Steve Colson

Adegoke Steve Colson is an American jazz pianist, composer, and educator. A member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) since the early 1970s, Colson has performed and recorded with musicians including Joseph Jarman, Reggie Workman, David Murray, Henry Threadgill, Malachi Favors, Kahil El'Zabar, among many others. His work incorporates themes of African American identity and social consciousness, and has been reviewed in publications such as The New York Times, JazzTimes, All About Jazz, and The New York City Jazz Record.

Early life and education Colson was born in Newark, New Jersey, and raised in East Orange, where he graduated from East Orange High School. He studied piano at Northwestern University's School of Music beginning in 1967 and also studied alto saxophone with Fred Hemke. He earned a Bachelor of Music Education (BME) in 1971. where he is referenced alongside his spouse, vocalist, composer and educator Iqua Colson, as part of the AACM's second generation

Career Colson's early recordings were with The Unity Troupe, a group he founded in the 1970s. Their debut album, Triumph!, was released in 1979 and followed by No Reservation in 1980 on the Black Saint label.

Colson has collaborated with numerous members of the AACM and other musicians, including Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, Ed Blackwell, Oliver Lake, Malachi Favors, and Andrew Cyrille. He also worked with poet and activist Amiri Baraka, composing music for several of Baraka's theatrical works.

In 2021, he premiered Incandescence, a six-part suite commissioned by the AACM and the American Composers Forum. In 2022, his piece Suite Harlem was performed at the Harlem School of the Arts' Train Festival, and reviewed in The New York Times.

Personal life and legacy Colson is married to Iqua Colson, a composer and educator. The couple met in Chicago during their early involvement with the AACM and have often collaborated musically. They have worked in educational settings across the U.S. and internationally. In 2018, he was inducted into the East Orange Hall of Fame and was named a Steinway Artist in 2021. Jazz Road Creative Residencies Grant Recipient 2022 Fromm Music Foundation Commission Recipient

Discography

Studio albums Year Title Label Notes 1979 Triumph! Silver Sphinx Records Debut – reissued 2011 CD/LP via Universal Sound/Soul Jazz 1980 No Reservation Black Saint The Unity Troupe studio album 1990 Hope for Love Silver Sphinx Records Duo with Iqua Colson 2006 The Untarnished Dream Silver Sphinx Records Quartet recording with Iqua Colson, Reggie Workman, Andrew Cyrille 2015 Tones For Silver Sphinx Records Solo double album; explored spiritual themes 2025 Glow: Music for Trio... Add Voice Silver Sphinx Records Features Iqua Colson, Andrew Cyrille, Mark Helias

The Colson Unity Troupe Year Title Label Notes 1979 Triumph! Silver Sphinx Records Group founded by Colson; features Joseph Jarman, Doug Ewart 1980 No Reservation Black Saint Spoken‑word/jazz collective project

Collaborations & guest appearances With Title Label Notes David Murray Octet New Life Black Saint Member of octet featuring Colson Andrew Cyrille Quintet My Friend Louis DIW Trio member Andrew Cyrille Quintet African Love Supreme / Ode to the Living Tree Venus Jazz/Evidence Quartet appearance Baikida Carroll Quintet Door of the Cage Soul Note As pianist Baikida Carroll Quintet Marionettes on a High Wire OmniTone With Colson's piano Butch Morris Ensemble Conduction Collection #25, 26 New World/Cross Currents Conduction conductor/composer Kahil El'Zabar, Joseph Jarman, Malachi Favors, Kalaparusha McIntyre Bright Moments: Return of the Lost Tribe Delmark Includes Colson's leadership & composition Kevin Cook Quintet Music for My Love Ones Artistic Soundz Featured pianist

Compositions featured by other artists Andrew Cyrille Quartet – The News (ECM, 2021) – features Colson compositions Trio Three featuring Oliver Lake, Reggie Workman, Andrew Cyrille – Encounter (Passin' Thru, 2012) – Colson composition featured New York Unit – Now's The Time (King, 19xx) – includes Colson writing Hannibal Marvin Peterson – One with the Wind (Muse, 19xx) – features Colson material