Jazz Articles about George Colligan

George Colligan: Runaway

by John Kelman
September 6, 2008

Over the course of a career, relationships are made, with an artist's network growing ever larger. George Colligan--keyboardist of choice for artists including Don Byron, Buster Williams and The Mingus Big Band--has built a circle of friends larger than most, drawing upon them for Runaway, his Sunnyside debut, a logical follow-up to Blood Pressure (Ultimatum, 2006). Blood Pressure was a more eclectic affair, drawing on two separate rhythm sections and a couple of guests; Runaway is a more consistent group ...

Kerry Politzer: You Took Me

by Virginia A. Schaefer
February 19, 2008

Following her three releases as a jazz pianist who composes much of her material, Kerry Politzer steps out as a singer-songwriter with You Took Me In. As well as performing all the vocals, she plays piano with the band, which consists entirely of jazz musicians. Although the turn from jazz piano to pop-oriented song may seem surprising, Politzer has actually been active as a singer-songwriter for several years, and has received awards in songwriting competitions. On the ...

George Colligan: Variety, Presentation and Doing It Because It's Fun

by Paul Olson
May 7, 2007

Although George Colligan is a wildly in-demand musician whose piano, organ and Fender Rhodes have graced the recordings and performances of clarinetist Don Byron, bassist Buster Williams, vocalist Cassandra Wilson, and many other artists, he's also managed to produce a pretty sizable discography as a band leader. While his chops and imagination--coupled with a consistent clarity of thought and touch--make his playing a consistent pleasure to the jazz listener, he's just as good a composer, having written for Chamber Music ...

George Colligan: Blood Pressure

by Ken Dryden
April 10, 2007

During his relatively brief time on the jazz scene, keyboardist George Colligan has been very busy, recording prolifically both as a leader and sideman for a number of labels. Blood Pressure is an eclectic affair, focusing exclusively on originals in what is primarily a post-bop outing, with occasional detours. Colligan utilizes two different bassists (Josh Ginsberg and Boris Kozlov, the latter who doubles on electric bass on several tracks) and three different drummers (Johnathan Blake, EJ Strickland and Vanderlai Pereira), ...

George Colligan: Blood Pressure

by Budd Kopman
January 17, 2007

Even a quick glance at George Colligan's discography is easily impressive: he has twenty releases as a leader and four times that many as a sideman. Why he is so prolific can easily be heard on Blood Pressure, an album of all original compositions. Last year's Renderings, with Andrew Rathbun on reeds, showed Colligan's classical side, with a wonderful touch and admirable restraint and communication. Blood Pressure is essentially a piano trio record, but ...

George Colligan Trio: Blood Pressure

by John Kelman
November 21, 2006

One look at George Colligan's discography as a sideman and the word “multifaceted" comes immediately to mind. From the post bop of Eddie Henderson to the complex orchestrations of Jamie Baum and the gritty R&B of Don Byron's tribute to Junior Walker, Colligan has done it all.

In 2005 the pianist released the mainstream Past-Present-Future (Criss Cross) and unapologetically fusion-centric Realization (Sirocco). Blood Pressure sits somewhere in between. Its generally acoustic vibe is enhanced on occasion with synths, flute, violin ...

George Colligan: Blood Pressure

by Mark Corroto
November 4, 2006

For the past ten years, every article or review about pianist George Colligan's music has opined as to when this very talented musician would become a household name. He has amassed an impressive list of sideman gigs with the likes of Cassandra Wilson, Don Byron, Buster Williams, Benny Golson and Lonnie Plaxico. His discography as a leader is also deep. Unfortunately, most of those discs have been released on foreign labels like Criss Cross, Fresh Sound New Talent and Steeplechase. ...