One sentence bio
Big Joe Kennedy is a New Orleans pianist who makes you feel the city whether you've been there or not.
BRIEF BIO
Big Joe Kennedy is a New Orleans pianist and performer who brings the jazz, blues, and R&B of the Crescent City to your stage — with the chops and the stories to back it up.
QUICK BIO
Big Joe Kennedy delivers authentic, high-energy New Orleans performances ranging from concert presentations to festival and event celebrations — combining virtuosic piano, engaging personality, and the unmistakable rhythms of New Orleans.
SHORT BIO
Big Joe Kennedy is a New Orleans pianist and performer rooted in the city's jazz, blues, and R&B traditions. Raised on the blues jams of Milwaukee and Chicago, he relocated to New Orleans in 2009 and built his career at the center of its music scene. He served as pianist with the Dukes of Dixieland from 2013 to 2022 and performs regularly at venues including Mahogany Jazz Hall and The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. His concert program, A Taste of New Orleans, brings those traditions to performing arts stages across the country.
MEDIUM BIO
Big Joe Kennedy is a New Orleans pianist, bandleader, and performer known for concert experiences that are as musically rich as they are audience-engaging.
Rooted in the blues and jazz scenes of Milwaukee and Chicago, Kennedy earned a graduate degree in performance in Las Vegas before relocating to New Orleans in 2009. He served as pianist with the Dukes of Dixieland from 2013 to 2022, performing for audiences across the country, and remains a fixture at premier New Orleans venues including Mahogany Jazz Hall, The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, and The Carousel Lounge.
His concert program, A Taste of New Orleans, guides audiences through the traditions that shaped American music — from Traditional Jazz to New Orleans R&B — with the authority and warmth of an artist who has spent decades inside this music.
LONG BIO
BIG JOE KENNEDY HE DOESN'T JUST PLAY NEW ORLEANS PIANO — HE BRINGS THE CITY WITH HIM.
Big Joe Kennedy began studying piano at age 8. By his mid-teens, he was performing in the blues jams of Milwaukee and Chicago — developing his musicianship in the tradition-rich environments that shaped his artistic identity. He went on to earn a graduate degree in jazz piano performance from UNLV, building the technical foundation to match his instincts.
Kennedy relocated to New Orleans in 2009, immersing himself in one of the most demanding and storied music cultures in the world. From 2013 to 2022 he served as pianist with the Dukes of Dixieland, touring nationally. Today he is a regular presence at Mahogany Jazz Hall, The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, and The Carousel Lounge.
His concert program, A Taste of New Orleans, takes audiences through the traditions that built American music — Traditional Jazz, blues, and New Orleans R&B — delivered with the authority and warmth that only comes from decades of living this music.
As founder of Spread The Jam Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Kennedy pairs concerts with a student masterclass — giving presenting organizations a single booking that serves both their concert series and their community engagement mission.