Colin Stranahan

Colin Stranahan has had a passion for music since he was a very young child. The son of a music/jazz educator, he has always been surrounded by music, most specifically jazz. His interest developed when he sat down at a drum set at age eight and was able to play. From that time forward, music has been his life focus and passion. He has sought out and followed every opportunity to learn about, listen to, play and write music. “The education in Denver was amazing. There were so many opportunities to learn from so many amazing musicians. Whether it was Ron Miles, Paul Romaine, Greg Gisbert, Joe Anderies, or my father, I was always playing and learning.” Colin was able to work on his music in great school programs since elementary school. He began gigging around the Denver area at the age of 11. Teaching himself to play the piano has enabled him to develop his ideas and emotions and express his passion through original compositions. He has released two records of his own on Capri Records “Dreams Untold’”, and “Transformation”. In 2001 Colin was accepted to the Denver School of the Arts. “Going to DSA changed my life. I am forever blessed to have been a part of such an amazing school. Not only did I grow as a musician, but as an artist. I was exposed to so many different ways of expressing ideas through many art forms. The people I was around everyday were so talented and always growing.”

Colin has received multiple recognitions and awards including In 2005 he was chosen to be a member of the Clifford Brown/Stan Getz Fellowship Jazz Combo who performed at IAJE in Long Beach and Miami, Florida as part of the National Foundation of the Advancement of the Arts honors. He was also a recipient of the prestigious Betty Carter Fellowship Residency program at the Kennedy Center, which recognizes outstanding young adult jazz composers. He is also a recipient of the Presidential Scholar in the Arts Award. Colin spent a year at the Brubeck Institute where he worked and studied with greats like, Greg Tardy, Lewis Nash, Matt Penman, Brian Lynch, Ravi Coltrane, and many more). He studied in New York, where he attended the New School University and had the great pleasure of studying with Ari Hoenig and Nasheet Waits. He is currently studying at the prestigious Monk Institute in New Orleans, where Terence Blanchard, Herbie Hancock, and Wayne Shorter are directing him. While at the institute he has worked with, John Scofeild, Steve Coleman, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Lewis Nash, Benny Golsan, Ron Carter, Danilo Perez, Nicholas Payton, Brian Blade, Dave Holland, and many others.

“Music is so important in our world today. My goal is to reach out to people, to connect with them. If I'm playing for 5 people or 1,000, my goal is to always touch people in some way. Music is so beautiful because not only do I get to express myself, but also the listener can interpret what they are hearing in any way. It’s about communication and sharing our stories with each other.”

Colin currently performs, and tours with such artists as; Maria Neckam, Ben van Gelder, Lucas Pino, Brian Lynch, and David Binney.