Long Island Summertime Blues & Roots Festival

With Special Guests

American Idol's
Leah Laurenti

Emerging Artist
Esme Ashley-White

Saturday, August 18th - 7PM

Presented by
Kerry Kearney
and

Performances By:

Kerry Kearney

Kerry Kearney, a slide guitar master, plays and works his instrument to limits that amaze even the most seasoned musician or cultured music fan. The sounds that Kerry creates from his vintage, stock and custom made guitars are as unique as his song writing and original melodies. Kerry Kearney’s style, known as “Psychedelta”, is his own brand of music blending his unique style with an upbeat mix of American Roots, Blues and Rock. He has continuously experienced an overwhelming response over the radio and especially at live performances. Kerry was voted "Best Guitarist of 1999!" by the LI Voice and “Bluesman of the Year 2004” by the Long Island Blues Society. He is also the recipient of the presigious Long Island Sound Award (L.I.S.A.) from the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. This year, the Kerry Kearney Band celebrates its 15th Year Anniversary.
kerrykearneyofficial.com

Tommy Keys

With an individual style encompassing elements of New Orleans Jazz, Blues, Funk, and Boogie Woogie, Tommy Keys has been successfully entertaining at clubs and festivals on both national and international levels. In addition to being an International Blues Challenge (IBC) Finalist, Tommy has appeared at many festivals, including the Burghausen Jazz Festival in Germany, The Riverhead Blues Festival (NY), Pigs & Peaches Festival in Georgia, and the Soul of the Blues Festival in NYC. His latest CD, "The Man in the Moon" received excellent reviews as well as significant airplay on Sirius/XM B.B. King’s Bluesville, where it hit #4 on the charts.
tommykeys.com

Sly Geralds

Sly Geralds is a premier New York bassist, singer and songwriter who, whether as bandleader or sideman, has traveled the world and back with some of the most influential musical artists of our time. He has spent the last several years recording and sharing the stage with musical giants such as Maceo Parker, Al Green, Levon Helm, Richie Havens and Bob Dylan to name a few. He is a staple on the local Long Island music scene and is always a crowd pleaser whether he is fronting his own band or sitting in with such local greats as Kerry Kearney. He cajoles the audience into leaving their workday worries behind and joining him on the dance floor to “shake what their mama gave them!"
slygeralds.com

Chris English

Chris English started playing guitar at age 11. His older brother introduced him to the blues during the 1960's, which started him on a lifetime passion. Chris concentrated on slide guitar and harmonica at this time teaching himself, using open tunings. Over the years he has been true to his art learning the subtleties that make each blues special. Delta style is his forte, singing, playing guitar and harp, stamping out the time on an old wooden coca cola crate. He also uses vintage guitars from the 20's and '30's to replicate the sound and feeling of the blues he has studied and loves.
chrisenglishblues.com

Mike Herman

Mike Herman is a Modern Pioneer in acoustic fingerstyle blues. His performances and his guitar instruction system integrates the styles of Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Son House & Robert Johnson, linking classic blues with the American Folk tradition. Mike has played with a number of “Guitar Gods”, including John Petrucci of Dream Theatre. Mike has opened for and played with other notable artists such as Bob Margolin (guitar player for Muddy Waters), Roy BookBinder, John Hammond, Jimmy Johnson, and Ernie Williams and the Wildcats.
mikehermansolo.com

Ken Korb

Ken Korb has been “the Rocket” since he stepped into the Long Island scene over thirty years ago. He has been there ever since, branching out from the blues into diverse musical genres, especially country, old-time and jazz. Though he plays mandolin, whistle, clarinet, guitar, and washboard, he is first and foremost a harmonica player. His skill and versatility on diatonic and chromatic harmonicas, his amazing musicality, and his ability to tailor his playing to fit any situation have made him a local legend and a sideman in demand. Even the stories and jokes he tells are legendary!

Leah Laurenti

Leah Laurenti carries herself with the confidence of a seasoned performer and immediately commands the attention of every room, no matter the size. However engaging, her extrinsic image gives way to undeniable talent the moment she sings. She has a surprising vocal maturity that sparks a blaze in her original material and brings jazzy new life to classic standards. With her effortless, embedded ability, she makes it seem easy. Leah has been featured on American Idol two times and although she did not make it to the finals, her appearances were enough to create a buzz. She is developing quite a following and playing to rave reviews.
leahlaurenti.net

Esme Ashley-White

Esme Ashley-White's influences run deep and emanate through her songs with a level of sophistication that is well beyond her young years. Having grown up on both the east end of Long Island amidst quiet reflection as well as the hustle and bustle of Manhattan has inspired her to compose songs that create a reaction of both surprise and amazement from her audiences. She has been a guest on the air with Jerry Schaefer on WRCN's Graveyard Blues, WUSB with on-air personality Joe Vignola and The Eclectic Cafe with Bonnie Grice on WPPB 88.3. She has also performed at the 2012 Great South Bay Music Festival as one of the featured Emerging Artists. Esme recently completed her self-titled debut CD, produced by Kerry Kearney, and is receiving rave reviews and feedback from both DJ's and listeners alike.
esmeashleywhite.com

Long Island Summertime Blues & Roots Festival