Music: Jazz pianist George Colligan plays The Majestic

New York organist, drummer, trumpeter, teacher and bandleader George Colligan plays at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5, at The Majestic, 1027 N. Forest St., for the Whatcom Jazz Music Art Center series.

An award-winning composer, Colligan has released 24 recordings. His latest CD on the Origin Label, “The Endless Mysteries,” features Larry Grenadier and Jack DeJohnette. Colligan’s style incorporates everything from show tunes to funk, from free improvisation to 20th-century classical music.

Colligan was on the faculty of the Juilliard School in New York for two years and is currently an assistant professor and jazz area coordinator at Portland State University. He is a member of Jack DeJohnette’s New Quintet. Colligan recently began playing the Hammond 44 Melodion, also called the melodica. He also started a popular blog, jazztruth.blogspot.com.

Admission to the all-ages concert is $10 general, $5 students, free for center members. Details: wjmac.org, 206-612-5967.

This story was originally published August 3, 2015 at 6:44 AM with the headline "Music: Jazz pianist George Colligan plays The Majestic."