Ira Coleman

Ira Coleman is a French-American jazz bassist born on April 29, 1956 in Stockholm, Sweden. Raised in southern France, Coleman later lived in Germany for 14 years before moving to the United States to study at Berklee College of Music, graduating in 1985.

Coleman has built an impressive career working with jazz luminaries like Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, and Dee Dee Bridgewater. He's known for his versatility, equally comfortable playing jazz, Jamaican rhythms, or accompanying a gospel choir. Coleman has recorded and performed with a wide range of artists, including Sting and opera singers Jessye Norman and Plácido Domingo. From 2002 to 2009, he served as musical director for vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, touring internationally.