Adegoke Steve Colson - pianist, composer, saxophonist, educator – performs internationally as a soloist and leader of ensembles ranging from trios to orchestras. His work appears on labels including Columbia/Sony, Evidence, and Black Saint.  Born in Newark and raised in East Orange, NJ, Steve started writing music during his high school years. He earned his degree from Northwestern University School of Music and joined the influential musicians’ collective, the Association for Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) in 1972.   He returned to the east coast in 1982, moving to Montclair, NJ.  His projects have featured modern innovators, Reggie Workman, David Murray, Henry Threadgill, Malachi Favors, Anthony Davis, Andrew Cyrille, Tyshawn Sorey among many other musicians; and collaborations including master artists of other disciplines such as poet/activist Amiri Baraka, dancer Carmen de Lavallade and artist Willie Cole. He co-owns recording label “Silver Sphinx with wife and musical partner Iqua, and their first release in 1980 later became part of Gilles Peterson’s 2009 compilation Freedom, Rhythm & Sound which credited them as the early roots of the “indie” movement alongside such independent innovators as Maurice White, John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Mary Lou Williams.   Ade was inducted into the East Orange, NJ Hall of Fame (2018), joining distinguished individuals from his hometown including well-known figures Althea Gibson, Dionne Warwick, John Amos, Whitney Houston and Naughty by Nature. He is a decorated composer having received several commissions from entities including Meet the Composer, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Absolute Jazz supported him arranging, orchestrating and conducting the music of piano stride master Willie “The Lion” Smith, representing Newark in the National Lost Jazz Shrines project, an outgrowth of a United States Congressional Resolution declaring Jazz a “national treasure.” He recently premiered two works; Incandescence in Chicago (October 2021) commissioned by American Composers Forum, and Suite Harlem in New York City (June 2022) - part of a South Arts Jazz Road Initiative supported by Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Some of his over 200 works for small ensemble have also been recorded by other pivotal artists such as bassist Richard Davis, pianist John Hicks and trumpeter/composer Hannibal. Always involved in education, Steve was one of 23 educators selected by the NEA to pilot the concept of Artist Residencies in the 1980s. He is currently artist in residence in Jazz Studies at Cicely L. Tyson School of Performing & Fine Arts, gives occasional lectures on music and history, and is a Professor in the Bloomfield College Creative Arts & Technology Department, where he helped shape the vision and concept 30 years ago.