: a member of a band or orchestra and especially of a jazz or swing orchestra
Examples of sideman in a Sentence
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The Hawks’ veteran guard CJ McCollum, always excellent but usually a sideman to a brighter star, dribbled and sidestepped through and around the Knicks defense, suddenly looking like one of the best offensive players in the league.
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Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 2 June 2026
Still, a budding jazz guitarist (Torn was mentored by pioneering trumpeter Don Cherry) joining forces with a rock icon’s sidemen for his recording debut shows a strong independent streak and no small amount of ambition.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 1 June 2026
Onstage at Colbert, Stapleton offered a solo rendition of the ballad, backed only by Nelson’s longtime sideman, harmonica player Mickey Raphael, who played on the original recording.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 7 May 2026
With Alex Chilton as his sideman, the provocative Tav Falco brought blues and rockabilly screaming into the post-punk era.
—Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 8 Feb. 2026
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Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 2 June 2026
Still, a budding jazz guitarist (Torn was mentored by pioneering trumpeter Don Cherry) joining forces with a rock icon’s sidemen for his recording debut shows a strong independent streak and no small amount of ambition.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 1 June 2026
Onstage at Colbert, Stapleton offered a solo rendition of the ballad, backed only by Nelson’s longtime sideman, harmonica player Mickey Raphael, who played on the original recording.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 7 May 2026
With Alex Chilton as his sideman, the provocative Tav Falco brought blues and rockabilly screaming into the post-punk era.
—Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sideman
Cite this Entry
“Sideman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sideman. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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