George Colligan © Juan Carlos Hernandez

George Colligan spent much of his youth in Columbia, MD and initially studied trumpet. He took some piano lessons at age 7, but the trumpet was the more serious attraction when he was introduced to jazz in sixth grade. He enrolled at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore to further pursue trumpet studies, but also found himself drawn to the piano again, and even began gigging at area clubs. Colligan remained focused thereafter on keyboards, both piano and organ, quitting trumpet after high school graduation in 1991. For the next few years, Colligan played in the Washington, DC area and directed the jazz ensemble at Peabody. Invited to join Gary Bartz’ ensemble, Colligan moved to New York in 1995, his work as a sideman included stints with Cassandra Wilson, Lonnie Plaxico, Phil Woods, Robin Eubanks, Billy Higgins, Lee Konitz, Nicholas Payton, Steve Wilson and Vanessa Rubin. Citing as key influences Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk, Wayne Shorter, and McCoy Tyner, Colligan is now one of the most in-demand keyboard players on the modern jazz scene.

In 2001, George Colligan won the jazzconnect.com competition which included an appearance at Blues Alley in Washington, DC. In 2003 he was awarded a rare Chamber Music Society of American grant for new jazz compositions, and in 2004 he appeared as featured guest on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz (NPR). Recently, Colligan has worked with Don Byron, is a member of the Mingus Dynasty Septet and Buster Williams’ Something More ensemble, and leads his organ trio Mad Science as well as his piano quartet. Blood Pressure is his 17^th release as leader.

Steve Wilson © Andrea Canter

Vicente Archer grew up in Woodstock, NY, listening to locally-based artists Dave Holland, Jimmy Cobb, and Jack DeJohnette, among many others. At 16 he taught himself to play guitar by listeining to his parents’ Wes Montgomery and George Benson records. Studying jazz at The New England Conservatory (NEC) in Boston, he worked with guitarist Gene Bertoncini, saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, and Latin/Jazz pianist Danilo Perez. After a year at NEC, Archer transferred to Boston's Northeastern University and switched to the acoustic bass. Still in college, Archer was invited to play with saxophonist Donald Harrison and pianist Eric Reed. With a business degree, he moved to New York, playing with Terence Blanchard, Tom Harrell, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Haynes, Geri Allen, Janis Siegel, Kenny Garrett, and The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, among others, and currently works with the Louis Hayes Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band, Mingus Big Band, Stefon Harris, Nicholas Payton and Marcus Strickland.

E J Strickland © Andrea Canter

The release of Blood Pressure will be celebrated Tuesday, March 6^th, at Jazz Standard in Manhattan (116 E. 27^th Street), sets at 7:30 and 9:30 pm; visit www.jazzstandard.com