Jason Kenney

"Even the highest leaf is connected to the roots. Young songwriter Jason Kenneys got obvious roots in the mountains of north Georgia; thats where I met him, at an after-show party at someones house. We picked some bluegrass and Jason blistered it like he was born to it. I never got a chance to see him play a show, though, so when he sent me a copy of his first album, Without Sidewalks, I didnt really expect to hear what I heard.Jason kicks it off straight as an arrow with a classic old bluegrass tune, and then slides into one of his own songs, Walking Contradiction. The track kicks off with a banjo, but the chords start to move in an unpredictable, almost classical way, like a later Beatles song, or even a Bela Fleck composition. Jasons voice is smooth and relaxed, washing over the changes.By the third track, weve leaped into totally contemporary territory and Jason lets his friend, Lara Polangco, sing us one of her songs with Jason backing her up on the guitar. Its a sweet, plaintive song called The Sad Song and Laras voice is reminiscent of Iris Dement.Just when we think we know what Jason is up to, he picks Whiskey Before Breakfast, followed by Beethovens Ode To Joy with some kind of swooping electronic effect on his acoustic guitar. That goes right into a rap song.As I look at the cover art, I realize what Jason Kenney is trying to tell us. Theres a picture of him in the middle of a busy Atlanta street, backed up by the silhouette of a city skyline. For those of you who dont know, theres a four-lane highway running almost all the way from Atlanta up to the little mountain town of Dahlonega, Jasons hometown. The north Georgia mountains arent anything close to a wilderness anymore and no artist is an island. American music is about exploration and assimilation, so, in the great American tradition exemplified by Bill Monroe, Elvis Presley, Jellyroll Morton, and so on, Jason Kenney is doing something different.Ive still never seen him play a show, but I cant wait. By the time I do, Im sure Jason will be exploring something new, moving beyond Without Sidewalks into the next phase. He calls me on the phone every now and then to talk about touring and songwriting and I can hear that searching sound in his voice. Thats the kind of spirit that drives music and makes it speak with a fresh voice to each younger generation. The tree has to grow, or it will die. Look for Jason Kenney, out on a limb."

Review by Jonathan Byrd

If you haven't heard Jonathan Byrd yet, you need to check him out. He's an amazing singer/songwriter out of NC. He tours all around the country, so if he's in your town, check him out. You can learn more about him at www.jonathanbyrd.com