Mike Kennedy

Philadelphia guitarist and music maker, Mike Kennedy, has been sharing his passion for melody and musical imagery with eclectic audiences for over twenty years. Mike has spent his musical life exploring many moods, textures and spaces and continues to use each performance as a launchpad to search for new and compelling musical experiences. His performance schedule has covered much of the east coast, parts of California, Texas, Florida, Ohio and Tennessee and looks forward to more in the future.

Mike’s recent release, ‘Landfall”, features haunting melodic passages, plenty of Twang, pedal steel and calls upon imagery reminiscent of the old west territories. These songs are inspired by an imagined perspective of what it must be like in those regions of desert that are surrounded by mountain and water and enormous sky, where the horizon is barely visible. Painted with broad strokes of Americana, Folk and Jazz, Landfall is a sonic field trip to those open spaces.
Future projects already in progress include a solo guitar record and a trio record that is partially inspired by some writings of Edgar Allan Poe. You can catch up with Mike’s previous releases at most online streaming services as well as itunes, amazon and Mike’s website; http://www.kennedymusic.com


"There are several characteristics of this album which make it well worth a listen. For one thing, Kennedy's sonority and technique are supremely lucid and beautiful. You'll rarely hear jazz guitar playing that is so well-appointed and comfortable to the ear. For another, Kennedy's improvising is well-nigh flawless."
- VICTOR L. SCHERMER, AllAboutJazz (Nov 21, 2014)

"...Idle Afternoon is a stirring session of eight original compositions featuring Mike Kennedy in a swingin' quartet session that showcases fluid, straight-ahead jazz playing alongside inspired compositions...Kennedy's guitar style is a wonderful combination of wistful lines and harmonic integrity...[a]nd Kennedy's chops, while displaying nicely for all to hear, come more from his musical intellect than a series of rote finger exercises...As accompanists and soloists, each player is on top of their game..." ”
- Lyle Robinson, Jazz Guitar Life

“Consisting of all original compositions, Mike Kennedy’s self-produced Idle Afternoon stays firmly based in the pre-hard bop lexicon, interpreting swinging and straightahead tunes....Kennedy possesses a rich, thick, soulful sound...His playing displays first-class technique and an impeccable sense of time...One often expects a certain freshness in a recording of all-original music, but one does not always expect the well crafted, harmonically rich music found here.”
- Ed Zucker, AllAboutJazz.com