NIGEL KENNEDY
''THE KENNEDY EXPERIENCE''
SEPTEMBER 7 1999
55:00
**********
1 Third Stone From The Sun 14:01
2 Little Wing 10:55
3 1983...(A Merman I Should Turn To Be) 15:17
4 Drifting 06:02
5 Fire 03:24
6 Purple Haze 05:19
Tracks By Hendrix
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Emma Black/Cello
Doug Boyle/Dobro, Guitar
John Etheridge/Guitar
Dave Heath/Flute
Nigel Kennedy/Violin
Rory McFarlane/Bass
Kate St. John/Oboe
Gerri Sutyak/Cello
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REVIEW/AMG
This disc goes places. Nominally it's a set of improvisations by Nigel Kennedy and friends based on Jimi Hendrix tunes, but what starts out in 'Third Stone from the Sun' as a Celtic-flavored "unplugged" style jam session stretches a little further out in 'Little Wing' and '1983' and becomes transformed into something much more dynamic and unpredictable in 'Drifting,' 'Fire,' and 'Purple Haze,' the music-making turning into the kind of kaleidoscopic voyage of discovery for which Hendrix was famous. Amazingly, the "Kennedy Experience," two cellos, two guitars, oboe, flute and bass in addition to Nigel's fiddle, is an entirely acoustic group and only a minimum of electronic effects are used in the production. This is a trip animated entirely by the energy and commitment of the performers.
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ABOUT THE ALBUM/WIKIPEDIA
The Kennedy Experience is a music group and eponymous instrumental album conceived and produced in 1999 by violinist Nigel Kennedy. The album is largely derived from the music of rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix and the title references his group The Jimi Hendrix Experience. According to a BBC interview with Kennedy, the violinist stated that the recording is "an album of music inspired by Jimi Hendrix. It is an extended instrumental work in six movements, each movement a classical interpretation of a Hendrix song". On the recording, Kennedy is accompanied by seven other musicians, and the lineup includes two cellos, an oboe, two guitars, a Dobro, flute, and double bass. With cellist Lynn Harrell, he has recorded an album of duets.
**********
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Robert Cummings
While Nigel Kennedy is one of the leading violinists of his generation, he is also among the most controversial of musicians before the public, owing to his flashy persona, unconventional interpretations, and his seemingly innate sense to capture attention. Kennedy's rock-star-like appearance in concert (glittering jewelry, spiky hair, etc.) and his controversial politics (he has boycotted Israel, comparing that nation with South Africa) have often drawn sharp criticism. He has nevertheless become one of the most popular musicians of his time, not least because of his multiple talents in the crossover realm: he divides his performances evenly between classical and jazz and has even played with rock artists. With best-selling recordings and highly publicized concerts, he has arguably been a powerful force in attracting new listeners to classical music. Thus, despite his eccentricities (since 1998 he has preferred to be known simply as Kennedy), he is among the most influential and popular musicians in any genre of his time. Kennedy has performed a broad range of repertory and has made numerous recordings spread over several labels, including EMI, Decca, Sony, Chandos, and Blue Note Records.
Kennedy was born in Brighton, England, on December 28, 1956. He studied piano in his early childhood with his cellist mother. Later on, as a student at the Yehudi Menuhin Music School, he turned to the violin. In his teens he enrolled at Juilliard where he studied under Dorothy DeLay.
At 16 he debuted at Carnegie Hall with jazz violinist Stephane Grapelli. Around this time Kennedy began delving heavily into jazz, regularly performing with jazz musicians in New York.
By the early '80s Kennedy had garnered international recognition, and in 1984 made his recording debut with a critically acclaimed performance of the Elgar Violin Concerto on EMI. But he withdrew from public performance from 1992-1997.
Kennedy was honored at the 1997 BRIT awards with an Outstanding Contribution to British Music award. In 1999 Sony issued a recording entitled The Kennedy Experience, which contained improvisations based on music of rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix.
Kennedy's first bona fide jazz recording, The Blue Note Sessions, was issued with great success in 2006 on Blue Note Records. Two years later Kennedy made his first appearance at the Proms in 21 years, with a performance of the Elgar Violin Concerto. Among Kennedy's recordings is the 2008 CD pairing the Beethoven and Mozart fourth violin concertos on EMI.
**********
WEBSITE
**********
TO THE TOP
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''THE KENNEDY EXPERIENCE''
SEPTEMBER 7 1999
55:00
**********
1 Third Stone From The Sun 14:01
2 Little Wing 10:55
3 1983...(A Merman I Should Turn To Be) 15:17
4 Drifting 06:02
5 Fire 03:24
6 Purple Haze 05:19
Tracks By Hendrix
**********
Emma Black/Cello
Doug Boyle/Dobro, Guitar
John Etheridge/Guitar
Dave Heath/Flute
Nigel Kennedy/Violin
Rory McFarlane/Bass
Kate St. John/Oboe
Gerri Sutyak/Cello
**********
REVIEW/AMG
This disc goes places. Nominally it's a set of improvisations by Nigel Kennedy and friends based on Jimi Hendrix tunes, but what starts out in 'Third Stone from the Sun' as a Celtic-flavored "unplugged" style jam session stretches a little further out in 'Little Wing' and '1983' and becomes transformed into something much more dynamic and unpredictable in 'Drifting,' 'Fire,' and 'Purple Haze,' the music-making turning into the kind of kaleidoscopic voyage of discovery for which Hendrix was famous. Amazingly, the "Kennedy Experience," two cellos, two guitars, oboe, flute and bass in addition to Nigel's fiddle, is an entirely acoustic group and only a minimum of electronic effects are used in the production. This is a trip animated entirely by the energy and commitment of the performers.
**********
ABOUT THE ALBUM/WIKIPEDIA
The Kennedy Experience is a music group and eponymous instrumental album conceived and produced in 1999 by violinist Nigel Kennedy. The album is largely derived from the music of rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix and the title references his group The Jimi Hendrix Experience. According to a BBC interview with Kennedy, the violinist stated that the recording is "an album of music inspired by Jimi Hendrix. It is an extended instrumental work in six movements, each movement a classical interpretation of a Hendrix song". On the recording, Kennedy is accompanied by seven other musicians, and the lineup includes two cellos, an oboe, two guitars, a Dobro, flute, and double bass. With cellist Lynn Harrell, he has recorded an album of duets.
**********
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Robert Cummings
While Nigel Kennedy is one of the leading violinists of his generation, he is also among the most controversial of musicians before the public, owing to his flashy persona, unconventional interpretations, and his seemingly innate sense to capture attention. Kennedy's rock-star-like appearance in concert (glittering jewelry, spiky hair, etc.) and his controversial politics (he has boycotted Israel, comparing that nation with South Africa) have often drawn sharp criticism. He has nevertheless become one of the most popular musicians of his time, not least because of his multiple talents in the crossover realm: he divides his performances evenly between classical and jazz and has even played with rock artists. With best-selling recordings and highly publicized concerts, he has arguably been a powerful force in attracting new listeners to classical music. Thus, despite his eccentricities (since 1998 he has preferred to be known simply as Kennedy), he is among the most influential and popular musicians in any genre of his time. Kennedy has performed a broad range of repertory and has made numerous recordings spread over several labels, including EMI, Decca, Sony, Chandos, and Blue Note Records.
Kennedy was born in Brighton, England, on December 28, 1956. He studied piano in his early childhood with his cellist mother. Later on, as a student at the Yehudi Menuhin Music School, he turned to the violin. In his teens he enrolled at Juilliard where he studied under Dorothy DeLay.
At 16 he debuted at Carnegie Hall with jazz violinist Stephane Grapelli. Around this time Kennedy began delving heavily into jazz, regularly performing with jazz musicians in New York.
By the early '80s Kennedy had garnered international recognition, and in 1984 made his recording debut with a critically acclaimed performance of the Elgar Violin Concerto on EMI. But he withdrew from public performance from 1992-1997.
Kennedy was honored at the 1997 BRIT awards with an Outstanding Contribution to British Music award. In 1999 Sony issued a recording entitled The Kennedy Experience, which contained improvisations based on music of rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix.
Kennedy's first bona fide jazz recording, The Blue Note Sessions, was issued with great success in 2006 on Blue Note Records. Two years later Kennedy made his first appearance at the Proms in 21 years, with a performance of the Elgar Violin Concerto. Among Kennedy's recordings is the 2008 CD pairing the Beethoven and Mozart fourth violin concertos on EMI.
**********
WEBSITE
**********
TO THE TOP
**********
