Presented by the BLU Jazz+ Masterclass Foundation, premier Chicago-based acoustic group grounded in the jazz tradition but equally influenced by R&B, funk, hip-hop, Afro-Cuban, blues, gospel & more returns for masterclass (5PM) & concert event (8PM)! Featuring Chris Greene, Damian Espinosa, Marc Piane, Steve Corley.
Saxophonist Chris Greene’s musical appetites are voracious and that comes across in his performances and recordings. Greene knows that everything he experiences can become a resource, but the roots of his singular blend of jazz improvisational skills, heavy funk beats and pop music concision go back to his teenage years hearing his parents’ records in Evanston, Illinois. In much the way that classical composers have historically used native folk elements as the basis for their art, the Chris Greene Quartet (CGQ) uses familiar modern materials—funk, R&B, soul, blues—as a bridge between jazz and other genres, making CGQ something different on the modern jazz scene.
Join us at BLU Jazz+ as the Windy City meets the Rubber City for a return appearance of one of the Midwest’s most exciting jazz collectives! Featuring Chris Greene (saxophone), Damian Espinosa (keyboards), Marc Piane (basses), Steve Corley (drums).
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ABOUT CHRIS GREENE
Saxophonist and composer Chris Greene was born in Evanston, IL. He spent his formative years in the award-winning Evanston High School Wind and Jazz Ensembles. As a teenager he began to play professionally with many local pop/rock and jazz bands. Greene eventually went to Bloomington, IN to attend the prestigious Indiana University Jazz Studies program and studied with renowned professor and cellist David Baker. Greene returned to Chicago in 1994 and has since collaborated with some of the nation’s most creative and versatile musicians. As a performer, Greene can be seen with many different groups – in many different genres. He also leads his own critically-acclaimed group, the Chris Greene Quartet. He has also performed or recorded with the following artists: Common, The Temptations, Maysa Leak, Ten City, Sheena Easton, Steve Cole, Michael Manson, Andrew Bird, The J. Davis Trio, Typhanie Monique, Zach Brock, Chris Rob, Vic Lavender, Jesse De La Pena, Liquid Soul and The Mighty Blue Kings.
He also composed the score for the Chicago Childrens’ Theatre’s recent production of “Bud, Not Buddy.”
Chris Greene has also perfomed at the following venues: The House of Blues, Park West, Chicago Metro, Double Door, Jazz Showcase, Green Mill, Pops for Champagne, Andy’s, Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, RIBCO, Elbo Room, Ravina Pavillion, City Winery, and more!
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ABOUT BLU JAZZ+ MASTERCLASS FOUNDATION
Committed to the preservation of America’s treasured art form of jazz,BLU Jazz+ Masterclass Foundation (BJMF) is a new program developed by the founders of BLU Jazz+ Akron (BJA) that brings “front-row” jazz education performance & mentorship opportunities to student musicians and art lovers alike by presenting a series of masterclasses led by top visiting musicians from all over the world.
Recipient of a 2015 Knight Arts Challenge grant award by the Knight Foundation, BLU Jazz+ Masterclass Foundation expands upon the essence of Akron, Ohio’s award-winning live jazz destination, BLU Jazz+ Akron (BJA), launched in Fall 2014. Learn more at blujazzmasterclass.org.
