KENNEDY’S KITCHEN
Birds Upon The Trees
Kennedy’s Kitchen

www.kennedyskitchen.com
 

Based in South Bend, Indiana, this family-based acoustic outfit is fronted by singer-guitarist joHn (Spell-check is going berserk, but yes, that’s how he wants it) Kennedy and includes two of his highly talented nephews, Liam (whistles and flute) and Nolan (whistles, flute, and vocals) Ladewski. On the surface, the band’s roster and set list would imply a religiously trad-arr point of reference, perhaps even more so than is common in Ireland these days. But being from the USA, other influences have inevitably sidled in. The instrumental tracks are propelled by America’s own swinging “and-one,” adding a playful insouciance that softens poker-stiff rhythms more typical of the ancestral homeland. Tunes that are generally performed in strict unison with treble-y fiddles up top are heard here swathed in multi-layered harmonies. The execution is unfailingly clear as a bell, with each instrument granted plenty of space to blossom. Thanks to a sympathetic alliance between bassist Rob Weber and Jacob Turner on bodhrán. a Donegal-like drone often frolics just under the radar; on the 11th track, “Swallows Tail Reel / The Sailor’s Bonnet / Over the Moor to Maggie,” everyone gets into the act. A cappella vocal tunes, sung by the bandleader in a resonant, agile baritone, hark back to the ancient sean nós (old style) canon, wherein slowly unfolding ornamentation – or the lack thereof – tells much of the tale. But he puts his all into “Patrick Coyle,” a heartfelt yet unsentimental original ballad dedicated to his late grandfather.

— Christina Roden