Americana and roots singer-songwriter Jackie Greene is a jack-of-all-trades, and an artistwho can croon over soulful piano ballads as much as he can shred a bluesy guitar solo (likehe did as the lead guitarist for The Black Crowes in 2013). A road warrior and musician’smusician, Greene’s new EP ‘The Modern Lives – Vol 2’ (out October 2018 on Blue RoseMusic) finds him at a new chapter in his life: his first months of fatherhood, time off hisrelentless touring circuit, and a cross-country move from Brooklyn to his birthplace ofNorthern California.This new collection of six original songs is a thematic extension of ‘The Modern Lives – Vol 1’EP (released in 2017 on Blue Rose Music), imbued with a Brooklyn basement DIY feel andethos. He is a student of American music, transfixed upon its progression through time, aswell as how regional sounds fit in a contemporary context. Whereas ‘Vol 1’ saw Greeneexperiment with the Delta blues as a canvas for his examinations of modern society, ‘Vol 2’sees Greene embrace the sounds of the bluegrass and folk tapes of his youth.Lead single “Crazy Comes Easy” showcases Greene’s dynamic, multi-instrumental rangeas he plays slide guitar, organ, bass, and percussion, the guitar licks an appreciative nod tohis time in The Black Crowes. Meanwhile, “Good Old Bad Times” highlights Greene as thesongwriter as he rattles off lines like “How can somebody find a future? / If they ain’t got afoothold in the past?” while taking a critical eye to the idea of nostalgia. Piano ballad”Victim Of The Crime” was one of Jackie’s oldest demos up until the feel of these sessionsgave him the tools to finish a song that, in his words, was written for his wife before she washis wife. While the title possesses a kind of melodrama, the song itself is tender andheartfelt as he details love’s trials and tribulations.Greene partnered with Academy Award-nominated “king of indie animation” Bill Plymptonfor a series of music videos for ‘The Modern Lives – Vol 1’ that would eventually become ananimated short film titled ‘The Modern Lives’. The film is currently making the rounds at filmfestivals where it has already won the Jury Award at the USA Film Festival in Dallas, TX, andthe Grand Remi Award / Best in Show at WorldFest in Houstin, TX. The short is also beingexhibited at the 71st Festival de Cannes/Court Metrage, Melbourne International AnimationFestival, and ASIFA-East Festival, amongst others.Since the release of his critically-acclaimed debut album ‘Gone Wanderin’’, Greene hasbuilt an enduring audience through a relentless touring schedule with the likes of BB King,Mark Knopfler, Susan Tedeschi, and Taj Mahal. He played lead guitar with The Black Croweson their Layin’ Down With #13 World Tour, recorded and toured with Trigger Hippy – hissupergroup with Joan Osborne – and in the last four years performed over 300 shows of hisown, all while continuing to record and release his solo work. Greene is a frequent memberof Phil Lesh & Friends, and sits in with countless other artists including Tedeschi TrucksBand, Govt Mule, Mississippi All-Stars, Amy Helm, Steve Earle, and Bob Weir.
