Kerry Kearney

The Kerry Kearney Band

Paradiddle Records

Kerry Kearney is among my favorite slide guitarists. Although not as well-known as Sonny Landreth or Roy Rogers, Kearney has been honing his craft for over forty-five years. Kearney got his first guitar at age ten, and discovered the blues  at age twelve. In 1988, Marty Balin of Jefferson Airplane heard Kearney and  asked if hed be interested in joining for a three-month tour, and it turned into a  great five years. Kearney recorded his debut album “Blow Your House Down” in  1996. His follow-up album was self-titled. Kearney was voted “Best Guitarist of 1999” by the Long Island Voice. In 2001 Kearny released “Welcome To The Psychedelta” resulting in his being named “Bluesman of the Year” by the LI Blues Society. 2012’s “Ghosts Of The Psychedelta” resulted in a L.I. Sound Award from the LI Music Hall of Fame. In 2013 Kearney was inducted into the NY Blues Hall  of Fame. 2016 resulted in the album “Black”; 2019 it was “Smokehouse Serenade” and in 2020 “Tales from The Psychedelta. Kearney has toured with The Allman  Brothers Band and Dickey Betts, and shared the stage with B.B. King, Robert Cray, Robert Randolph, The Blues Brothers and others.

On this new album The Kerry Kearney Band includes Kearney, all guitars, mandolin and vocals; Jack Licitra, keyboards; Gerry Sorrentino, bass; Mario Staiano, drums;  and Nydia “Liberty” Mata, congas and percussion. Also featured are keyboardist Mark Mancini; Bill Lifford, harmonica; Camryn Quinlan, vocals; and Jeff Naimoli,  additional percussion.

The opening track “All Your Love (I Miss Loving) was written and recorded by Otis Rush in 1986 “all your love pretty baby…I miss your kisses..” Kearny sings  before an uptempo change and doesn’t sing again until the song returns to it’s original tempo. “Harder To Breathe” is co-written with Jack Licitra and Camryn Quinlan; the lead vocal is sung by Quinlan as Kearney plays some great slide.

“Walk Right Out The Door” is a walkin blues, “still I got her number…if every thing, not right I walk right out the door”. “Rub Me Raw” was written and sung by Warren Zevon in 2003, with more great slide, as Kearney belts out “oh no,  these blues gonna rub me raw”.

On “Voodoo Ways” Kearney chants, “I’m calling you and vour voodoo ways… I’m the only one who will refuse to stay…the world is calling and I don’t know where to go…I don’t need your voodoo ways”. “Bobbique Romp” co-written  with Licitra is an instrumental.

“Meet Me In The Morning” is a cover of a Bob Dylan song, recorded in 1975 on his “Blood On The Tracks” album, “meet me in the morning…one of these days…hear the rooster crowin'”, included is Bill Lifford on harmonica. “West of  the Ashley is a folksy instrumental with Kearney on an acoustic guitar.

“Off To The Jubilee”, “it’s time to go to the jubilee…put on your dress and  shake it with the best…we won’t be home til’ two or three”. On the closer  written by the band, “Santa’s Got A Brand New Bag”, Camryn Quinlan once again sings lead “he comes down the chimney…Santa’s got a brand new bag”.

One critic said it best, “when carbon copy seems to have become the set standard of musical style, it is refreshing to enjoy a performance of original artisty…Kearney’s songwriting includes honest lyrics and music perfromed with the emotion, energy, and unquestionable command of his instrument. Kearney owns the zone he fondly calls the Psychedelta.

Richard Ludmerer

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