It's a jam session, it's a dance party, it's a live show — and it always features the hottest talent on the scene!! Sittin' In is the free, monthly jam session at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Blending edgy horns, choice vinyl, cutting edge MC's and soaring vocalists, each session is unique, led by a stellar lineup of guest hosts and their band of choice.
Steve Coleman
To call Steve Coleman ”influential” is an understatement. Vijay Iyer, one of the many groundbreaking composer-performers who began their careers apprenticing with Steve, says, “To me, Steve’s as important as Coltrane. He has contributed an equal amount to the history of the music. He deserves to be placed in the pantheon of pioneering artists.” Artists like Don Byron, Cassandra Wilson, and others agree.
But the scope of Steve’s influence isn’t limited to his collaborators. He presented acclaimed weekly workshops at The Jazz Gallery in New York City almost every season from 2004-2013, where anyone with a thirst for knowledge could go to absorb the infinitude he has to offer. Steve likes to think of himself “like a [West African] griot”; he hopes to function “like a person that’s documenting something in music, telling a story and passing information down.”
Steve Coleman has received the following awards and commissions:
New Music USA 2015 USA
MacArthur Fellowship 2014 USA
Doris Duke Impact Award 2014 USA
Guggenheim Fellowship 2014 USA
American Composers Orchestra (ACO) 2007 USA
Chicago World Music Festival Commission (Field Museum & Jazz Institute of Chicago) 2000 USA
CalArts/Alpert Award in the Arts 2000 USA
Commission from L’Institut de Recherche et de Coordination Acoustique/Musique (Ircam) 1999 France
Art’s International Grant for work in Senegal 1997 USA
Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund 1996 USA
National Endowment for the Arts (composer) 1995 USA
The Kimmel Center gratefully acknowledges Coca-Cola for their generous support of Sittin’ In