The tunes of local jam band Good Green have been melodiously infiltrating Albuquerque’s venues and enriching the music scene with nothing but positive vibes.
Formed in 2012, the band consists of core members Chris Chavez and Colleen Elvidge, along with a constantly changing roster of live musicians.
Chavez coined the band’s name on St. Patrick’s Day when the newly formed group snagged their debut live show at Launchpad. With the holiday in mind, Chavez also sought to honor Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green through their moniker.
“We have fun. That’s really the whole thing about it,” Chavez said. “It’s all about having fun and promoting the music in a joyful way. Every show is different, and we always have different musicians. That was my vision for the band, and it still is.”
Chavez met fellow musician and songwriter Richard Malcolm in 2009, who helped Chavez find shows to play before he was 21. They ended up playing together in the band Los Unusual Suspects before Chavez left to form Good Green.
Malcolm has since become a frequent collaborator with Good Green and is featured in various live performances as well as the band’s upcoming album.
The band is recognized for blending various genres such as funk, reggae, rock and hip-hop within an expansive range of instrumentation. Brass, percussion and wind instruments all flow smoothly beside one another to convey a full sound that, more often than not, gets people moving.
“The thing about Good Green is that funk, within bounds, is pretty universal,” Malcolm said. “If you get people moving and smiling then that works everywhere, it’s a universal language. It’s amazing how in that funk idiom, you can be a little off-color but people are still grinning and moving.”
Because of their approachable and versatile sound, the band has played at unique locales such as high-end restaurants and wine-tastings, as well as traditional music venues.
“We’ve been pretty blessed as far as having a lot of support from the music community, helping us get all these shows,” Chavez said. “One of the goals was to, say, for a weekend, play Zinc, then Luanchpad and then a wine tasting on Sunday. We can play the blues, we can rock, it all depends on the venue.”
With Elvidge on vocals and Chavez on guitar, every other Good Green member rotates depending on availability. Collaborators include bassists Vic Maese and Eric Owens, drummers Vik Maese and Julian Griego, saxophonists Romeo Alonzo and Aaron Cummings and trombonist Dave Pancuch.
To play with Good Green, one will need to be able to jam, improvise and solo for around three hours, which is how long an average show goes for the band.
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“With a 30 minute gig, you’re barely warmed up,” Malcolm said. “I like the three hour gig. I’ve been playing for a long time, I’ve done a lot of those shows where I only play half the material I want to play. And there’s a lot of material we have to play.”
Good Green will be playing at Savoy Patio on Thursday. Their debut album is planned for a Fall 2016 release.
Audrin Baghaie is a culture reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.
