Jazz visionary, multi-instrumentalist, composer, curator, activist, and educator Isaiah Collier is unquestionably one of the most important figures on today’s Chicago jazz scene.
Isaiah Collier comes with the project Collier Plays Coltrane, which commemorates the centenary of John Coltrane’s birth. Collier is regarded as one of the most promising saxophonists of his generation. His work combines deep respect for the jazz tradition with a spirit of innovation—whether through his own projects, as a member of Angel Bat Dawid & Tha Brothahood, or through collaborations with artists such as Chance the Rapper, Wadada Leo Smith, and Junius Paul.
With Collier Plays Coltrane, Collier returns to the legacy of John Coltrane and offers his own interpretation of the contemporary message of his work. His album Cosmic Transitions (2021) earned critical acclaim from DownBeat magazine and a number of awards for Album of the Year. The recording was produced by Rudy Van Gelder in honor of Coltrane’s centennial and was partially made using the same analog technology that was employed in the legendary A Love Supreme sessions. The result is a work that pays homage to Coltrane’s spiritual and musical vision while also pushing it in a new direction.
Collier Plays Coltrane brings not only a living link to the present but also an exceptional intensity, expansive improvisation, and progressive energy, making it one of the most compelling tributes in contemporary jazz.
Line-up:
- Isaiah Collier – saxophone
- Davis Whitfield – piano
- Conway Campbell – double bass
- Tim Regis – drums
