JAMES KENNEDY - TENT SHOW: An instrumental CD that's intriguing to say the least. Listening closely I detect a little Appalachian influence in some of the slower tracks and the to be expected rock influence in others. The slower songs meandering pacing hypnotically sucks you in to the music drawing your thoughts away like watching a palm tree sway in a tropical breeze. Whereas the faster paced songs reminded me of a snake charmer who's hand moves just fast enough to avoid the cobra's bite. The song "Russian Dance 1" oddly enough reminds me of a sound track from a slow moving silent movie, and I mean that in a good way. I'm generally not a fan of instrumentals, jazz being the exception, but this CD has emotion I was not expecting.

Reviewed by Mike Cavanaugh for AllAccess Magazine

JAMES KENNEDY - PATCHWORK: Kweevak has received several great CD's from the multi-talented James Kennedy and his band. Therefore, our expectations for his latest release PatchWork were high and we were not disappointed. James' eight instrumentals are a tapestry of diverse styles, tempos and tones. The music is a creative blend of genres ranging from Midwestern bluegrass to world. The CD has a good flow and mix of tracks that rock to slower more sensitive songs. Patchwork opens with 'Wild Bill', which features rowdy rock instrumentation combined with modern effects and production. 'Daddy Likes to Dance' is led by Catherine Lawson on electric violin playing over up-tempo, hand clapping, and foot tapping instrumentation. 'Motown' has a soulful guitar and rhythms exchange inspired by the classic Motown sound. 'Cruella' has the potential to be a rock anthem with its heavy guitars and energized rhythms. 'Here's My Heart' is a more serious tune with the vibrant violin melding with dramatic guitars. 'Charlie' is a spirited song followed by 'Old Movies', which has a nostalgic feel to it. The CD closes with the innovative 'Road', which blends sizzling guitar leads over more subtle instrumentation including the piano. Patchwork is a colorful collection of instrumentals! Recommended Tracks: (1,3) (Review by Laura Turner Lynch for Kweevak.com)

JAMES KENNEDY – THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN: Mount Vernon resident James Kennedy claws at his ax like it's 1974 on his 13th album. Kennedy is seemingly inspired by progressive rock behemoth King Crimson on rockin' songs like "Terra Cotta" and "Raw Deal" with equal influence going to Pink Floyd on "Silhouette in Time," a spacey mid-tempo rock song with low-key vocals. For me, those three tracks are the best of the album's 8 tracks... definitely an eclectic collection.

• Recommended Tracks: (1,2 & 8)] (Review by Eric Clark/Gazette Communications)

JAMES KENNEDY – ROCK N ROLL HEART & TOO MANY PICTURES: Rock N Roll Heart Too Many Pictures  are two recent releases from multi-instrumentalist James Kennedy. James is a composer, producer, vocalist, guitarist and bassist. Kennedy has written scores for a number of independent films and video projects. In addition, his music has been licensed by major corporations such as 3M, Disney and Muzak. James a seasoned musician has been playing since a young age and he studied blues and jazz at the University of Iowa. Rock N Roll Heart  is an ode to classic rockers such as Cream, Genesis and the Four Seasons to name some of many. It is a diverse blend of psychedelic sounds, driving guitars with acoustic tones, powerful drums/percussions and hip bass lines. 'Victory and Honor' is a sixties like instrumental with stirring guitars, weird electronic tricks and a steady solid beat. Far out! 'Michael's Back Door' follows with creative instrumentation that reminds me of avant-garde bands such as Yes. Imaginative bridge changes and first class musicianship carries this ambient song to a satisfying conclusion. Thus, setting the tone for the next four well-crafted and inventive tracks. Too Many Pictures  was composed like an impressionistic painting. In other words, the music is a blend of world and jazz in a soundscape of varied styles, textures and tones. James mixes traditional sounds and modern jazz to create a unique genre referred to as midwestern jazz. The musicianship is masterful on all six songs but I really enjoyed the ebb and flow on 'Summer Rain' a soft fluid instrumental with a subtle beat and fine string work. The music gently washes over the listener like light refreshing rain. 'Bailaora Misteriosa' is a saucy song with Spanish overtones, sexy guitars, funky beats and some cool sounds from the electric violin. It is a poignant and flavorful mix. James Kennedy clearly demonstrates his versatile talents on these two unique CDs of rock and jazz-fusion sounds. Either disk is a winner!

• Recommended Tracks: (Disk One 1,2 & Disk Two 2,5) (Review by Laura Turner Lynch for Kweevak.com)

Review in Improvijazzation Nation Issue #53

James Kennedy - BITS N' PIECES:  We first reviewed James' masterful guitar work back in issue # 32, on a CD titled "Across The Borders".  Well, there's even MORE to rave about on this album!  It may be (in part) because many of the tracks are live, but this is one HIGH energy album.  James plays both electric & acoustic guitars on these all original compositions - & he RAWKS!  Matt Alles bass supports nicely, & the drummers (Masahiro Iwasaki on 1, 2 & 6, & Stickman on 3, 4 & 5) keep it all moving nicely, but there's no way you can (or would want to) miss th' feature, which is Kennedy jammin' on th' strings!  The recording is flawless on every cut, crisp & full of the joy of playing.  My personal favorite was "Ancient Warriors" (track 3), because I really liked th' mesh of the drums & th' guitar - intense rhythms!  There is great variety & simplicity in James' compositional style... the listener who enjoys well crafted fusion jazz will agree with me - this is MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!  One of the better albums I've listened to this year... & I've listened to a lot already!  Contact at 410 First St. West, Mt. Vernon, Iowa 52314, via email to hrtcnsrtms@aol.com  or on the pages at http://www.heartconsortmusic.com/   Rotcod Zzaj

October 2001 “Indiecator” review of

Heart Consort Music's LUNA by Catherine Lawson and James Kennedy

I don't know what else to call this disc, so I'm guessing. The music on here is instrumental electric violin & guitars, and is absolutely beautiful. While the total album tends to blend together into one amazing experience, I do have soft spots for 'Luna', 'Two Voices' and 'Mina'. This is another one of those albums I've been listening to for such a long time and not reviewing... For someone searching for a great new sound, here you go!

Now Available from Heart Consort Music:
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