Graham Collier: A Life in Jazz
Graham Collier: A Life in Jazz
Early Life
James Graham Collier was born on February 21, 1937, in Tynemouth, Northumberland, England. After leaving school, he joined the British Army as a musician and spent three years in Hong Kong.
Education and Early Career
Collier won a Down Beat magazine scholarship to the Berklee School of Music in Boston, becoming its first British graduate in 1963. Upon his return to Britain, he founded the first version of an ensemble devoted to his own compositions, Graham Collier Music.
Contributions to Jazz
Graham Collier Music included notable musicians such as Kenny Wheeler, Harry Beckett, and John Surman, and in later line-ups Karl Jenkins, Mike Gibbs, Art Themen, and many others. Collier was the first recipient of an Arts Council bursary for jazz and was commissioned by festivals, groups, and broadcasters across Europe, North America, Australia, and the Far East.
Work in Other Media
In addition to his music, Collier worked on stage plays and musicals, on documentary and fiction film, and on a variety of radio drama productions. He produced 19 albums and CDs of his music.
Author and Educator
Collier was also an author and educator, having written seven books on jazz, and given lectures and workshops around the world. In 1987, Collier launched the jazz degree course at London’s Royal Academy of Music and was its artistic director until he resigned in 1999 to concentrate on his own music.
Recognition and Awards
In 1989, he was among the group of jazz educators who formed the International Association of Schools of Jazz, whose magazine, Jazz Changes, he co-edited for seven years. He was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 1987 for his services to jazz.
Later Life and Death
In his later years, Collier lived on a small island in Greece, where he composed, wrote, and administered his back catalogue, travelling to present concerts and workshops around the world. He passed away from heart failure on September 9, 2011, in Crete, Greece.
- “Deep Dark Blue Centre” – This is the debut album of Graham Collier Music, released in 1967. It revealed the influence of Gil Evans but with a more adventurous rhythmic palette.
- “Down Another Road” – Released in 1969, this album is wonderfully bluesy and showcases Collier’s unique approach to jazz composition.
- “Songs for My Father” – This album, released in 1970, is a testament to Collier’s ability to blend complex harmonies with lyrical melodies.
- “Portraits” – Released in 1973, this album showcases Collier’s avant-garde jazz sensibilities.
- “Jazz Illustrations” – This 1975 release is a unique blend of jazz education and performance.
- “The Day Of The Dead” – Inspired by Malcolm Lowry’s writings, particularly “Under the Volcano”, this album was released in 1978.
- “Adam’s Marble” – Released in 1995, this album showcases Collier’s progressive big band style.
- “Luminosity / The Last Suites” – This 2014 release is a testament to Collier’s continued innovation in the field of jazz.
- “Impulsive Illuminations” – Released in 2016, this album showcases Collier’s progressive big band style.
- “Down Another Road @ Stockholm Jazz Days ’69” – This archival release from 2023 captures a live performance of Graham Collier Music at its peak.
