ISAIAH COLLIER
Isaiah Collier
Isaiah Collier (born 1998) is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader based in Chicago and Brooklyn, widely regarded as one of the most compelling young voices in contemporary jazz. He began playing saxophone at age 11 and was mentored by Chicago jazz luminaries including Willie Pickens, Ernest Dawkins, and Ari Brown, as well as national artists such as Stefon Harris, Roy Hargrove, and Lewis Nash. Collier leads his ensemble and has performed with Chance the Rapper, Waddada Leo Smith, Angel Bat Dawid, and the AACM. His epic suite 'The Story of 400 Years' — a 13-movement exploration of Black American history — was featured on NPR's Jazz Night in America. He released two full-length albums in 2024 (Parallel Universe and The World Is On Fire), both of which were cited in The New York Times' year-end jazz coverage. The New York Times named his recording The Almighty one of the Top Ten Jazz Recordings of 2024; the Chicago Tribune named him Jazz Artist of the Year for 2024; and DownBeat placed him on their April 2025 cover as 'The Next Sax Giant.' He is also a Steve Jobs Archive Fellow. His 2026 EP Joy and his 'Collier Plays Coltrane' touring program cement his status as one of jazz's most essential new voices.
Bio
Isaiah Collier (born 1998) is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader based in Chicago and Brooklyn, widely regarded as one of the most compelling young voices in contemporary jazz. He began playing saxophone at age 11 and was mentored by Chicago jazz luminaries including Willie Pickens, Ernest Dawkins, and Ari Brown, as well as national artists such as Stefon Harris, Roy Hargrove, and Lewis Nash. Collier leads his ensemble and has performed with Chance the Rapper, Waddada Leo Smith, Angel Bat Dawid, and the AACM. His epic suite 'The Story of 400 Years' — a 13-movement exploration of Black American history — was featured on NPR's Jazz Night in America. He released two full-length albums in 2024 (Parallel Universe and The World Is On Fire), both of which were cited in The New York Times' year-end jazz coverage. The New York Times named his recording The Almighty one of the Top Ten Jazz Recordings of 2024; the Chicago Tribune named him Jazz Artist of the Year for 2024; and DownBeat placed him on their April 2025 cover as 'The Next Sax Giant.' He is also a Steve Jobs Archive Fellow. His 2026 EP Joy and his 'Collier Plays Coltrane' touring program cement his status as one of jazz's most essential new voices.
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