Isaiah Collier “Collier Plays Coltrane”

“It’s thrilling, reflective, spellbinding music that never loses its sense of groove. There’s no way listeners cannot feel the magnetism of Collier’s generous, glowing spirit.” – Downbeat Magazine

Chicago saxophonist and self-described “Sonic Scientist” Isaiah Collier has emerged as one of the most dynamic torchbearers of contemporary jazz. Among his many honors, Collier has been named a Steve Jobs Archive Fellow, “Chicagoan of the Year in Jazz” (2024), and was featured on the front cover of DownBeat Magazine, the world’s oldest jazz publication, in addition to being named Rising Star Tenor Saxophonist in the 2023 DownBeat Critics Poll. Collier is known for his relentless pursuit of blending the rich traditions of the past with the urgency of the present to forge the sound of the future. Described as a maverick of creative and improvisational force, he has collaborated with jazz luminaries such as Kahil El’Zabar, Ambrose Akinmusire, Craig Taborn, Joe Dyson, Azar Lawrence, NEA Jazz Masters Billy Hart, Marshall Allen, and Denardo Coleman (son of free jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman), as well as Randy Brecker, Marquis Hill, and Makaya McCraven. He is also widely known for his powerful ensemble, The Chosen Few. His latest album, The World Is On Fire, released in 2024, and this special 2026 festival presentation will explore classic Coltrane works for John Coltrane’s 100th anniversary. For longtime devotees and new listeners alike, this is an opportunity to witness a generational voice engage directly with one of jazz’s most sacred legacies.