by Taryn Harrington

About halfway through her act, with hands performing gymnastics in the air, Emily Greene admits to loving coffee houses and the time she ran around naked as a teenager and kissed her friend, “no we didn’t make out, but she was cute.” Her innocent chatter is a part of the indie jazz pianist's charm. She wants you to understand she is sweet, quirky and ready to divulge secrets to anyone who will listen. It’s genuine and translates to beautiful songwriting the second she sits at a piano.

Greene's raspy, soulful voice coupled with a jazzy, piano-rock ensemble is intimate yet fun. This is smart, indie music that doesn’t adhere to a hip crowd model. It’s a confident sound that makes her more relatable than Norah Jones and fresher than your typical coffee house lounge singer. Greene came out with a new CD, Is This What You Had In Mind, in June and is currently on her West Coast tour.

See her at Hotel Utah (500 Fourth Street) on Sunday and bring a date; she’s sure to yank your heartstrings.