Colin Stetson

Colin Stetson

Colin Stetson is a Canadian-American saxophonist, multi-reedist and composer. Born in Ann Arbor in 1975, he is based in Montréal and works in avant-garde jazz, experimental music, free improvisation, instrumental music, jazz and new age.

Background and instruments

Stetson studies music at the University of Michigan and earns a degree in 1997. He then spends six years in San Francisco and four years in Brooklyn, where he develops the saxophone and clarinet techniques that shape his later work. Alongside saxophone, he plays clarinet, bass clarinet, French horn, flute and cornet.

Solo albums

His solo catalogue begins with New History Warfare Vol. 1, released on Aagoo Records in 2008. It is followed by New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges on Constellation and then New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light, released by Constellation Records in 2013. The third volume is a long-list nominee for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize. Later releases include Never Were the Way She Was, a 2015 collaborative album with violinist Sarah Neufeld, SORROW: A Reimagining of Henryk Górecki's 3rd Symphony in 2016, All This I Do for Glory in 2017, and Chimæra I in 2022.

Collaborations and groups

Stetson is a regular collaborator with Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Bell Orchestre and Ex Eye. He also works with a wide range of artists including Tom Waits, TV on the Radio, Feist, Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed, David Byrne, Jolie Holland, Sinead O’Connor, LCD Soundsystem, The National, Angelique Kidjo and Anthony Braxton. He is a regular member of Sway Machinery and Bell Orchestre, and he also appears as a touring member of Bon Iver. Other associated groups include EX EYE, 10¹⁷, The Atlantic Drifters and Void Patrol.

Film and television

Since 2013, Stetson also contributes music to film and television scores.