Iqua Colson
Iqua Colson , Vocalist, Composer, Lyricist, Arts Administrator, Producer, Educator, has shared the stage with many of this era’s great artists. She was named a Vocal Talent Deserving Wider Recognition by Downbeat Magazine and has been recognized by Billboard Magazine for distinguished achievement as a lyricist. The international media has praised her placing her in the company of some of our finest known vocal innovators and stylists including Betty Carter, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Abbey Lincoln. A native of Chicago, Iqua met her future husband when they were students at the Northwestern University School of Music. As they were finishing undergraduate studies they were voted into The Association for Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), a musicians’ collective that has influenced music internationally in the 20th and 21st Century. Iqua has headlined at some of the worlds largest Jazz Festivals sharing the stage in the U.S. and overseas with many great artists, collaborating most frequently with her husband, decorated pianist/composer Steve Colson. Iqua has six recordings, one of which “Hope for Love” (a collaborative project with Steve) was nominated for a Grammy. Iqua’s work as an artist has been discussed/reviewed in many languages and can be found in countless magazines, newspapers, periodicals, and in several books including: Black Women & Music, More than the Blues An Anthology of Essays/Interviews on several influential women in music including the great Leontyne Price. The Colsons’ band from the early 80’s was included in the prestigious Freedom, Rhythm and Sound Book / CDLP compilation from Soul Jazz Records, London, UK with music icons such as Maurice White, John Coltrane, SunRa, and Mary Lou Williams. This collection/retrospective documented the influential and independent musicians who took control of their music in the late 60s and early 70s – the early roots of today’s “indie” movement. The Colsons established their independent record label, Silver Sphinx, in 1979. The acclaimed exhibition, Soul of a Nation, featured the album cover and liner notes of Triumph! The exhibit opened 2017 at The Tate Modern in London and has toured extensively, including stops in the United States. Iqua has been the architect of several projects successfully initiating and/or producing arts events and education projects in various U.S. cities and Europe. Iqua has a Masters of Public Administration/Arts Administration and regularly consults on projects that use the arts as a catalyst for educational and/or social change. Iqua believes art reflects society and are a necessary component in the push for Social Justice. Her projects include everything from neighborhood planning and arts venue design to public art, production and arts curriculum. Her work with a team of colleagues in administration and the classroom brought recognition to the East Orange School District including the awarding of a Demonstration Project Grant to build The Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing & Fine Arts; a K-12 campus and Performing Arts Center. She currently serves as Supervisor of Visual & Performing Arts for the East Orange School District where she develops curriculum, partnerships and special projects that provide an arts education that benefits the community and the students in all of the district schools – with accelerated specialized Arts Curriculum at Tyson Campus and Whitney Houston Academy. She also curates artistic presentations for the public. Iqua has been recognized for this work with The Shirley Chisholm Award for Arts and Entertainment from current Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver during her tenure as N.J. Speaker of the House, The Donald M. Payne, Sr. Torchbearer for Education Award as well as several City, County and State Awards and Proclamations for her work in the Arts.
