Right Brain: Arnie J. Green

The city of Vallejo, Calif., in the San Francisco Bay Area, was a musical place to grow up.

That’s where a young Arnie J. Green would sit outside house parties with bands inside like Muddy Waters playing, and ride his bike on Sunday mornings (before going to Catholic church) to the Baptist church in town where he heard the “powerful sounds” emanating from within.

He said his mother is always singing, and so too is his 16-year-old daughter, who joins him onstage when she is in town.

“I can never remember not hearing music,” Green said.

He’s played with the Subdudes, Shakedown Street, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Steve Kimock.

Green’s R&B comes in the form of some originals and many covers.

His set is unique with some lesser known songs from friends.

It may surprise some Summit countians to find out that Green just recently moved here after nine years in the small town of Silver Plume.

He’s gained his local status through regular gigs: This year Sundays in Keystone at the Snake River Saloon and also on Sundays at the Kickapoo Tavern for apres ski hours.

He’s joined onstage at the Snake by piano player X-Man, or Eric Lilley. Lilley also plays with the Arnie J. Green Band, which includes the bass playing of Larry Elwood and Jimmy Yozell’s drums.

Since Arnie comes to every show sans a setlist, the band reacts to each other in finding the direction of their music.

Likewise, Arnie reacts to the vibe of the audience when playing a solo set.

Green also repairs guitars through Affordable Music in Dillon.

Dreams: I’d like to take better advantage of silence and write more.

There are songs stuck in my head.

I’m sure of it.

I need to remember how to release them.

What does art give you: The ability to give.

I worked with special education kids years ago.

To watch a child who usually sits with their arm and legs drawn up in a fetal position stretch out, become wide-eyed, open like a flower at the sound of one chord, one note sung.

That’s the true power of music

Convey: Emotion.

I feel to do a song justice, your own or a cover, you need to be able to get inside of the song emotionally.

To be joyous when your heart is breaking. To be angry when you’re ecstatic.

Sometimes a song is a reflection of what you are feeling currently.

Almost always it’s a reflection of what somebody is.

Try to reach them.

Challenge: Life has pitched me some good ones of late but easily the toughest is being so far from my daughter, Amy.

She’s in California with her mom and I don’t get to see nearly enough of her.

Accomplishments: I’ve been fortunate enough to do some really cool shows this last couple of years.

Playing with Subdudes, Dirty Dozen, Jerry Joseph, and of course, all the Zero shows in Denver and both coasts.

The highlight of it all though was being on the stage at Fillmore, San Francisco, with my daughter and Kimock’s son on my birthday back in February at a Zero show.

Talk about coming full circle!

Motivation: Espresso.

Lots of espresso and the occasional hot shower.