Colin Larkin wrote that "the commercial acceptance of jazz rock in the UK" was mainly due to the band.

Colosseum, one of the first bands to fuse jazz, rock and blues, were formed in early 1968 by drummer Jon Hiseman with tenor sax player Dick Heckstall-Smith, who had previously worked together in the New Jazz Orchestra and in The Graham Bond Organisation, where Hiseman had replaced Ginger Baker in 1966.

Their first album, Those Who Are About to Die Salute You, which opened with the Bond composition "Walkin' in the Park", was released by the Philips' Fontana label in early 1969.

[3] Colosseum's second album, later in 1969, was Valentyne Suite,[4] notable as the first release on Philip's newly launched Vertigo label, established to sign and develop artists that did not fit the main Philips' brand, and the first label to sign heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath.

For the third album, The Grass Is Greener, released only in the United States in 1970, Dave "Clem" Clempson replaced James Litherland.

Hiseman was impressed with the atmosphere at the Manchester show, and the band returned five days later for a free concert that was also recorded.

Hiseman formed another group called Colosseum II in 1975, with a stronger orientation towards jazz-fusion rock, which featured guitarist Gary Moore and Don Airey on keyboards.

The tour started in June and ended on 20 August in Germany, Rostock, at Bad Doberan "Zappanale" festival.

More studio releases followed,[7] as expanded editions of Valentyne Suite and Colosseum Live, and several compilation sets of earlier work.

From 2011 to 2014, Colosseum gradually recorded their album, titled Time on our Side, which was eventually released late in 2014, to coincide with their final flurry of dates in Germany and the UK.

The line-up is Chris Farlowe, Clem Clempson and Mark Clarke, joined by Kim Nishikawara (sax), Adrian Askew (keys, organ) and Malcolm Mortimore (drums).