George Colligan
George Colligan ( born December 29, 1969 in New Jersey) is an American jazz musician ( piano, organ, keyboards, trumpet and drums), bandleader, composer and teacher.
Life and work
George Colligan grew up in Columbia ( Maryland), a suburb of Baltimore. He studied at the Peabody Institute classical trumpet and music education. During his high school years he played next to the drums, but then switched to the piano as the main instrument.
As an in-demand session musician, he worked in the 1990s with artists such as Dave Ballou, Gary Bartz, Don Byron, John Enders, Robin Eubanks, Benny Golson, Eddie Henderson, Billy Higgins, Lee Konitz, Nicholas Payton, Rich Perry, Lonnie Plaxico, Marcus Printup Steve Wilson, Cassandra Wilson, Phil Woods and the Mingus Dynasty; He also accompanied the singers Vanessa Rubin and Kellylee Evans; he was temporarily in the band by Gary Thomas, in the 2000s even with Gregory Tardy and Buster Williams ( Griot Liberté ).
He took under his own name since 1995 for the Steeplechase label, Fresh Sound and Crisscross a series of albums under his own name, on which, among other things Drew Gress, Billy Hart Ingrid Jensen, Ralph Peterson, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Gary Thomas, Mark Turner participated. He also played a solo album a ( Small Room, 1999) and 2000/ 01 two Duoalben with bassist Jesper Bodilsen ( Twins and A Wish). In fusion style he works from 2004 with Billy Kilsons BK Groove.
Colligan lives in New York and teaches at the Juilliard School of Music. In his eclectic style, he takes up influences from funk, free improvisation to contemporary music. He is one of Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk, Wayne Shorter and McCoy Tyner to his influences.
Prizes and awards
Colligan was awarded the Chamber Music America for composition and is also winner of the award Jazzconnect.com.
Disco Graphical Notes
- Activism ( Steeplechase, 1995)
- The Newcomer ( Steeplechase, 1997) with Ingrid Jensen, Mark Turner
- Stomping Ground ( Steeplechase, 1997) with Drew Gress, Billy Hart
- Constant source ( Steeplechase, 1998) with Jon Gordon, Mark Turner
- Ultimatum ( Criss Cross, 2001) with Gary Thomas
- Realization ( Sirocco, 2004) with Tom Guarna, Rodney Holmes