Jazz Saxophonist Karen Greene


I have been very blessed to have performed on several concerts with my idol and friend, saxophonist Eric Marienthal. Not only is he an incredible musician, but he's one of the finest people I've ever had the pleasure to know. (taken May 2009)With my old friends at Speakeasy Jazz Club in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Pictured with Melva's US manager, Sherrie McWhorter and the world-reknowned jazz/blues singer, Melva Houston. Melva and I have done dozens of gigs together over the years. (taken February 2008).'The Georgia Shrimp Company' house band... Tommy Dean, Neal Wauchope, Charles Nesbitt, me, Toni Byrd, Danny Smith and Ant Murphy. I'm so honored to not only play with these fabulously talented folks, but am so blessed to have them as wonderful friends!What an honor to work with the incredible Denis DiBlasio. Denis is an incredible guy! He was also Maynard Ferguson's arranger for several years and the best bari player in the world!Performing with 'SOLID STATE' at 'Studio 281' Jazz Club in downtown Atlanta, February 2009.Performing at "Martinis and IMAX"at Fernbank Museum in Atlanta, November 2007.Performing with my all time favorite band, 'SOLID STATE'. Shown here with saxophonist Nick "Shredder" Longo (my hero) and band leader and "cool cat" Ken Gregory. You won't find a better group of musicians anywhere who enjoy making music together.Eric Marienthal watching me finish my solo, and getting ready to blow me away! (taken May 2008).Backstage at Chastain with another one of my favorite musicians, saxophonist Dave Koz. Must be something about sax players... Dave is a great guy too! (taken August 1999).One of my very best friends, and one of the very best drummers you'll find anywhere, Tony Stiglitz. Taken after his recent return from a studio session in Nashville. Tony is like family, and I'm proud to have him as a brother.'SOLID STATE" band photo taken in June, 2009. David Ellington, Mike Haid, me, Ken Gregory, Herb Avery, Nick Longo, and Bob Lewis. LOVE this band!Elko Jazz Fest 2001 with Eric Marienthal. Look at our lips... we had just blown our heads off.Drummer, Mike Haid's 50th Birthday Bash, November 2007. We're not really reading music... we're just trying to look important.In the studio with Dr. Maya Angelou. This was prior to our recording session for Branford Marsalis' 'Buckshot LeFunk" album. I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Dr. Angelou for almost 6 years. She is fabulous!Jammin' with 'The Mike Watson Band' At Montana's Bar and Grill. Paul Arrendondo, Doc Boneshaker, me and my buddy, Mike Watson, August 2009.Another Elko Jazz Fest with Eric Marienthal. (I think this was 2005). Hey, they photographed my good side! Guess this is what they mean by a "head shot".... with Eric Marienthal at the 2008 Elko Jazz Fest.Recording with Ken Gregory at 800 East Studios on a music education video produced by Adam Mewherter.... before a radio interview during Elko Jazz Fest 2001 with good friends; band director Walt Lovell, Eric Marienthal, and our dear friend, Emil Matys. Emil passed away in April 2008. We all miss him so much.Performing with "The Unexplained Explainers" at the Carter Center as part of the 2006 Atlanta Jazz Festival. Band leader Mark Risjord and I have played together in a variety of musical situations since 1984.With jazz pianist Reggie Buie and my wonderful husband, Bryan at Rays Killer Creek in Alpharetta, Georgia. Reggie and I have performed together in a variety of groups for over the past 19 years. Regg is one of my favorite pianists and one of my favorite people! Performing a dueling sax solo with Eric Marienthal with the Elko High School Jazz Ensemble, May 2008.Pictured here with the Latin jazz band,"Carnivalito" before our appearance at 'Blues Alley' in Washington, DC. I was proud to be a member of this band for 3 years and I love these guys!My dear friends David Kleinbaum on flute, and Dave Hanson on trombone, jamming at "The Red Light Cafe" in Atlanta, February 2008.Me and Nick 'Shredder" Longo at 800 East Studios for my 50th Birthday party, September 2008. Nick is like a brother to me.Me and John "Pops" Longo, Nick's dad. "Pops" is a monster tenor player with the coolest style you'll ever hear anywhere!Me, Pops and Nick at '800 East Studios' for the 2010 Atlanta Jazz Reunion. January, 2010.Another 'SOLID STATE' performance in Atlanta... at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center for their "Jazz on the Lawn" series, June 2006.With my buddy Gene Russell, Dave Mancini, Eric Marienthal, my dear friend Paul Gardner, and my bud, Jim Lentini at Elko Jazz Fest 2008.Jamming at The Graveyard Tavern with my dear friend and one of my favorite musicians ever, David Ellington, along with Karin Williams, and Ben Taylor, February 2008.Me and Mike Haid, better known to us as "Bump" after the Brubeck Brothers Concert, October 2008.'SOLID STATE' doing a sound check before the Brubeck Brothers Concert, October 2008.What if Southpark had a 'SOLID STATE' band......bassist Michael Patterson backing me up on the Fort Wayne "Jazz and Words on Main Street" gig. He's one of my all time favorite bass players and a fabulous person! (taken May 2009).Performing with the Latin jazz band, 'Carnivalito' in Raleigh, NC, May 1996.One of the posters from a 'SOLID STATE' gig.A poster from a previous festival. Mac Arnold is really not that much bigger than the rest of us in real life.A poster from the Graveyard Jazz nights in 2008. That's my hand and sax, and Chris Burroughs' drums. The poster was made by friend, Mike Kasper.The Brubeck Brothers concert poster.A copy of one of the Gridiron Grill posters.... trying to keep up with my buddy, Eric Marienthal... whew! (taken May 2009).Performing with 'SOLID STATE' at the Inman Park Festival, David Ellington, me, Ken Gregory, Nick Longo, and Bob Lewis, April 2008.The 'practice' corner in my office.Getting some horn line tips from Phillip Marnell at The Graveyard Tavern, March 2008.A fabulous crowd waiting to see us at a festival in Asheville, NC, August 1996.Blow, blow, BLOW!!A publicity photo from the 90's. What was I thinking with that hair?!?Doing a sound check with 'Carnivalito' before our performance that evening at 'Blues Alley' in Washington, DC, November 1996....sitting in at 'Martinis and IMAX' with 'The Nick Longo Band', June 2009.A cartoonized version of me.The original 'Sam Bruton Group'. I owe so much to this band. Pictured are drummer (and one of my very best friends) Tony Stiglitz, me, pianist Sam Bruton, and bassist Chris Hill. This photo was taken in the fall of 1992.With Sam Bruton at the 2009 Bay Springs Jazz Festival in Mississippi. We had not seen each other for 12 years until one hour before the gig. It was fabulous playing again with my all-time favorite piano player!The newly reformed 'Sam Bruton Group'. We're looking forward to future gigs. (taken May 2009).Performing with the new version of 'The Sam Bruton' Group at the Bay Springs Jazz Festival--Sam Bruton on piano, me on sax, Danny Infante on bass, and Jeff Mills on drums.A 'Photoshop'd' photo of my promo pic done by my buddy, Dan Turner. Thanks Danster!Performing at 'The Graveyard Tavern' in Atlanta with Bob Lewis on trombone and my dear friend, Mike 'Bump' Haid, on drums, April 2008.Backstage for the FMU wind ensemble concert, April 2009.Sight read... sight read... sight read! Me and 'Shredder" covering the horns for The Allen Goodman Band at Mcguires Pub. Pictured are Jason Bowen, Lance Bowen, me, Nick "Shredder" Longo, Allen Goodman, David Jackson, and Art Thompson, July 2009.RBC Productions promoter, Dwight Wilson, pianist Eric Clancy, bassist Michael Patterson, me and drummer Danny Reece.... my band for the "Jazz and Words" jazz series in Fort Wayne, Indiana (taken May 2009). What a blast!I was honored to meet and play with Dan Fornero this year. Truly one of the finest trumpet players in the business today, May 2009.Let's see how silly we can look for the camera. (taken May 2005).Sitting in with 'The Nick Longo Band' at 'Martinis and IMAX' in Atlanta, June 2009....on stage before a concert with 'Carnivalito' at the 'Big Gig Jazz Festival' in Richmond, Virginia, May 1996. "Nice hair, LOL"!Lance Bowen, me, Art Thompson on drums, and 'Pops' throwing down with 'The Allen Goodman Band'. March 2010.
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Maynard Ferguson
May 4, 1928 - August 23, 2006
The man who made me fall in love with jazz.
Sleep tight, boss. Thank you for everything!