10/03/24 – Pieces of a Dream & Chelsey Green: Grown Folks Homecoming Kickoff

With performances often described as passionate, vivacious, electrifying, and innovative, Billboard-charting international recording artist Chelsey Green brings the vibrancy of violin and viola playing and unique, rich vocals to worldwide audiences in a whole new way.

A native of Houston, Texas, Dr. Chelsey Green was born into a family of jazz and funk musicians and started her performance career as a violinist at age 5. Dr. Green went on to receive a scholarship for classical viola studies at The University of Texas at Austin where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. Continuing her studies, she received a Master’s degree from The Peabody Conservatory of The Johns Hopkins University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Maryland College Park. In August 2017, Dr. Green was appointed Associate Professor in the String Department at the prestigious Berklee College of Music and served as Acting Chair for the Spring 2021 term.

Dr. Chelsey Green and her ensemble, The Green Project, tear down stereotypes of the violin and viola by fusing traditional classical technique with popular favorites and enticing original songs in various genres– including R&B, Pop, Soul, Funk, Jazz, Alternative, Hip Hop, Gospel and more! Chelsey Green and The Green Project have released 5 studio projects independently and performed live shows, jazz festivals, masterclasses and educational workshops across America and in several countries throughout the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Japan and the Caribbean.

Classically soloing in New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall at age 16, Chelsey’s varied performance resume includes performances at the GRAMMY Awards, CBS Late Show, NPR Tiny Desk, Capital Jazz Festival, Seabreeze Jazz Festival, the opening of The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Essence Music Festival, Port-Au-Prince International Jazz Festival, Kuwait National Opera House and many more!

Pieces of a Dream

Pieces of a Dream emerged out of Philadelphia’s music scene in 1976. The group based their name on “Pieces of Dreams,” a cover tune by Stanley Turrentine that the group performed. After quickly becoming popular around Philadelphia, the trio landed a spot as the house band for a local television show called City Lights. Their experience widened as they played backup on the broadcasts to a wide variety of artists, and that’s where jazz legend, the late Grover Washington, Jr. first heard them. One day while the teenagers were playing at the Bijou (where Grover had recorded his Live at the Bijou album), he sat in with them to play “Mr. Magic.”
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Not long after, Pieces of a Dream hit the road performing in Grover Washington Jr.’s rhythm section and opening for him as Pieces of a Dream. “Mr. Magic” took Lloyd and Harmon under his wings and signed the band as the first group with his brand new production company, Elektra. Pieces released three albums in quick succession, firmly establishing its place in the world of smooth jazz with the CDs Pieces of a Dream (1981), We Are One (1982) and Imagine This (1983).  Those albums include some of their biggest early hits, including “Warm Weather,” “Mount Airy Groove” and “Fo Fi Fo.” From 1981 to 1984, Pieces of a Dream built their reputation with three albums on Elektra that would come to define the musical essence of the smooth jazz radio explosion. Soon after completing Joyride, their last effort for Elektra, Pieces of a Dream moved to EMI/Blue Note and went on to record seven more albums.

In 2001, Pieces of a Dream signed with Heads Up International and celebrated their 25th anniversary with what was undoubtedly their best album in years, Acquainted with the Night. The group’s silver anniversary release featured guitarist Ronny Jordan, vocalist Maysa Leak, and saxophonists Gerald Albright and Kenny Blake. Acquainted with the Night generated two top-five singles on R&R’s NAC chart.

The follow up album, Love’s Silhouette, also scored top radio chart positioning and Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart top 10 status. Their April 2004 release, No Assembly Required, proved to be another hit album in their long and illustrious career. Pillow Talk, released in March 2006, marked the band’s 30th anniversary and Soul Intent, Pieces of a Dream’s last project on Heads Up, provides the kind of innovation and eclecticism that keeps Pieces of a Dream fresh and authentic in a jazz world that’s ever-changing.

Pieces of a Dream is currently recording with Shanachie Entertainment. Their first project with Shanachie was In The Moment (2013), followed by All In (2015) which landed at No. 3 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz chart for 13 weeks, Just Funkin’ Around (2017), On Another Note (2019) and the most recent project entitled Fired Up in 2021.

Pieces of a Dream has toured the world, sold over one million albums, and scored both Smooth Jazz and R&B radio hits along the way. Crowned “Pioneers of Smooth Jazz” by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Pieces of a Dream’s longevity is a testament to the brotherhood shared between James Lloyd and Curtis Harmon. Pieces of a Dream excels at serving up an irresistible signature fusion of Jazz, R&B, Funk, Pop, Blues and beyond. There is something for everyone and for every mood in a “Pieces” performance.

Long-time band members include Anthony Watson, Jr. on saxophone, and David Dyson on bass. Together the ensemble kicks it up a notch with just the right amount of funk, ballads and everything in between. Their energy is contagious and audiences never leave disappointed.

Read full biography https://www.piecesofadream.net/blank