Chris Greene Quartet
Band Story
Chris Greene Quartet: Redefining Jazz with Passion, Pop, and Power
When you stumble into a jazz club in Chicago expecting to hear mellow, background grooves, the Chris Greene Quartet might just flip your expectations on their head. The stage lights up with kinetic energy, the sound is vibrant, melodic, and irresistibly danceable. The crowd—diverse in age, background, and rhythm—isn't sitting quietly in contemplation. They're moving, swaying, dancing. And at the center of this musical firestorm is Chris Greene, a saxophonist, composer, and bandleader with a mission: to blow the walls off jazz stereotypes.
Chris Greene has performed and recorded with a long list of renowned artists, including Common, Otis Williams and the Temptations, Justin Roberts, Colonel Abrams, Robert Cornelius, Lonie Walker, The J. Davis Trio, Liquid Soul, Jessie de la Peña, Andrew Bird, Kevin O'Donnell, The Mighty Blue Kings, Ron Carroll, Nicholas Barron, Tautologic, Mr. A.L.I., and Steve Cole. But it’s with his own ensemble, the Chris Greene Quartet, that his bold musical vision truly comes alive.
Formed in the rich and ever-evolving music scene of Chicago, the quartet comprises Damian Espinosa on piano, Marc Piane on acoustic bass, and Tyrone Blair on drums—all accomplished musicians in their own right. Together, they create a sound Greene describes as "kick-ass, organic acoustic jazz with a garage band mentality." Their performances are rooted in jazz tradition, yet unapologetically flavored with blues, funk, gospel, soul, and rock—resulting in shows that are as emotionally gripping as they are unpredictable.
Greene has always walked the line between genres. As a teenager, he was as comfortable with John Coltrane as he was with Michael Jackson. He understood early on that knowing the rules of jazz was just the first step; the magic often happens when you’re brave enough to break them. This philosophy drives the Chris Greene Quartet's fearless performances, where no two shows are ever the same, and musical vulnerability is embraced, not avoided.
In an era where jazz is often misunderstood or boxed into the past, Greene is determined to make it accessible again—without diluting its soul. His quartet isn't content to perform to a room full of crossed arms and polite claps; they aim to engage, to awaken, and to move. Their audiences leave transformed, having witnessed not just a concert, but a conversation between instruments, ideas, and people.
The Chris Greene Quartet has performed at venues such as Pete Miller’s Seafood and Prime Steak, My Place For..., the Chicago Cultural Center (Randolph Café Lunchtime Series), Green Dolphin Street, Dave & Buster’s, Diversey Yacht Club, Banana Moon (Deerfield), 1800 Club (Evanston), Morseland, and the iconic Velvet Lounge.
As Greene continues to push against musical segregation, his vision for jazz is clear—bold, inclusive, genre-bending, and always from the heart. And when you witness the Chris Greene Quartet live, you don’t just hear jazz—you feel its future.
When you stumble into a jazz club in Chicago expecting to hear mellow, background grooves, the Chris Greene Quartet might just flip your expectations on their head. The stage lights up with kinetic energy, the sound is vibrant, melodic, and irresistibly danceable. The crowd—diverse in age, background, and rhythm—isn't sitting quietly in contemplation. They're moving, swaying, dancing. And at the center of this musical firestorm is Chris Greene, a saxophonist, composer, and bandleader with a mission: to blow the walls off jazz stereotypes.
Chris Greene has performed and recorded with a long list of renowned artists, including Common, Otis Williams and the Temptations, Justin Roberts, Colonel Abrams, Robert Cornelius, Lonie Walker, The J. Davis Trio, Liquid Soul, Jessie de la Peña, Andrew Bird, Kevin O'Donnell, The Mighty Blue Kings, Ron Carroll, Nicholas Barron, Tautologic, Mr. A.L.I., and Steve Cole. But it’s with his own ensemble, the Chris Greene Quartet, that his bold musical vision truly comes alive.
Formed in the rich and ever-evolving music scene of Chicago, the quartet comprises Damian Espinosa on piano, Marc Piane on acoustic bass, and Tyrone Blair on drums—all accomplished musicians in their own right. Together, they create a sound Greene describes as "kick-ass, organic acoustic jazz with a garage band mentality." Their performances are rooted in jazz tradition, yet unapologetically flavored with blues, funk, gospel, soul, and rock—resulting in shows that are as emotionally gripping as they are unpredictable.
Greene has always walked the line between genres. As a teenager, he was as comfortable with John Coltrane as he was with Michael Jackson. He understood early on that knowing the rules of jazz was just the first step; the magic often happens when you’re brave enough to break them. This philosophy drives the Chris Greene Quartet's fearless performances, where no two shows are ever the same, and musical vulnerability is embraced, not avoided.
In an era where jazz is often misunderstood or boxed into the past, Greene is determined to make it accessible again—without diluting its soul. His quartet isn't content to perform to a room full of crossed arms and polite claps; they aim to engage, to awaken, and to move. Their audiences leave transformed, having witnessed not just a concert, but a conversation between instruments, ideas, and people.
The Chris Greene Quartet has performed at venues such as Pete Miller’s Seafood and Prime Steak, My Place For..., the Chicago Cultural Center (Randolph Café Lunchtime Series), Green Dolphin Street, Dave & Buster’s, Diversey Yacht Club, Banana Moon (Deerfield), 1800 Club (Evanston), Morseland, and the iconic Velvet Lounge.
As Greene continues to push against musical segregation, his vision for jazz is clear—bold, inclusive, genre-bending, and always from the heart. And when you witness the Chris Greene Quartet live, you don’t just hear jazz—you feel its future.
Band Members
Chris Greene-saxophones - Damian Espinosa-piano - Marc Piane-acoustic bass - Tyrone Blair-drums
Chris Greene-saxophones - Damian Espinosa-piano - Marc Piane-acoustic bass - Tyrone Blair-drums
Location: AMERICA NORTH: USA: Illinois (IL)
Genre: Jazz