Chicago Saxophonist Chris Greene
Continues to Explore New Musical Territories
On "Boundary Issues,"
Set for April 14 Release by
Single Malt Recordings
Continues to Explore New Musical Territories
On "Boundary Issues,"
Set for April 14 Release by
Single Malt Recordings
Featuring Pianist Damian Espinosa,
Bassist Marc Piane, Drummer Steve Corley
CD Release Shows Include
4/21 Constellation, Chicago; 4/28 Gibraltar, Milwaukee;
5/20 Winter's, Chicago; 5/30 Promontory, Chicago;
6/17 Noce Jazz, Des Moines
5/20 Winter's, Chicago; 5/30 Promontory, Chicago;
6/17 Noce Jazz, Des Moines
March 22, 2017
Saxophonist Chris Greene,
a fixture on the Chicago scene dedicated to transcending the stylistic
and structural borders of jazz, continues to discover new musical
territory on his new CD Boundary Issues. Set for April 14
release on Single Malt Recordings, the album is Greene's eighth with
the long-standing quartet he formed in 2005 featuring pianist Damian Espinosa, bassist Marc Piane, and, since 2011, drummer Steve Corley.
Joining the core quartet as guests on several tracks are saxophonist Marqueal Jordan, known for his work with smooth jazz star Brian Culbertson; percussionist JoVia Armstrong, who's played with Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Ensemble and JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound; guitarist Isaiah Sharkey, a member of D'Angelo's band; and vocalist Julio Davis
(aka DJ WLS). Greene's eclectic song selection, inventive arrangements,
and choice of guests not normally associated with jazz perfectly
coalesce to present a portrait of an artist unafraid to take the road
less traveled, push the envelope, and explore the frontiers of jazz.
In addition to three originals, Boundary Issues includes creative covers of works by Horace Silver ("Nica's Dream"), Kenny Kirkland ("Dienda"), Yellowjackets ("Summer Song"), and Billy Strayhorn ("Day Dream").
As his previous treatments of songs by artists as diverse as Madonna,
Coltrane, Sting, Mingus, and lounge music king Martin Denny attest,
Greene's naming his latest album Boundary Issues
could be viewed as a tongue-in-cheek self-diagnosis. "I have a hard
time staying in place," he confides. "I don't know my place, I guess,
which is why I'm always stepping outside so-called boundaries. With the
music I like, I just can't help thinking, what would it sound like if I
did this, or this?" A case in point is his spacious reggae version of
Horace Silver's "Nica's Dream." "I thought the biggest
tribute to him would be to do something different," says Greene. "The
idea to cover that classic as a reggae tune came to me while I was
listening to music in the shower. It was like, why not?"
Born in 1973 in Evanston, Illinois, Chris Greene
was exposed to a lot of music at home but only a smattering of jazz.
His mother blasted Motown at her monthly card parties while his father
played a lot of funk, soul, and disco; he absorbed all manner of pop
styles watching MTV. Taking up the sax at age 10, he began studying it
seriously when he was 16, "playing the hell out of a blues pentatonic
scale," he recalls. He mainly played alto in the well-regarded Evanston
High School Wind & Jazz Ensemble, as well as with local bands
including a rock unit called Truth. "They were into Sting and I was eager to be their Branford [Marsalis]," he says. He would eventually play acid jazz with bands like Liquid Soul and Ted Sirota's Heavyweight Dub Band.
Greene studied at Indiana University with the late David Baker and the current jazz studies department chair Thomas Walsh.
"It was a great experience for me," he says. "I was a kid with a lot of
natural talent, but with a lack of discipline. I learned how to
practice, how to break things down, how to solve problems."
Upon his return to Chicago, he continued his education by reaching out to established artists including Steve Coleman.
"He was hard-headed in his determination to play music his way," he
says. "It was a huge eye-opener for me how he put things together."
Greene also got a major boost from Coleman's legendary mentor, Chicago
tenor legend Von Freeman, at one of his famous jam
sessions: "He didn't know me from Adam, but he was very encouraging. He
said, 'Hey, I hear what you're trying to do. Keep at it.' That meant so
much."
In 2005, Greene formed his current quartet. Whether the group
is hugging tradition or engaging in experimentation, it radiates a deep
sense of well-being. With each release, Greene has moved steadily from
funk mildly seasoned with jazz to uncompromising jazz boasting subtle
funk touches. As witness the title of the quartet's 2012 album, A Group Effort, Greene prizes the band's ability to think and feel as one, to "leave fingerprints on each other's playing."
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| Chris Greene Quartet: "Boundary Issues" EPK |
Photography: Ozzie Ramsay
Web Site: chrisgreenejazz.com
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