ADEGOKE STEVE COLSON – pianist, composer, saxophonist, educator –has performed internationally as a leader of jazz ensembles ranging from trios to orchestras. His work has been recorded on labels that include Columbia/Sony, Evidence, and Black Saint. Steve also received high praise for his recordings as leader including The Untarnished Dream – with Jazz Legends Andrew Cyrille and Reggie Workman, and wife and musical partner Iqua Colson – which was voted into the top 10 % of the Jazz Critics Poll and Solo Piano recording Tones For, reflecting on the lives and work of Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass. Among the various accolades received internationally, the CD was picked as The Jazz Times Editor’s Choice. A critically acclaimed figure, his work as an artist has been discussed/reviewed in many languages and can be found in countless magazines, newspapers, periodicals, and in several books. Adegoke Steve Colson has the prestigious distinction of having been selected as a Steinway Artist.

Steve auditioned into the Northwestern University School of Music and matriculated in September 1967. After receiving his degree he lived in Chicago for a decade before returning to the East Coast. While in Chicago he became an early member of The Association for Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) in the 70s, a renowned musicians’ collective that has influenced music internationally in the 20th and 21st Century. The Colsons released Triumph! their first recording on their Silver Sphinx record label in 1979. Years later in November 2011, Soul Jazz Records of London, UK, included the album cover and a track in their prestigious Freedom, Rhythm and Sound Book and the CD-LP compilation, placing their work with music icons including Maurice White, John Coltrane, Sun Ra, and Mary Lou Williams. This collection/retrospective documented the influential and independent musicians of the years 1965-83 who took control of their music – they are credited as the early roots of the “indie” movement. The acclaimed exhibition, Soul of a Nation, traveled internationally and featured the album cover and liner notes of Triumph!

Ade’s work has been compared to that of Monk, Mingus, and Ellington as well as Ives, Berio, and Stravinsky. His ensembles have performed on some of the world’s leading stages and featured artists such as David Murray, Rachelle Farrell, Joseph Jarman, Tyshawn Sorey, Oliver Lake, and Pulitzer Prize winners Anthony Davis and Henry Threadgill, who is fellow member of the AACM. As headliner Steve has shared billing and stage with artists that include Muhal Richard Abrams, Pharoah Sanders, Max Roach, T.S. Monk, James “Blood” Ulmer, Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie, Dr. Billy Taylor, Ray Charles, Art Blakey, Sun Ra, Oscar Peterson and Freddie Hubbard. His collaborations across disciplines include work with celebrated visual artists Don Miller and Willie Cole, acclaimed screenwriter and playwright Richard Wesley, legendary dancer Carmen de Lavallade, and most frequently with Master Poets and activists, Amiri and Amina Baraka. His compositions have found their way into the “jazz standard” repertoire and are being performed and recorded by Hannibal, bassist Richard Davis, Trio Three and other jazz greats as well as by his own groups. Most recently Andrew Cyrille’s ECM release “The News” included Ade’s Leaving East of Java. Steve has received several commissions and awards for music composition and authored more than 150 pieces for ensemble and six major works for Jazz orchestra. Those major works include his multi-media work, Greens, Rice, and a Rope written with the support of The National Endowment for the Arts and premiered at Newark Symphony Hall on the day City of Newark proclaimed “Adegoke Steve Colson Day” during the national celebration of New Music America; Treasure the New City written at the request of the East Orange Historical Society in honor of the 150th Anniversary of his home City, East Orange, NJ; New Jersey Chamber Music Society commission “…as in a Cultural Reminiscence…” a work commissioned for opening season of New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in which he included literary masters Amiri Baraka and Richard Wesley – performed again in Paris France where it was recorded live for Mezzo Channel. He also collaborated with Amiri Baraka for the National Lost Jazz Shrines project, an outgrowth of a United States Congressional Resolution declaring Jazz a “national treasure.” He arranged, orchestrated and conducted the music of stride master Willie “The Lion” Smith, also performing the role of “The Lion” in Baraka’s play for this celebration. The performance was aired on PBS. Other examples of TV or film presentations of Steve’s work include the role of the Piano Player in the HBO’s series, Vinyl, produced by Mick Jagger and directed by Martin Scorsese.

Steve was commissioned by NJPAC to compose a work dedicated to the 350th Anniversary of The City of Newark. Here Is The Place, Our City at NJPAC April 7, 2017 to a standing ovation. Honorable Ras Baraka, Mayor of The City of Newark, NJ, recognized Steve by City Proclamation on the occasion of the premiere. Steve completed another commission, Incandescence, in 2020 selected and funded by American Composers Forum to mark the 55th Anniversary of the AACM. Steve conducted the premiere, a six book composition reflecting on the 6 decades of the AACM, at The University of Chicago’s Logan Center for the Arts October 30, 2021. He is recipient of South Arts 2021 Jazz Road Creative Residencies, funded by Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, to work as artist in residence with Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) jazz program– and to compose and premiere a new work in honor of HSA. Suite Harlem premiered June 11th during the A-Train Festival. The piece was met with a standing ovation and stellar review in the New York Times (June 12 web & June 13, 2022 print edition). He was awarded The Harvard Fromm Commission in December 2022 and his composition Mirrors premiered at Merkin Hall in New York City November 1, 2023 as part of the celebrated International Contemporary Ensemble’s (ICE) concert “Composing While Black – volume 1” curated by their Artistic Director, renown composer and Columbia Professor, George Lewis.

Always involved in education, Steve was one of 21 artist-educators selected from across the U.S. by the National Endowment of the Arts to pilot the national concept of Artist Residencies in the 1980s. He is currently artist in residence in Jazz Studies at Cicely L. Tyson School of Performing & Fine Arts; lectures internationally; and is a professor in the Bloomfield College at Montclair State Creative Arts & Technology Department where he helped shape the vision and concept over 30 years ago as part of an initiative led by The Office of the President.

Steve was recognized by his home town November 2018 when he was inducted into The East Orange Hall of Fame, joining several other distinguished E.O. natives in all fields including Althea Gibson, Dionne Warwick, Naughty by Nature, John Amos, and Whitney Houston.

Steve was honored with his fellow classmates May 2018 by Northwestern University in observance of the 50th Anniversary of The 1968 Takeover of the Bursar’s Office. As one of the small number of strategists/leaders of what is called the most successful takeover of a major American University, he is featured in the documentary, The Takeover – The Revolution of the Black Experience at Northwestern University.

In 2024, The Northwestern University Libraries purchased The Adegoke Steve Colson and Iqua Colson Archives including scores, compositions and artifacts relative to the first 50 years of their varied and prolific careers; an honor as they are now documented at Ade’s alma-mater among one of the largest and most venerated music collections in the U.S., known for an unmatched strength in contemporary music.

Adegoke Steve Colson – pianist, composer, saxophonist, historian, educator – performs internationally as a soloist and leader of ensembles ranging from trios to orchestras. His work appears on labels including Columbia/Sony, Evidence, and Black Saint. Born in Newark and raised in East Orange, NJ, Steve started writing music during his high school years. He earned his degree from Northwestern University School of Music and joined the influential musicians’ collective, the Association for Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) in 1972 while living in Chicago. He returned to the east coast in 1982, moving to Montclair, NJ. His projects have featured modern innovators – Reggie Workman, David Murray, Henry Threadgill, Malachi Favors, Joseph Jarman, Anthony Davis, Andrew Cyrille, Tyshawn Sorey, Oliver Lake among many other musicians; and collaborations including master artists of other disciplines such as poet/activist Amiri Baraka, dancer/choreographer Carmen de Lavallade and artist Willie Cole. He co-owns recording label Silver Sphinx with wife and musical partner Iqua, and their first release in 1980 later became part of Gilles Peterson’s 2011 compilation Freedom, Rhythm & Sound which credited them as the early roots of the “indie” movement alongside such independent innovators as Maurice White, John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Mary Lou Williams. Ade is featured on 14 recordings, 6 as ensemble leader and one solo piano.

Ade is a decorated composer having received several commissions from entities including American Composer’s Forum, Meet the Composer, AT&T, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, National Endowment for the Arts, and Absolute Jazz for National Lost Jazz Shrines project – which supported arranging, orchestrating and conducting the music of stride master Willie “The Lion” Smith. Ade’s “Suite Harlem”, commissioned through South Arts Jazz Road supported by Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, premiered in New York City June 2022 and commission from Fromm Music Foundation – lead to International Contemporary Ensemble premiering his “Mirrors” in New York during their 2023 season. Some of his over 200 works for small ensemble have also been recorded by other pivotal artists such as bassist Richard Davis, trumpeter/composer Hannibal and most recently by Andrew Cyrille on his ECM Release, “The News”.

He was personally honored by his alma mater in 2024 when The Northwestern University Libraries purchased the Adegoke Steve Colson and Iqua Colson Archives including scores, compositions and artifacts relative to their varied and prolific careers.

Always involved in education, Steve was one of 21 artist-educators selected from across the U.S. by the National Endowment of the Arts to pilot the national concept of Artist Residencies in the 1980s. He is currently artist in residence in Jazz Studies at Cicely L. Tyson School of Performing & Fine Arts; lectures internationally; and is a professor in the Bloomfield College at Montclair State Creative Arts & Technology Department where he helped shape the vision and concept over 30 years ago as part of an initiative led by The Office of the President.

Ade was inducted into the East Orange, NJ Hall of Fame (2018), joining distinguished individuals from his hometown including well-known figures Althea Gibson, Dionne Warwick, John Amos, Whitney Houston and Naughty by Nature.

In 2024, The Northwestern University Libraries purchased The Adegoke Steve Colson and Iqua Colson Archives including scores, compositions and artifacts relative to the first 50 years of their varied and prolific careers; an honor as they are now documented at Ade’s alma-mater among one of the largest and most venerated music collections in the U.S., known for an unmatched strength in contemporary music.

ADEGOKE STEVE COLSON & IQUA COLSON

“Triumph!” Silver Sphinx SS01

“No Reservation” Black Saint BSR 0043

“Hope for Love” Silver Sphinx SS12402

“ Untarnished Dream” Silver Sphinx SS12403

“ Freedom Rhythm & Sound – Revolutionary Jazz and The Civil Rights Movement”
Soul Jazz Records SUR CD 219

“ Triumph!” (re-issue From Soul Jazz / London) Universal Sound US CD40

STEVE with THE DAVID MURRAY OCTET
“New Life” * Black Saint BSR 0100
*One of the top 10 records of the decade (‘80’s): Gary Giddins/Village Voice

STEVE with THE ANDREW CYRILLE QUINTET
“My Friend Louis” Disk Union DIW 858

“African Love Supreme / Ode to the Living Tree” Venus Jazz TKCZ279098

“Ode to the Living Tree” Evidence ECD 22185-2

STEVE with THE BAIKIDA CARROLL QUINTET
“Door of the Cage” Soul Note 121123-2

“Marionettes on a High Wire” OmniTone 12101

STEVE with THE BUTCH MORRIS ENSEMBLE
“Conduction Collection – #25, 26” New World/Cross Currents 80478

STEVE with KAHIL EL’ZABAR, JOSEPH JARMAN, MALACHI FAVORS & KALAPARUSHA MAURICE McINTYRE
Bright Moments -“Return of the Lost Tribe” Delmark DE-507

STEVE with THE KEVIN COOK QUINTET
“Music for My Love Ones” Artistic Soundz ASE0001

ARTISTS’ RECORDINGS WHICH FEATURE
STEVE COLSON’S COMPOSITIONS

“ Encounter” – Trio Three Passin’ Thru 41212
Oliver Lake, Reggie Workman, Andrew Cyrille

“Now’s The Time” – New York Unit King Records KICJ 108
Hannibal Marvin Peterson, Richard Davis, John Hicks, Tatsuya Nakamura

‘One with the Wind’ – Hannibal Marvin Peterson Muse MCD 5523