AACM Concert Series 2024

THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF CREATIVE MUSICIANS, AACM

New York City Chapter, Inc.

59 Years Of Artistic Dedication

Presents

AACM CONCERT SERIES 2024

Decorated Pianist and Composer Adegoke Steve Colson in Duet with Gifted Bassist Luke Stewart.

Adegoke Steve Colson - innovative pianist, composer, historian, educator – performs internationally, has written over 250 pieces for small ensemble, and received several commissions for large works. He and the dynamic bassist Luke Stewart will share their adventurous sounds.

“Every soloist had a chance to shine, throughout the piece. But Adegoke Steve Colson’s piano playing in the final half was a cut above this generally high standard: densely avant-garde and joyously singing in equal measure. This solo aspect of his art has been only rarely heard on recordings... so it was a treat to hear him in this manner.” The New York Times

And

Peyton Pleninger’sBiotonic

Featuring:

Peyton Pleninger, Saxophone
Will McEvoy, Bass
Bram Kincheloe, Drums

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Adegoke Steve Colson - pianist, composer, saxophonist, historian, 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 while living in Chicago. 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, Joseph Jarman, 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/choreographer 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 2011 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.

Ade is a decorated composer having received several commissions from entities including American Composer’s Forum, Meet the Composer, AT&T, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, National Endowment for the Arts, and Absolute Jazz for National Lost Jazz Shrines project – which supported arranging, orchestrating and conducting the music of stride master Willie “The Lion” Smith. Ade’s “Suite Harlem”, commissioned through South Arts Jazz Road supported by Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, premiered in New York City June 2022 and commission from Fromm Music Foundation - lead to International Contemporary Ensemble premiering his “Mirrors” in New York during their 2023 season. Some of his over 200 works for small ensemble have also been recorded by other pivotal artists such as bassist Richard Davis, trumpeter/composer Hannibal and most recently by Andrew Cyrille on his ECM Release, “The News”. He was personally honored by his alma mater in 2024 when The Northwestern University Libraries purchased the Adegoke Steve Colson and Iqua Colson Archives including scores, compositions and artifacts relative to their varied and prolific careers.

Always involved in education, Steve was one of 21 artist-educators selected from across the U.S. by the National Endowment of the Arts to pilot the national 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; lectures internationally; and is a professor in the Bloomfield College at Montclair State Creative Arts & Technology Department where he helped shape the vision and concept over 30 years ago as part of an initiative led by The Office of the President.

www.colsonsmusic.com @colsonsmusic

(Photo Credit: Iqua Colson)

Peyton Pleninger - is an emerging tenor saxophonist, improviser, bandleader and astrologer, forging a personal path that challenges the boundaries of what it means to be a musician. Pleninger worked as a mentee of Milford Graves, from spring 2019 until Graves’ passing in early 2021, assisting daily in multi-disciplinary efforts. He played an integral role in helping Graves prepare artwork and archival materials for his retrospective exhibit Milford Graves: A Mind Body Deal at the ICA Philadelphia, as well as for the post-humous exhibit Milford Graves at the Fridman Gallery and Fundamental Frequency at Artists Space. Hailing from Philadelphia, Pleninger arrived in New York in 2015, where he formed his band Biotonic. Biotonic has performed throughout NYC at such venues as The 55 Bar, The Jazz Gallery and Seeds Brooklyn, and has released a live album: alive, and two EP’s: intro::extro and Heartbeat Music. He performed with AACM Member Henry Threadgill as part of the multimedia work "One" and "The Other One." Summer 2022 brought the release of Pleninger’s first solo album, Post Human Folk Dances, which explores imagined dance styles through his signature setup of saxophone with bells tied to his feet. Pleninger lives in the Hudson valley, where he is rebuilding an old country tavern into an arts research center, called The Tavern. The Tavern hosts concerts, artist residents, and provides a space to research the intersection of music, metaphysics and the healing arts.

www.peytonpleninger.com

(Photo credit: Michael Bartosek)

Our Sponsors

This Event is made possible by New York State Council On The Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, additional funds made possible by Individual Donors.

About the AACM

The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), is a non- profit tax-exempt arts organization co-founded in 1965 by Dr. Muhal Richard Abrams, Jodie Christian, Kelan Phil Cohran, and Steve McCall, is one of the oldest musicians associations in the United States. Since its founding in Chicago, Illinois in 1965, the organization’s members have developed a body of work that encompasses the spectrum of traditional and contemporary music. The AACM New York City Chapter, Inc. a non-profit tax-exempt entity was established in 1983. The AACM New York City Chapter, Inc. functions as an ensemble of composers and performers whose mission is to present concerts that feature world premieres of original music, which are composed by AACM members. The AACM is significantly unique in that it has nurtured and brought to fruition so many accomplished composers and performers. The organization’s artists have developed a body of work that has achieved lasting significance across borders of music genres and geography to play a critical role in the ever evolving process of music creation and its vital influence throughout the world. AACM members who have been featured in our programs include: Anthony Braxton, Roscoe Mitchell, Wadada Leo Smith, Henry Threadgill, Thurman Barker, Adegoke Steve Colson, Iqua Colson, Chico Freeman, Amina Claudine Myers, George Lewis, Reggie Nicholson, Leonard Jones, Peggy Abrams, Richarda Abrams and posthumously Dr. Muhal Richard Abrams, Joseph Jarman, Leroy Jenkins, Frank Gordon, Kalaparusha Ahra Difda, Lester Bowie, Steve McCall, Fred Anderson, John Stubblefield and Fred Hopkins. This concert is part of the AACM New York City Chapter, Inc. Concert Series that is held annually in New York.

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