Chelsey Green and The Green Project
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Chelsey Green and The Green Project

Takoma Park, MD | Established. Jan 01, 2010 | SELF | AFM

Takoma Park, MD | SELF | AFM
Established on Jan, 2010
Band R&B Funk

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"Musical Notes"

Violinist extraordinaire Chelsey Green, along with her ensemble, The Green Project has released their sophomore CD. The Green Room (ReservedGreen Project Music) is Chelsey and company’s first full album. Showcasing a wonderful mixture of jazz, gospel, funk and R&B tunes that encompasses the true Chelsey Green style, it is uniquely music par excellence!
The set opens with the lively notes on a tune entitled “Da Funk”. Chelsey makes the strings literally sing on this track. It is exhilarating! “Cheryl Ann” is wrapped in an all-around mellow groove which is way beyond fantastic! An infectious beat takes center stage in “Party Song” – the vibe is smoking on this track. Chelsey lends her beautiful vocals to “Autumn Leaves” which is backed by a marvelous arrangement. The album closes on a magnificent note as honor is given on “My Tribute” which is Chelsey’s version of Andre Crouch’s “To God Be The Glory”. Additionally, included are breathtaking interpretations of “People make The World Go ‘Round” and “My Favorite Things”. Chelsey Green is an innovative artist. She is the consistent go to for fantastic music! - Ester Callens


"Chelsey Green and The Green Project - The Green Room"

Do ya miss Ronnie Laws' classic Pressure Sensitive? I sure as hell do. It was a gigantic stand-alone LP. And hip to Jean Luc Ponty, are you? Then, man o man, do I ever have the CD for you, you lucky bastard! Enter violinist Chelsey Green and her funky funky FUNKY Green Project…progressive as hell too. Green is so imbued with that same sweet lyrical tone Ponty possessed that you'd swear he was her tutor. Green Room belongs in all prog and jazz collections alongside Jean Luc's Aurora, Imaginary Voyage and in fact his entire oeuvre 'cause that guy never put out even a single mediocre cut. Green Project could easily accompany ensembles like Beat Funktion in concert, and the two would tear the house down night after night, sated audients going home loopy, dazed, blissed out that the old-school 70s jazz/prog fusion mode still lives so damned authentically.

Much of Room is highly charged but the ballads, such as the take on the ol' standard Bell / Creed People Make the World Go Round, take care to wax a bit pastoral—with, of course, the same spark that informs the rest of the disc—as wind, sea, and sky come together for an alternatingly laid back and then spunky beauty pageant. By the time the song reaches its final section, the band's back in full throttle…and may I say that there's a distinctively generous element of the Euro jazz funksters as well? Yep, Joachim Kuhn, Jasper van't Hof, that whole crew, and damn, do I ever miss their version of the mode!

Green lays aside her four-string axe for a moment to sing a swingin' and melismatically scattin' version of Autumn Leaves, soooooooo…can she actually sing??? Yew betchum, Bertram, thus don't be surprised if she ratchets that up next time around. Chelsey is kinda like a mid-range Ella, Randy Crawford, and Nancy Wilson with the slightest husky timbre of Nina Simone, not quite as refined but definitely in the ballpark. The front and center sound, however, is otherwise always the violin, and if you've lamented Eddie Jobson (UK, Roxy Music), Didier Lockwood (Magma, Gong), Karen Briggs (Vertu), David Cross (King Crimson), Joe O'Donnell (Headstone), and the too few violinists—and violists, as Green also plays viola—on the scene over the last few decades being sidelined or bowing out for various reasons, then this CD is a must, filled with top drawer songs and heady musicianship. - Mark Tucker


"Chelsey Green and The Green Project"

Ms. Green’s music is simple, with superbly orchestrated arrangements to put focus not only on the structure of the song but also on the ethereal beauty of her playing. Ms. Green’s music is steeped in the blues and in the fervor of Gospel music. She calls to mind the mighty bowing of Don “Sugarcane” Harris. Her soulful demeanor also suggests that she has listened carefully to the great Billy Bang as well. Ms. Green is really part of a continuum that goes back many decades to players such as Eddie South and Stuff Smith, Joe Venuti, Stephane Grappelli and Sven Asmussen. She is also classically trained and so while this music is a radical departure from what she played in the conservatoire, her roots are there as well. Of course she also aligns herself with the generation that came not long before her—such as players including Regina Carter and others who came before Ms. Carter: Jean-Luc Ponty and Didier Lockwood. This is a huge deal as violinists are a rare breed, more at home in chamber ensembles and symphony orchestras. And it takes a certain gall to adapt that kind of technique and meld it with the swing of jazz. This is something that Chelsey Green does with a great deal of finesse. - Raul de Gama


Discography

Chelsey has a multi-faceted discography including recordings in varied
genres with artists such as Crystal Waters (EDM/house), Maysa Leak
(R&B/soul), Paul Carr (jazz), Ted Garber (americana), Anthony Walker
(gospel jazz), Tyler Sherman (jazz/classical contemporary), Maimouna
Youssef (R&B/soul), Lori Williams (jazz), Macheeste (contemporary
gospel), Carolyn Malachi (urban contemporary), Femi The DriFish (hip
hop/spoken word), The Sweater Set (folk traditional), Aaron Hardin
(jazz)  David P Stevens (Smooth Jazz), Frank McComb (R&B, Soul, Contemporay Jazz) and more.

Photos

Bio

How do you describe an innovator, someone who's rewriting the perception of an instrument? An artist that's uniquely fresh, but not unconventional. You feel the groove and yet are surprised that you're being stunned by a violinist who's grooving you! Her fans say:

* "Thinking of you while sitting here at the Detroit Jazz Fest!!! They missed out!"

@naturlnicole, Instagram

*"@GreenViolinist great show last night... you made me fall in love with music again! Also great energy... Tight!" @stormsquiet, A_ron (Instagram)

*"wardellbodyI'm a big fan, i first saw u at the Lake Arbor Jazz Festival, u are incredibly talented."

*Delaware fan quote, "Can't wait until you perform in Delaware!", Larry Morris
Media describes her as "passionate, electrifying, and innovative," Washington Post*The Smooth Jazz Ride, "illustrative, energetic violinist...exceptional passion and electricity!"

Music industry professionals have been quoted saying 
*Frank McCombs, "I want to be like you when I grow up!"

*Walter Beasley
, "Chelsey, You're the truth, that's all I got say! And your voice too!" :)

*Stevie Wonder, "Chelsey, I love your artistry. You are wonderful, simply wonderful!

She's an Indie artist who's highly anticipated second CD, and first full length album, The Green Room, debuted on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart at #22 and iTunes Jazz Chart at #7 in the first week of its release!

Her co-bills are evident to her talent as she has shared stages from the David Letterman Show, Verizon Center, Madison Square Garden to The Howard Theater D.C., Houston Hobby Center, Houston, Texas, Bass Performance Hall, Fort Worth, Texas with Jonathan Butler, Ledisi, Pieces of a Dream, Frank McComb, Maysa, Gail Jhonson, Jazz in Pink, Jeff Bradshaw, Stevie Wonder and many others! 

We would love an opportunity to be on yours!




Band Members