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Mike Kennedy

Mike Kennedy is a Philadelphia based guitarist, composer, and music educator. Over the last 20 years, Mike's performance schedule has covered much of the East Coast and parts of California,Texas, Florida and Ohio.He has performed with commercially known international pop artists, such as Lou Rawls, Michael Feinstein, Bernadette Peters, Peter Nero and The Philly Pops and The Midtown Men as well as a long list of Philadelphia artists.

Mike’s current project, Landfall, has been described as a three-way between Ennio Morricone, Henry Mancini and Danny Gatton. Landfall is an anthology of instrumental songs inspired by the power, beauty and vastness of the American western and southwestern landscape. Painted with broad strokes of Americana, Folk and Jazz, Landfall is a tribute to the American frontier. Featuring plenty of Telecaster twang, pedal steel and captivating ensemble playing, Landfall is a sonic field trip to a land locked in time. Release date April 24th. In addition to his regular performance schedule, Mike is the Guitar Department Chairperson at The University of The Arts, College of Performing Arts in Philadelphia, Pa.

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Album Review

Tom Tallitsch: Message

Read "Message" reviewed by David A. Orthmann


There is hard bop DNA in tenor and soprano saxophonist Tom Tallitsch's twelfth record as a leader, the third consecutive release for his TT Productions imprint. While it is always tempting to start making comparisons to classic sides from the genre, or to simply dismiss recognizable sounds as old hat in a world bursting with new ideas and concepts, Tallitsch and his associates warrant attention on their own merits. As on two recent recordings, Wheelhouse (Posi-Tone) and Ten ...

6
Album Review

Tom Tallitsch: Ten

Read "Ten" reviewed by David A. Orthmann


Ten is a recording that resides and functions well in a stylistic no man's land. Tenor and soprano saxophonist Tom Tallitsch and his clever band display little interest in paying homage to easily recognizable jazz styles; yet, they don't make a point of abandoning traditional practices either. Taking a stab at some basic descriptions of some of Tallitsch's six compositions--medium tempo swing, skewed jazz-funk, a deliberately paced jazz waltz, Latin-tinged jazz, etc.--amounts to something of a fool's errand. Suffice it ...

3
Album Review

Mike Kennedy: Landfall

Read "Landfall" reviewed by Doug Collette


The release of guitarist Mike Kennedy's Landfall is most appropriately-timed for those about to enter the sweet seasons of spring and summer. It is the ideal soundtrack for lolling in the sun. With a quartet moving right in time with him, Kennedy utilizes electric and acoustic guitars, along with judiciously placed pedal steel, to conjure up that deliciously warm sense of well-being that comes from immersion in the light of sol. Yet for all the tranquility this music ...

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Album Review

Mike Kennedy: Insulation

Read "Insulation" reviewed by Victor L. Schermer


This unpretentious but edifying album consists of a series of guitar originals which flow into one another to form a unified whole. The music is relaxing, with a light swing that calls to mind guitarists like Wes Montgomery and Jim Hall, and might be called, to coin a phrase, “soft bop." Mike Kennedy, guitarist and leader, Mike Frank, piano, Paul Gehman, bass, and Dan Monaghan, drums are all Philadelphia-based musicians with extensive track records (no pun intended), and the consistency ...

460
Album Review

Mike Kennedy Quartet: Idle Afternoon

Read "Idle Afternoon" reviewed by Edward Zucker


Consisting of all original compositions, Mike Kennedy's self-produced Idle Afternoon stays firmly based in the pre-hard bop lexicon, interpreting swinging and straight-ahead tunes. A Philadelphia-based guitarist, Kennedy possesses a rich, thick, soulful sound. The opening “I'll Take Two features Kennedy laying down some harmonious and stimulating lines. The album's piece de resistance is the closing track, “Days End, where he performs a three-plus minute solo. Throughout the recording, Kennedy eschews flashy displays and sticks with ballads and mid-tempo pieces. His ...

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Recording

Guitarist/Composer Mike Kennedy Releases New CD "Idle Afternoon"

Guitarist/Composer Mike Kennedy Releases New CD "Idle Afternoon"

Source: All About Jazz

PHILADELPHIA, PA - October 11, 2006 - Mike Kennedy creates a collection of fresh, organic tunes for his new CD, Idle Afternoon.

As a follow-up to his first release, Quartet No. 1, Kennedy releases his second album, Idle Afternoon, which will be debuted at the CD Release Party scheduled at Chris Jazz Caf, 1421 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA on Friday, November 3, 2006, 8:00 and 10:00 (details). The album features Kennedy on guitar, Mike Frank on piano, Paul Gehman on ...

Primary Instrument

Guitar

Location

Philadelphia

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

University of The Arts guitar department coordinator.

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Message

TT Productions
2021

buy

Ten

TT Productions
2019

buy

Landfall

Self Produced
2018

buy

Insulation

Self Produced
2014

buy

Idle Afternoon

Self Produced
2006

buy

Quartet No. 1

Self Produced
2002

buy

Zipline

From: Message
By Mike Kennedy

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