# George Colligan

George Colligan (born December 29, 1969) is an American jazz pianist, organist, drummer, trumpeter, educator, composer, and bandleader.

## Early life and education

Colligan was born in New Jersey and raised in Columbia, Maryland. He attended the Peabody Institute, majoring in classical trumpet and music education. In high school, he learned to play the drums and later switched to piano. His playing is influenced by Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk, Wayne Shorter, and McCoy Tyner.

## Career

As a sideman, he has worked with Phil Woods, Gary Bartz, Robin Eubanks, Billy Higgins, Lee Konitz, Nicholas Payton, Steve Wilson, Richard Bona, Cassandra Wilson, Christian McBride, Buster Williams, Al Foster, Don Byron, Benny Golson, Lonnie Plaxico, and Vanessa Rubin. Colligan received a Chamber Music America Award for composition and won the Jazzconnect.com Award. He has released over twenty albums as a leader and has recorded on over 100 albums as a sideman.
Colligan has performed at festivals all over the world, including the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, Vancouver International Jazz Festival, and the Cancun Jazz Festival. In 2007, for the first time, he played trumpet with the trio Mr. Trumpet at the annual Festival of New Trumpet Music in New York City. He taught at the Juilliard School.
In September 2009, Colligan moved to Winnipeg to teach at the University of Manitoba. He taught jazz history, piano, drums, trumpet, and led master classes. He was songwriter-in-residence at Aqua Books from February to March 2011. In July 2011, Colligan moved to Portland, Oregon, to teach at Portland State University.

## Personal life

Colligan is married to jazz pianist Kerry Politzer.

## Discography
### As leader

| Year recorded | Title | Label | Notes |
| 1995 | Activism | SteepleChase | Trio, with Dwayne Burno (bass), Ralph Peterson (drums) |
| 1997 | The Newcomer | SteepleChase | Quartet, with Mark Turner (tenor sax), Ingrid Jensen (trumpet, flugelhorn), Dwayne Burno (bass), Billy Drummond (drums) |
| 1997 | Stomping Ground | SteepleChase | Trio, with Drew Gress (bass), Billy Hart (drums) |
| 1998 | Constant Source | SteepleChase | Quintet, with Jon Gordon (alto sax, soprano sax), Mark Turner (tenor sax), Ed Howard (bass), Howard Curtis (drums) |
| 1998 | Small Room | SteepleChase | Solo piano |
| 1998 | Unresolved | Fresh Sound New Talent | With Jon Gordon (alto sax), Mark Turner (tenor sax), Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar), Drew Gress (bass), Howard Curtis (drums) |
| 1999 | Agent 99 | SteepleChase | Trio, with Doug Weiss (bass), Darren Beckett (drums) |
| 1999 | Desire | Fresh Sound New Talent | Quartet, with Perico Sambeat (alto sax, soprano sax, flute), Mario Rossy (bass), Marc Miralta (drums) |
| 2000 | Como La Vida Puede Ser | Fresh Sound New Talent | With Perico Sambeat (alto sax, soprano sax, tenor sax, palmas), Mario Rossy (bass), Marc Miralta (drums, cajón, percussion), Guillermo Magill (cajón), Antonio Serrano (harmonica), Tom Guarna (guitar) |
| 2000 | Twins | SteepleChase | Duo, with Jesper Bodilsen (bass) |
| 2001 | A Wish | SteepleChase | Duo, with Jesper Bodilsen (bass) |
| 2001 | Ultimatum | Criss Cross Jazz | Quartet, with Gary Thomas (tenor sax, flute), Drew Gress (bass), Ralph Peterson (drums) |
| 2002? | Return to Copenhagen | SteepleChase | Solo piano |
| 2003 | Past – Present – Future | Criss Cross Jazz | with Bill Stewart (drums) |
| 2004 | Realization | Sirocco | Trio, with Tom Guarna (guitar), Rodney Holmes (drums) |
| 2006 | Blood Pressure | Ultimatum | With Jamie Baum (flute), Meg Okura (violin), Joshua Ginsburg and Boris Kozlov (bass), Jonathan Blake, Vanderlei Pereira and E. J. Strickland (drums) |
| 2010? | Isolation | SteepleChase | Solo piano |
| 2011? | Living for the City | SteepleChase | Trio, with Josh Ginsburg (bass), E.J. Stickland (drums) |
| 2013? | The Facts | SteepleChase | Quartet, with Boris Kozlov, Donald Edwards, Jaleel Shaw |
| 2013? | The Endless Mysteries | Origin | Trio, with Larry Grenadier (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums) |
| 2014? | Ask Me Tomorrow | SteepleChase | Trio, with Linda Oh (bass), Ted Poor (drums) |
| 2015? | Risky Notion | Origin | Most tracks quartet, with Nicole Glover (tenor sax, soprano sax), Joe Manis (tenor sax, alto sax), Jon Lakey (bass); some tracks quintet, with Tony Glausi (trumpet) added; Colligan plays drums |
| 2018? | Nation Divided | Whirlwind | Solo piano |
| 2018? | Escape Route | PJCE | As Other Barry; trio, with Enzo Irace (guitar), Micah Hummel (drums) |
| 2024? | You'll Hear It | La Reserve | With various |

### As sideman
#### With Lee Konitz

* Pride (SteepleChase, 1999)
With Gary Thomas
* Found on Sordid Streets (Winter & Winter, 1997)
With Noah Becker
* Where We Are (ENTOUR, 2000)
With Buster Williams
* Griot Libertè (HighNote, 2004)