Sideman

A sideman is a professional musician who is hired to perform live with a solo artist, or with a group in which they are not a regular band member.^[1] The term is usually used to describe musicians that play with jazz or rock artists, whether solo or a group.^[2]

Sidemen and sidewomen are often well-versed in multiple styles of music, and can be hired at any level of the music industry, from playing in a cover band to backing up established artists on major tours.^[3]

While many artists can work as sidemen or session musicians, others will only fill one role. The generally accepted difference is that a sideman performs live while a session musician is hired to perform in a recording studio.^[4]