Akron Jazz Hero
On any given weekend, on any given stage in Northeast Ohio, you have a pretty good chance of hearing saxophonist Christopher Coles. That’s not surprising given his command of the instrument and the language. What is surprising is that you are as likely to find him in the company of his students as among the region’s elite players. It’s this generosity of his time, knowledge, and spirit that makes Coles the Northeast Ohio region’s 2026 Jazz Hero.
At just 40 years old, Coles has built an impressive resume as a composer and player, a track record matched by his accomplishments as an educator. Along with fellow musician/educators Dan Wilson and Theron Brown, the Cleveland native has brought new energy to the jazz program at the University of Akron, where he is assistant professor of practice.
Coles also serves on the faculty at Oberlin Conservatory and the Tri-C Creative Arts JazzFest Academy at Cuyahoga County Community College. The product of an enviable lineage of jazz education in northeast Ohio, he sows in fields previously plowed by influential figures such as Kenneth LeeGrand, Kent Engelhardt, and Dave Morgan. He continues that lineage with an openheartedness and community orientation that nurtures musical excellence and humility in equal measure.
As a mirror of the community, Coles the composer created “Nine Lives” as a vehicle for engaging with the most pressing issues of history. The multi-movement, multimedia tribute came in immediate response to the mass shooting at a Charleston, South Carolina church in 2015. The work has been adapted for performance by symphony orchestras, choral groups, spoken-word artists, and dance companies as well as jazz ensembles of varying sizes.
In an interview before a 2021 performance of “Nine Lives” in Akron, Coles said, “The suffering is going nowhere. We can’t end suffering, right? But what we can do together is help each other.” The operative word is “together.” As an educator and musician of high standards and high ideals, Chris Coles achieves his goals in community.
—John Chacona
