Michael Kennedy

Bitter Jester Music Festival Judge

Michael Kennedy Jr. grew up in the Western suburbs of Chicago and has been around music his entire life. At the age of nine he got his first saxophone and quickly became enamored with it. During his sophomore year of high school he decided he wanted to pursue a career in music when he began to study under the tutelage of Chicago saxophonist Todd Boyce. In high school Michael participated in various school ensembles, the IMEA District Jazz Bands and Concert Band, and the 2006-2007 Youth Jazz Ensemble of Dupage. In 2007 Michael was awarded the Woody Herman Jazz Award. 

Michael graduated from Downers Grove North High School in 2007 and in the fall of that year began his undergraduate studies at Roosevelt University in Jazz Studies. During this time Michael studied and worked with numerous professionals including Jerry Dimuzio, Mike Smith, Scott Mason, and Tom Garling. He performed in the Roosevelt University Jazz Ensemble from 2007-2010 under the direction of Rob Parton. This band performed concerts with guest artists such as John Swana, Ralph Bowen, Wycliffe Gordon, Byron Stripling, Dick Oatts, Butch Miles, and Jeff Berlin. While in the band he also performed at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago, the Notre Dame Jazz Festival, The Elmhurst College Jazz Festival and in the Auditorium Theater. He also performed with other Roosevelt University groups including the Nonet under the direction of Tom Garling, The Latin Jazz Ensemble with Reuben Alvarez and various small groups, graduating in April 2011 with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Jazz Studies. 

In the fall of 2011 Michael enrolled at Western Illinois University to begin work on a double Master of Music degree in Music Education and Jazz Studies as well as taking the needed course work to earn his Illinois Professional Educator’s License. During his three years at Western Illinois Michael served as graduate assistant for the Director of Jazz Studies Dr. John Cooper. Michael worked closely with Dr. Cooper to coordinate guest artists, the annual fall tour of the Jazz Studio Orchestra, the Annual WIU Jazz Festival as well as all performances and equipment necessities of the multiple university jazz groups that performed weekly in the community. In 2012 Michael was asked to extend his graduate assistant duties from simply working with WIU to also working with Peoria High School District 150. From 2012-2014 Michael developed and taught an original curriculum that incorporated jazz education into the fine arts classes at Peoria High School, Manual Academy, and Richwoods High School in Peoria, IL. This included work with jazz bands, concert bands, orchestras, choirs, visual art classes and theater art classes. He also taught private lessons, saxophone master classes and worked with the Peoria Jazz All Stars as part of this endeavor. 

In addition to his graduate assistant duties he taught the saxophone master class at the 2012 WIU Jazz Festival, taught a saxophone technique course, taught music theory at the WIU Summer Jazz Camp, assisted in running and organizing the annual WIU Festival of Bands and taught private lessons on saxophone and improvisation. Michael performed as a member of the WIU Jazz Studio Orchestra from 2011-2014 playing with artists including Gunnar Mossblad, Rick Simmerly, Dennis Mackrel, Chris Madsen, Russ Miller, Steve Hawk, Chris Vadala, Marvin Stamm, Jeri Sager, Pharez Whitted, Bobby Shew, and Dave Stryker. His tenure with band included three annual tours stopping in Chicago and St. Louis with performances at Chicago’s Jazz Schowcase, the Bistro in St. Louis and the Redstone Room in Davenport, Iowa as well as a 2 week tour of Salvador, Brazil. He performed with WIU Jazz Combo 1 earning an outstanding combo rating at the 2014 Elmhurst Jazz Festival and also was a member of the pit orchestra for the musical “Anything Goes.” Michael graduated with his Master of Music degree and his Professional Educator License in December 2014. 

Michael immersed himself in the Chicago music scene over the past 13 years, performing many genres of music in many different bands. He has performed with Hair of the Dog, Mojo, the Dime-a-Dozen Band, The Pink Machine, George Swayne, The Yorkville Big Band, Lisle Community Jazz Band, Switch Time Jazz Orchestra, The McHenry City Jazz Band, Rob Parton’s Jazz Tech Big Band, Iron Orchard, The Blenders, The Sally Weisenberg Trio, The Lubricats, The Peoria Heritage Ensemble, The Justin Haynes Big Band, The Steve Hawk All Star Jazz Orchestra, The Land Before Tim, White Knight Satellite, The Triton Community Band, The Deerfield Community Band, The Pete Ellman Big Band, The Brass Tracks Big Band, The Lake County Symphony Orchestra, and Shout Section Big Band. Some of the venues Michael has performed at include The Chicago Blues Fest, The Auditorium Theater, Fitzgerald’s Night Club, The Willowbrook Ballroom, The Skokie Theater, America’s Historic Roundhouse, Andy’s Jazz Club, Carmen’s Jazz Bistro, The Blues Bar, Brauer House, The Red Line Tap, The Illinois State Fair, The Al Sear’s Jazz Festival, Fitz’s Spare Keys, Untitled Supper Club, The Genesee Theater, The Stiner Pavilion, The Rosemont Theater, the Jazz Showcase in Chicago and many other restaurants and clubs. He has performed the theater shows “Sweet Charity” at Roosevelt University, “Anything Goes” at Western Illinois Univeristy, and the award winning “The Original Grease” at the American Theater Company during the summer of 2011. 

Michael is an active performer and music educator throughout the Midwest. He has been the music director for Little Mountain Community Theater since 2016, conducting “Fiddler on the Roof,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Mamma Mia.” He is currently the Director of Bands at Waukegan High School and oversees all aspects of the program including the award winning Bulldog Marching Band and Bulldog Big Band. He call Elk Grove Village, IL home where he spends his free time with his wife Hannah and their dog Winnie.