Ben Torres Archive

Robert Kennedy – Closer To Home

by Audiophile Audition | Jan 8, 2018 | Jazz CD Reviews

B3 jazz at its best! Robert Kennedy – Closer To Home – Self-Produced, 63:01 ***1/2 (Robert Kennedy – Hammond B-3; Terence Brewer – guitar; Ben Torres – tenor saxophone (tracks 1,3,4,5,6,8,10); Cody Rhodes – drums) As a Hammond B3 purveyor, Robert Kennedy has forged a unique legacy in the San Francisco/Bay Area music scene. In 1988, he played piano in the Stanford University Jazz Band and studied with renowned educator, Bill Bell. He was involved with local bands, including Hip Pocket Jazz Quintet and Double Funk Crunch. Inspired by the likes of Jack McDuff, Billy Childs, Larry Goldings, Tony Monaco and Herbie Hancock, Kennedy has immersed himself in the genre-bending B3 world of jazz, incorporating hard bop, bop, blues and soul chops. In 2015 he released the debut, Big Shoes. Comprised of all original compositions, this trio recording received critical recognition. Kennedy’s second album, Closer to Home contains 10 tracks of originals and covers. For good measure, he has added a tenor saxophone (Ben Torres/Pacific Mambo Orchestra) to expand the guitar (Terence Brewer) and drums (Cody Rhodes/Geographer). Opening the set is a traditional jazz number titled “Wild Bill” (a tribute to composer Bill Bell’s father). The tenor provides a muscular […]