JazzNights 28

Jersey-born George Colligan is about as active on the New York and world scene as it is possible to be. He is a widely recorded sideman with well over 100 CDs in that capacity. His awards for both composition and playing are numerous. The company he keeps - the Mingus Big Band, Mark Turner, Buster Williams, Steve Wilson, Gary Thomas, Don Byron - is impeccable. In addition, he has several discs as a leader, including my favorite, Past-Present-Future with bassist Vicente Archer (JazzNights 12 and 19) and drummer Bill Stewart, and the acclaimed Blood Pressure in which Mr. Colligan presents several different groups - two trios among them, including the one we will hear on September 26th - drummer E. J. Strickland and bassist Josh Ginsburg. A new CD, Runaway, which also features E. J. Strickland and Josh Ginsburg, will be released in early September. Of course, one hears Mr. Colligan so often mostly because he's just plain good. But perhaps part of his popularity comes from his versatility - he's an organist of note and whatever one calls a Rhodes or synthesizer player. By the way, though we won't hear this on the 26th, he's also a trumpet player and a competent drummer. His work ranges from the classic jazz trio that we will hear, piano-bass-drums, to far his more funk-a-delic groups such as Mad Science, which shows off Mr. Colligan's other, more groovy side.

Past-Present-Future is somewhat uncharacteristically devoted entirely to the works of other composers, but Blood Pressure features Mr. Colligan's compositions entirely, and presents several variations, including electric instruments, Jamie Baum's flute, and Meg Okura 's violin.

I heard the Colligan-Strickland-Ginsburg trio last April at Smalls, and a fine evening it was. But, no surprise, as Mr. Colligan's trios are always excellent; there is a lot of imagination both in his playing and compositions. He also seems to have a knack for picking interesting associates, and has the good sense to feature them in his trio work - they are always more than accompanists, and the trio tunes are anything but formulaic. Any one of the three can lead, for example, and change of pace both within the tune and within the CD is important.

Drummer E. J. Strickland is half of the most impressive brother team to appear since the Marsalis siblings. He and his twin, saxophonist Marcus, though still under 30, are already fine players and sure to have a substantial impact on this music in the coming years. E. J. can do it all.

Similarly, bassist Josh Ginsburg , only in his early 30's, has toured and recorded widely. Early on he studied with Jackie McLean, and then at the New School with iconic bassists Buster Williams, Reggie Workman and Peter Washington.

We look forward to seeing you on the 28th - it will be a very good evening!

Recommended CDs:

George Colligan Solo, Trios, and Groups

Runaway (Sunnyside, to be released 9/9/08)

Blood Pressure (Ultimatum, 2006)

Past-Present-Future (Criss Cross, 2005)

Mad Science

Realization (Sirocco, 2005)

George Colligan's Website - has lots of information, schedules, and sound samples:

http://georgecolligan.com/