweight Dub Kickstarter Project Underway

Source: Michael Ricci

Chicago Jazz Drummer Ted Sirota hooks up with Dub Reggae Legend “"The Scientist" for an exciting new collaboration and a Kickstarter campaign. Chicago, IL: Ted Sirota, veteran Chicago drummer for Sabertooth and Ted Sirota’s Rebel Souls, presents a new band that reflects his lifelong passion for Reggae music. Ted Sirota’s Heavyweight Dub is the culmination of more than thirty years of Sirota’s examination of Jamaican music, especially Dub Reggae. Although Ted Sirota’s Rebel Souls performed and recorded Jamaican inspired jazz ...

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Recording

Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls vs. the Forces of Evil **** (Naim, 2011)

Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls vs. the Forces of Evil **** (Naim, 2011)

Source: Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels

By Paul Acquaro I hadn't heard Ted Sirotas work before digging into “Vs. the Forces of Evil," but just a glance through the personnel indicated I was in good company and the Latin groove of the opener “Grendel"—reminiscent of Return to Forever ala Light as a Feather—that came on when I clicked play on the iPod, confirmed that I was in for a treat. 'Vs. the Forces of Evil' is a recording dating back to 2000, it appeared as a ...

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Contest

Enter the Naim Records "Ted Sirota - Seize the Time" CD Giveaway Contest

Enter the Naim Records "Ted Sirota - Seize the Time" CD Giveaway Contest

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz members are invited to enter the Naim Records “Ted Sirota - Seize The Time“ giveaway contest starting today. We'll select FIVE winners at the conclusion of the contest on January 18th. Click here to enter the contest

(Following Ted Sirota at AAJ automatically enters you in the contest.)

Good luck! Your Friends at Naim Records

About Ted Sirota and Seize The Time Chicago-based drummer Ted Sirota formed the avant-garde post-bop group Rebel Souls ...

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Radio

The Jazz Session #124: Ted Sirota

The Jazz Session #124: Ted Sirota

Source: Michael Ricci


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Performance / Tour

Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls Make Rare Philadelphia Appearance Tonight

Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls Make Rare Philadelphia Appearance Tonight

Source: All About Jazz

Tonight. Friday, September 10 | 8:00-10:00pm Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls with Jeb Bishop, trombone Geof Bradfield, tenor/soprano saxophone Jeff Parker, guitar Clark W. Sommers, bass Ted Sirota, drums

This quintet of avant-garde collective souls hails from all over the map. Guitarist Jeff Parker cut his teeth with Chicago loop icons Tortoise; soprano and tenor saxophonist Geof Bradfield blew hard R&B with organ grinder Charles Earland; bassist ...

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Website

Meet Drummer Ted Sirota on the AAJ Bulletin Board

Meet Drummer Ted Sirota on the AAJ Bulletin Board

Source: All About Jazz


"Sirota is one of the most highly regarded youngish drummers in Chicago, a crisp and lively player with a keen sense of dynamics." —John Corbett, The Reader

Primary Instrument

Drums

Willing to teach

Intermediate to advanced

Credentials/Background

  • Ted is a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston with a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts/Music Performance.
     
  • Ted is a well-respected drummer with 20 years of professional playing experience
     
  • Ted's experience with his own children has made him especially patient and understanding with other children... and adults!
     
  • Ted is well versed in many styles of music, having worked professionally in the following idioms: Rock, Jazz, Blues, Hip-Hop, R&B, Funk, House, Reggae, Soca, Calypso, Brazilian, Salsa, Country, and more.  Ted also has vast experience with studio session and musical theater work, as well as drum programming and music production.
     
  • Ted knows what it takes to be a successful drummer and is effective in passing this knowledge to others in a fun and enlightening manner.

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Heavyweight Dub

Liberated Zone Records
2013

buy

Seize the Time

Naim Label
2010

buy

Seize The Time

Naim Label
2009

buy

Breeding Resistance

Delmark Records
2004

buy

Propaganda

Naim Label
1999

buy

Killa Dilla

From: Seize The Time
By Ted Sirota

J.Y.D.

From: Seize The Time
By Ted Sirota

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