What does Sacrifice, Focus, and Hope have in common? Well, if you ask Kelly Green she would say absolutely everything! On today's episode of The Working Artist Project Kelly and I discuss her debut album "Life Rearranged". She explained to me the impact these three words have had on her life and how she draws inspiration from them. Some of her melodies have been influenced by the #metoo movement whilst others have come out of her experience with lost love. If you like genuine music, people and experiences then this is the episode for you. Enjoy the show!
Connect with Kelly Green Here: https://www.kellygreenpiano.com/
Bio
Kelly Green - pianist, vocalist, composer, bandleader, educator - from Longwood, FL New York-based pianist, vocalist, composer, bandleader, and educator Kelly Green was born and raised in a musical family in Central Florida. She began singing as a toddler, studying piano at age five and found her passion for jazz at age eleven. She received her Bachelors in Jazz Studies - performance at the University of North Florida where she studied piano and voice. She received the outstanding musician’s award every year at UNF. While in Jacksonville she performed weekly with her trio at many different venues and private events. In May 2011, she won the Generation Next Youth Talent Competition at the Jacksonville Jazz Festival.
In September 2014 she received her Masters in Jazz Piano Performance from William Paterson University where she studied with pianists Harold Mabern, James Weidman, and Mulgrew Miller among many other note-worthy faculty members. She was the pianist in the WP Jazz Orchestra in which performed alongside NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath and legendary vibraphonist Steve Nelson. Kelly received the Outstanding Graduate Music Student Award for her class. In June 2014 Kelly was chosen as the pianist in the William Paterson Colombia Band, which toured three cities in Colombia, South America where she taught at two week-long clinics and performed at three large concert halls. Since moving up north, Kelly has performed at many notable clubs and venues in the area such as Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Apollo Theater, Minton's, Smalls Jazz Club, Mezzrow, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Jazz Standard, Ginny’s Supper Club, Gin Fizz, The Django, Zinc Bar, Fat Cat, B.B. Kings, Rockwood Music Hall, the 9th Note, Deerhead Inn, Trumpets Jazz Club, and Shanghai Jazz among many others. She performs most often with her trio, then her sextet. The Kelly Green Trio hosts weekly jam sessions at Cleopatra's Needle every Sunday. Kelly has performed in bands alongside established jazz musicians such as Christian McBride, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jimmy Heath, Steve Nelson, Nat Reeves, Steve Williams, Bill Goodwin, Rich Perry, Winard Harper, Philip Harper, Steve Wilson, Stacy Dillard, Jonathan Barber, Josh Evans, Bruce Williams, Frank Lacy, James Zollar and Jovan Alexandre among others. In December 2016 she recorded her debut album "Life Rearranged” featuring wonderful musicians Christian McBride, Steve Nelson, Josh Evans, Kush Abadey, Jovan Alexandre, Matt Dwonszyk, Noam Israeli, Tamir Shmerling, and Mike Troy. Since it’s release in October 2017, “Life Rearranged” has received notable reviews and radio play. It is featured as one of the Top 50 albums of 2017 in the LA Times by Scott Yanow. Yanow describes Green’s piano playing as, “sophisticated and modern while also being connected to the tradition,” and “her vocals are subtle, quietly expressive and full of insight.” For more reviews information please visit www.kellygreenpiano.com! In addition to being an outstanding performer, Kelly is passionate about education. She has been giving lessons and teaching classes and workshops since high school. She has taught at the Jazz House Kids Summer Workshop and the William Paterson Summer Jazz Workshop for the past four years and is currently a Teaching Artist for Jazz House Kids year round.
