*Growing up in Houston, Chelsey Green has fond memories of coming home from classical violin lessons and hearing and experimenting with influential jazz, funk and R&B vibes her parents were throwing down on the family stereo – Herbie Hancock, Marvin Gaye, Earth Wind and Fire, et al. With her brilliant array of talents, the classical scholarships and opportunities that came her way, the multi-talented singer/songwriter, violinist and violist could have found a career playing in orchestras.
Yet, God’s gift of music led her into bolder, more eclectic directions; resulting in a wondrous diversity that now – years later – inspires her and her longtime ensemble, Chelsey Green and The Green Project. Their fresh new EP, ReEnvisioned, is a dynamic and empowering collection that in only four tracks showcases their passions for contemporary and traditional jazz, R&B and funk with a touch of classical violin. The EP lays a foundation for an upcoming full-length album (the band’s first LP since the Billboard-charting The Green Room in 2014) that will include elements of her gospel roots as well.
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“ReEnvisioned represents my continued effort to break the niche mentality and not restrict myself to one, single genre,” says Chelsey, whose discography also includes their 2012 EP, Still Green, and their popular 2018 single, Summertime. “My music is influenced by many styles, and over the years, we’ve really cultivated a vibe in the live setting that incorporates all of those elements seamlessly. The same way music has been fed to me throughout my life, that’s how I want to share my voice and personal artistry. A lot of our songwriting comes together when we are rehearsing for performances; that’s where we do a lot of creative diving and arranging. After we recorded these first four tracks, I started thinking about a title that would capture the essence of this new direction.”
“Classical music has been good to me. I love what it has taught me about harmony,” she adds. “At the same time, I am a Black woman that grew up immersed in and studying gospel, blues, jazz and other Black music genres. This is the music of my culture, borne out of the dichotomy of despair and joy. Jazz; music evolved out of work song, connecting us to our ancestors for whom improvisation was a way to survive.”
