Isaiah Collier is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, model, curator, activist, motivational speaker and all around cool cat. He may be most known for his saxophone work. He has studied and learned from many of the masters such as Coltrane, Mitchell, Shorter and one can feel and hear his approach is drawn from these influences. As with so many of the great improvisers, he works without a net and crosses all sorts of boundaries that may be drawn. He has worked all over the globe with artists like Chance the Rapper, Waddada Leo Smith, Carl Allen, Paul Rogers, Bernie Maupin, Rudy Van Gelder and many more visionaries. He has played his music and shared his stories at many of the favorite festivals and clubs as he continues to grow and learn with and from. The sometimes untold tales, or hoped to be forgotten tales of the past collide with the now of today and the what if of tomorrow(s) seems to be where Isaiah lives. While he is best known perhaps for his work within Isaish Collier & The Chosen Few, it is very easy to tell how his singularity of voice is one to be listened to, reflected upon and fed to become complete.
I had the honor of reconnecting with Isiah once aGain as he prepare to being a new look Chosen Few to play the Terrace on June 14th for the 2025 Madison Jazz Festival. We talk about showing up at the event with yourself as a blank slate, without expectations and let the sound(s) and rhythms take away the every day all thats that we all get overcome by. I made sure to have him give roll call with a little flip to the backside of the baseball card on who is coming with him to Madison. So, I already feel closer to those who’ll be providing the colors for my easel. This is one powerhouse of an ensemble. We went seed to flower on his latest (Late 2024) release, ‘The World Is On Fire‘, which certainly allows for more meaning with each new listen. We talked about his ‘Story Of 400 Years‘ project which is a musical & multimedia production that explores the history of Black people in North America, starting with the Transatlantic slave trade and continuing through pivotal moments in Black American history. One of the more (and it all was) thrilling part of this conversation was time spent talking about what he gets to be a part of as a Steve Jobs Archive Fellow which led us into him exploring sounds in new ways and shapes while being able to listen to and learn from diverse talents. There so much goodness in this conversation, just as I know will happen in Madison on June 14th and anywhere else Mr. Isaiah Collier will be joining in.
photo by: Johanna Brinckman
