QUeens-based jazz duo Green Soul will launch their new concert series from their artistic home studio in Forest Hills, starting August 14.
When life got tough during the pandemic, struggling jazz musicians Kelly Green (piano/vocals) and Luca Soul Rosenfeld (bass) got even tougher.
Last year, the husband and wife duo, who call themselves Green Soul, converted the living room of their Forest Hills dig into an intimate, soundproofed music studio and began inviting music lovers to their jazz recitals. uplifting at Soul Green Studios.
Since QNS interviewed the pair a year ago, they’ve still been recording and producing private concerts in their living room while working on their new project for 2022.
On August 14, Green Soul Studios will present “Kelly Green and the shadesfeaturing Dierk Peters (vibraphone) an/a Kenny Wollesen (drums). This group will also perform on 08/31 in Manhattan, at the Mezzrow, on W. 10th Street in the West Village.
The rest of Green Soul’s new series consists of piano/vocals and bass plus a featured horn player:
“Performing live is a conversation between the musicians on stage, as well as with the audience. It’s an exchange of stories, our humanity. And it’s so special because it’s a transfer of spirit and energy, in real time,” Green said. “People show up at Green Soul Studios with the intention of listening to live music. This is not always the case with other venues and clubs due to the intertwined relationship with the restaurant/bar industry.
In addition to their own original compositions, Green Soul performs jazz standards, arrangements from the Great American Songbook, classical pieces, as well as improvisations.
The jazzy duo have played many venues in New York and abroad over the years, performing alongside world-class musicians in different instrumentations. They have performed in duos and trios with drums, in clubs and restaurants across Manhattan, as well as locally, and both teach classes from their home studios.
The couple met each of their guest artists in different ways.
“Some we’ve played and worked with in the past, while others were ex-teachers, and we’ve met some along the way while being engaged in the New York jazz scene,” Green said. “At each performance, we will describe in depth our relationship with each artist.”
Along with great music, the studio, which is sonically and visually stunning, has an eye-catching art exhibit featuring artist Hilary Mance’s ‘Floating Series’ paintings.
Attendees enter through a sliding curtained barn door that opens into the performance space, where a beautiful 1970 Steinway Baby Grand L piano is prominently displayed.
The two DIY creators agreed that the main challenge they faced with their concert series was getting the word out. They hope music lovers interested in what Green Soul has to offer will sign up to their mailing list and tell their friends about Green Soul Studios while attending their events as often as possible.
“Performance brings everyone involved into the present moment like nothing else. We live in a time of diminishing presence. People are too involved in their technology. With live performing arts, we hope to help people achieve a state of peace and a spiritual connection with others in the room,” Green said.
Looking to the future, Green Soul plans to continue bringing music, art and culture to its local community. “We aspire to have Green Soul Studios on the map for passionate music fans (jazz, classical, folk, etc.) and all those people who need art and human connection in their lives. We also hope to sell all the shows we produce here,” Rosenfeld added.
“What’s great about producing concerts at home is that we have complete creative freedom and autonomy. We have our own instruments, which we feel most comfortable with, rather than just any what a piano that could be in another club. And we have the ability to present our music in a focused listening room, without any pretension or distraction.”
Light refreshments are served (incl. house wine or BYOB). There is a suggested donation of $40 ($20 student rate) in cash, Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle. You can reserve a place by e-mail [email protected].
