Sidney Joseph, of West Chester, has filled a lot of roles during years in the Philadelphia music scene — from solo guitarist to a position with funk jammers The Philly Toboggan Co., to hip-hop projects like The Quantum Mechanix.
He has been performing since picking up his friend’s dusty guitar a few years back, and — with no previous musical experience — creating his self-titled solo project, which showcased his self-proclaimed “old soul” appreciation of his influences. Taking cues from Beck, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie and doo-wop, his most recent, self-produced album is “Just a Man.”
“Different songs of mine always sound like different styles,” he said. “I am a music whore and I love all of it. But, as a songwriter, sometimes I sit back and do not listen to any music, and just listen to NPR. It helps me lyrically.”
Joseph has a new album slated for later this year, and he finds inspiration when performing acoustic shows with his solid backing band, The Organic Reverb.
“We are jazzy improvisationalists,” he said. “We feed off the crowd. You never know if they will help you write the song.”
Constantly touring, Joseph invites fans of jazz, funk, soul and gentle grooves to check out his relaxed, eclectic style.
He’ll be performing at the The Grape Street Pub in Manayunk on Jan. 15, and at Nonna’s in West Chester on Jan. 22. For more information, visit www.thesoundofsidney.com.
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