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Ken Greves

Ken Greves is a passionate interpreter of the Great American Songbook and a specialist in the music of Harold Arlen.

“Arlen’s music resonates profoundly with my musical sensibilities,” says Ken. “Arlen considered himself a jazz composer and wanted to be a vocalist himself. He was unique in that he was unafraid to break out of the standard 32-bar form.”

Another important influence on Ken was the voice of Judy Garland.

“My fascination with Garland was her uncanny ability to musically shape a song while acting and telling a story. She demonstrated that a song has a beginning, middle and end.”

Ken grew up in Nassau County, on the south shore of Long Island, NY. Neither of his parents were musicians, but they noted early on their son’s fascination with music, theater, and dance.

“My earliest memories were when I was three” recalls Ken. “My mother told me that I used to dance in front of the TV, mesmerized by the sound of Kate Smith singing, ‘When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain.’”

Classically trained as a dancer and actor as well as a singer, Ken performed in a national tour of Singing in the Rain, played Billy Lawlor in 42nd Street, appeared as Luther Billis in South Pacific, and played opposite Nancy Kulp in an English murder mystery comedy. He sang with the Barry Levitt Trio at Iridium and at Birdland with Jim Caruso’s “Cast Party.”

Ken Greves made his solo debut as a vocalist in April 2000 at Don’t Tell Mama with his program, “Who the Hell Is Harold Arlen?!” Shortly thereafter, he encountered Trudi Mann and her open jazz mic

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Album Review

Ken Greves: The Face Of My Love

Read "The Face Of My Love" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose


On The Face of My Love, countertenor Ken Greves answers what could well be an eternal question: Why make another album about love? And he does so emphatically: Because there may be a more complete way to tackle its rainbow of moods and feelings. It is very possible that no one in recent memory has gotten into character to perform the role of lover with such majesty and fire as Greves plays out the myriad shades of sadness and joy ...

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