Internationally acclaimed jazz pianist, composer, and educator George Colligan announces his upcoming album, Be in the Right Now, set for release on October 15, 2026, on PJCE Records. Anchored by the evocative vocal storytelling and lyrics of vocalist/bassist Zyanna, the record showcases an ensemble full of Colligan’s former students who have emerged as standout artists in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The band will celebrate the release with a live performance on October 15th at The Old Church Concert Hall in Portland, Oregon. Across eleven original tracks, Be in the Right Now bridges virtuosic modern jazz improvisation with deeply reflective, existential poetry. Both Colligan and Zyanna’s lyrics traverse a wide emotional landscape, from the mindful presence and surrender of the title track (“Be in the moment, be in the right now”) and “I Let Things”, to the fatigue of of simply being in “The Meaning of it All” and “Conquer the World”.
The project spans raw vulnerability in heartbreak anthems like “The Ice World” and “You Have No Idea”, defiance in “Whatever I Want”, and sharp cultural critique in “The Beginning of the End”. Still a force on the NYC jazz scene and Full Professor at Portland State University, Colligan boasts over 130 recording credits alongside jazz legends such as Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, Cassandra Wilson, and Buster Williams. On Be in the Right Now, he steps into the dual role of bandleader and mentor. “Watching these musicians evolve from my students into absolute powerhouse artists in their own right has been immensely rewarding,” says Colligan. “Robert, Micah, Zyanna, and Noah bring incredible technical command, raw emotional honesty, and creative vision to these compositions. They aren’t just playing great solos… they are actively shaping where this music is going.”
Album Liner Notes from George Colligan
My late father, George Harrington Colligan III, was not a musician. However, every once in a while, after a few drinks, he would sit at our upright piano in the living room and “improvise” a tone poem. I was probably six or seven years old. Dad would sit me on his lap and as he improvised, he would describe the characters in the tone poem. The high register was “a princess”, the middle register was “a handsome prince” and the lower register was “a monster who lived under the bridge.” I think this experience was one thing that made me interested in becoming a composer. I’ve always felt that composing is creating your own universe with your own rules and in that universe, you are protected from the critical negative outside world.
I never really considered myself a songwriter, but I had sort of dabbled with lyrics here and there in my early days . When I was in high school, I tried to write my own rap music (in the 80s it was a new thing, before it became known as “hip-hop”). I won a competition to compose the Centennial High School Fight Song (the lyrics being mostly novelty). It wasn’t until I was living in Winnipeg, Canada in 2009 that I really started to get into this idea of being a songwriter. Although I had a lot of experience writing jazz tunes and some quasi-classical stuff, this new outlet with lyrics I found extremely rewarding. I really enjoyed the idea of communicating something more specific and direct rather than some abstract idea through purely instrumental music.
I’ve been really fortunate to meet Portland native Zyanna Melada about 7 years ago. She was a student at Mount Hood Community College and she decided to finish her degree at Portland State University. I was very impressed with her abilities. I think some of the things that really stood out to me was her uncanny ability to hear, her open-mindedness and her incredible work ethic. The great saxophonist and composer Tim Berne was a guest at Portland State University for a master class and I had asked him to give us some of his music to learn. Berne’s music is more like 20 century classical music than jazz. Just on a whim I asked Zyanna if she would be down to learn one of Tim Berne‘s angular pieces and she said, “sure no problem.” I knew then that Zyanna was a rare talent.
I am grateful to everyone who was involved in this recording. While my loyalty to my East Coast roots prevents me from calling myself a Portlander, I am thankful to have this group of musicians to work with. Some of these musicians are former PSU students. I am a firm believer that if we as professionals and educators truly believe in the survival of this music, we need to create more pathways for the younger generation to have a gateway into the profession and keep the torch burning.
I hope you will listen to this music with an open mind and an open heart.
George Colligan August 2026 Portland Oregon
Credits:
George Colligan piano, Fender Rhodes, organ, keyboards
Zyanna Melada Vocals, background vocals
Robert Rodriguez acoustic bass, upright bass
Micah Hummel drums
Dominick Branch drums on Track 7
Noah Simpson trumpet on track 2, 4, 6, 7, 10
Joe Manis, tenor saxophone on track 2, 7, 10 flute on track 4
Olivia Fields alto saxophone on track 2,7, 4, 10
Jason Fritz percussion on track 4
Israel Annoh congas on track 3
Esther Shim violin track 1, 9
Renata Choglo violin track 1, 9
Alexis Mahler viola track 1, 9
Julian Casasis cello track 1, 9
Composer Credits: all compositions by George Colligan (GHCIVMUSIC/SESAC) except
“Slow Burn” music and lyrics by Zyanna Melada
“The Meaning of It All” music by George Colligan lyrics by Zyanna Melada
“Rhythm Between Us” Music by George Colligan lyrics by George Colligan and Zyanna Melada
Recorded by: Matt Greco at Dead Aunt Thelma’s in Portland Oregon
Mixed by: Matt Greco at The Rye Room
Mastered by: Dana White at Specialized Mastering
Executive Producer: Ryan Meagher
Art design by: Dylan Marcus McConnnell at Tiny Little Hammers
Lyrics
Be in the Right Now
Don’t dare think about the past
Don’t dare think about the future
Be in the moment, be in the right now
You can’t go back in time
The future will be here soon enough
Be in the moment, be in the right now
Why do you care what you think people will think of you?
Why do you care what you think people have done to you?
You let them take away
Your chance to live and breathe
You let them take away
The joy that you deserve to know
The past is only just a dream, the future will be here soon enough
Be in the moment, be in the right now
be in the right now, be in the right now
Get In Line
Sometimes you throw caution to the wind
Sometimes you must heed the call
Leave home, move into the battle zone
Be prepared to scale the wall
I know you think you know everything
I know you think you’ve got it made
Sometimes things occur unexpectedly
Watch how your confidence quickly fades
If you don’t know how to roll with the punches
You won’t last too long
Better put up your fists and defend yourself
Otherwise you’ll be gone
Get In Line For the Dream
Get In Line For the Struggle
Get In Line For The Dream
Get In Line For The Struggle
You Think It’s As sure as 1 2 3
I don’t think you’re so naive
You know things ain’t always what they seem
What does it really take to achieve
I know all this might be hard to hear
I know you got your heart set
You think you’ve learned all you need to know
But trust me you ain’t seen nothing yet
If you don’t know how to roll with the punches
You won’t last too long
Better put up your fists and defend yourself
Otherwise you’ll be gone
Get In Line For the Dream
Get In Line For the Struggle
Get In Line For the Dream
Get In Line For the Struggle
I Let Things
Don’t try to Hard
Don’t Be Afraid
Don’t worry Now
Your fate is Made
What will be will surely be
Or maybe not
Just wait and see
Everything I have I never tried for
Many things not gotten I pined for
I let things come to me
I let things come to me
I let things come to me
I let things come to me
Don’t get upset
Don’t jump the gun
You’re doing fine
You’ve already won
Luck will fall
Gently at your toes
Will you hold on
Let your fortune grow
Everything I have I never tried for
Many things not gotten I pined for
I let things come to me
I let things come to me
I let things come to me
I let things come to me
Let life happen, let life flow
If it’s meant to happen, you will know
Let life happen, let life flow
If it’s meant to happen, you will know
Everything I have I never tried for
Many things not gotten I pined for
I let things come to me
I let things come to me
I let things come to me
I let things come to me
The Meaning of it All
Time keeps moving, I stand still
Keep my perseverance instilled
Fill that void and make me whole
Take me places the feed my soul
I’m on my own, I can’t discern
When will it be my own damn turn?
I fell numb
I come undone
I feel numb
I come undone
“Leave your feelings at the door
What do you need to complain for?
Pack up your strife, but know your worth
You have it good it could be worse”
How long will it take to fall?
What is the meaning of it all?
I fell numb
I come undone
I feel numb
I come undone
The Ice World
the weather changed
temperature dropped
water from the sky
covered the world
all things frozen
I don’t know why
maybe you were hurt before
or maybe you are just that way
I turned around for a minute
and you had walked away
into the ice world
Things were once warm
I still remember
the heat of the day
The sun the trees the air
the promise of tomorrow
the games we used to play
maybe you were hurt before
or maybe you are just that way
I turned around for a minute
and you had walked away
into the ice world
It seems the world’s
in hibernation
too sad to even choose
I’m trapped within
the freezing cage
both our hearts removed
maybe you were hurt before
or maybe you are just that way
I turned around for a minute
and you had walked away
into the ice world
Conquer the World
I was gonna spend the day
Accomplishing the things I really want to do
Now, the day is almost gone
The things I haven’t done, the time I guess it flew
I thought I could do everything, but I couldn’t see the truth
Time would just just slip away
But I’ll try just one more time
To do the things that I want to do
Please believe me
I thought I could do it all
Become a superstar
And conquer all the world
Now, I wonder what it means
Should I still want to be
The things I’ve always dreams
Now, it’s never too late to try
But maybe I can ask why
I couldn’t just let it be
So I’ll try just one more time
To do the things that I want to do
Please don’t stop me
Whatever I Want
This world is crashing down on me
This world is crashing down on me
I think about all the things that are never gonna be
This world is crashing down on me
The weight is too damn much to bear
The weight is too damn much to bear
But then you find out that nobody else really cares
The weight is too damn much to bear
Might as well keep on living
Might as well try not to die
Might as well try to keep on living
Cause before you know it
You gonna have to say goodbye
I’m gonna just do whatever I want
I’m gonna just do whatever I want
Get some satisfaction before it’s time to move on
I’m gonna just do whatever I want
You Have No Idea
You Don’t Know what it’s like
You have no idea what it’s like
To search the farthest reaches of the Universe
to spend a million lifetimes on the quest
to at last and finally find the precious diamond
only to let God slap it from your grasp
you have no Idea
you have no idea
You don’t know how it feels
You have no idea how it feels
To experience the meaning of every love song
To fully perceive every beautiful painting
To fully achieve all the romance answers
Only to awaken with no memory remaining
you have no Idea
you have no idea
You Don’t Know ‘bout the pain
You have no idea ‘bout the pain
To be coaxed by fate into a love addiction
To feel the exuberant state of bliss
But Papa Death came and took my drug away
And withdrawal from him is an endless abyss
you have no Idea
Rhythm Between Us
Day Turns into Night
Stars are sparkling
I see your lovely features
unveiled in the moonlight
reach out for my hand
your eyes so enchanting
I feel the good vibrations
there’s nothing like it
I ask you why
would you flatter me
if it’s all a lie
it would shatter me
yeah I feel the rhythm between us
can’t fight the rhythm between us
yeah I feel the rhythm between us
may I have this dance to the rhythm between us
I can’t help to notice
the nonchalant tone
but I can feel your smile from a mile a way
you have all my focus
I can’t believe it
I be thinking of you night and day
i ask you why
why would you come to me
if it’s all a lie
It’s all done to me
yeah I feel the rhythm between us
can’t fight the rhythm between us
yeah I feel the rhythm between us
may I have this dance to the rhythm between us
i ask you why
would you flatter me
if it’s all a lie
it would shatter me
yeah I feel the rhythm between us
can’t fight the rhythm between us
yeah I feel the rhythm between us
may I have this dance to the rhythm between us
The Beginning of the End
Here in the first world
the sun is setting
all of the people are
always forgetting
buying and selling
and eating and drinking
wanna be wealthy but
don’t wanna be thinking
look one last time at our beautiful nation
watching the fall of our civilization
what can you say to the last generation
everyone wants to pretend
but I already know
this is the beginning of the end
here in the glory
of the golden billion
nobody cares
about the rest of the children
spend the day shopping
for just the right shirt
the little girl who made it
sleeps on floors made of dirt
look one last time at our beautiful nation
watching the fall of our civilization
what can you say to the last generation
everyone wants to pretend
but I already know
this is the beginning of the end
you have a houseful
but you still want more
so busy texting
forgot about the war
you just ignore it
though you think you’re aware
you can fake interest
but you don’t really care
look one last time at our beautiful nation
watching the fall of our civilization
what can you say to the last generation
everyone wants to pretend
but I already know
this is the beginning of the end
