This week we feature Philadelphia jazz guitarist Mike Kennedy.

Online Bio

A native of the Philadelphia area, Mike Kennedy began playing guitar at the age of eight at a local suburban music store. Mike quickly became captivated by the guitar and was soon immersed in creating music. By the 7th grade, Mike was working within a group dynamic in both bands and ensembles, playing guitar and bass. Mike and his peers played wherever they were welcome, from basements to garages, church halls and school auditoriums. During this time, he also began exploring composition as of means of exploring and projecting his own expression.

Mike's first exposure to Jazz occurred when he heard Johnny Smith's Moonlight in Vermont. He was captivated by the introspective and complex sound which challenged his own musical development. It was not until high school that Mike took a few jazz lessons and, upon hearing Joe Pass on Virtuoso #2, Mike knew that he had found his medium in jazz guitar. Mike's formal education in jazz guitar was completed at the University of the Arts, College of Performing Arts, in Philadelphia where he received both his Bachelors Degree in Jazz Guitar and his Masters Degree in Jazz Studies. Always with the desire to expand his repertoire and the boundaries of his knowledge and skills, Mike has, and continues to, pursue studies with highly respected musicians. With the ethic that a firm musical foundation expands his ability to absorb, contemplate and create, Mike studied with, among others, Jimmy Bruno, Larry McKenna, Bob DiNardo, Joe Federico, and Allan Slutsky.

Mike currently lives in the Art Museum area of Philadelphia County with his wife. Working part time teaching guitar in the collegiate setting as well as at a college preparatory school, Mike spends the rest of his time writing compositions and playing, both locally and in the surrounding region. Over the past few years, Mike has had the opportunity to perform with such renowned Philadelphia musicians as Larry McKenna and John Swana and has also recently performed with International artist Lou Rawls.

Throughout his education and career, Mike has performed and created compositions in various musical genres from jazz to rock and R&B, but over the past decade, he has focused almost exclusively on jazz. Mike identified with the rhythmic complexity of jazz music, the wit and perception of improvisation and the dichotomy between the spontaneity of the individual and the communication within a group. Mike's adoration of jazz music went beyond performance into the realm of composition where he excelled. With a sound based in the bebop tradition, yet with a definite modern presence, Mike collected a series of ten tunes for his first self-produced jazz CD, Quartet No. 1, which was released in late 2002. Mike's vision for the group dynamic for Quartet No. 1 came together in late 2001 when he played a gig with Chris Farr (tenor and soprano saxophone), Lucas Brown (organ), and Dan Monaghan (drums). He instinctively knew that Chris, Lucas, and Dan were the right combination of musicians to perform on Quartet No. 1 which captures the true sound of the group.

Presently, Mike is actively promoting Quartet No. 1 which has received exceptional reviews that praise both the compositions and the musicians. He has recently entered into a contract with StringJazz for Canadian and European distribution of Quartet No. 1 and is also writing in anticipation of his next CD which he plans to record in the Summer of 2004.

Mike Kennedy's website: http://www.kennedymusic.com

Doc Dosco is a jazz guitarist, composer and audio consultant living in Los Angeles, CA. His website is located at http://www.docdosco.com, where you can find more information on the 'What's Hot with Jazz Guitar' columns, audio clips of Doc's playing, and many additional features. Doc endorses Heritage Guitars and is a featured artist on their website. He also endorses the new Pignose Valve Tube Amps -- great for jazz (and anything else!)