Kennedy Administration

BIO

​The soul, groove and jazz sensation from the heart of Brooklyn/ NYC:
KENNEDY ADMINISTRATION

It’s more than a band; it’s a sensory experience, crafting modern music that weaves jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and pop into an irresistible tapestry. Let the rhythms move you, and every vibe resonate when their soulful sounds fill the air.

Prepare to be captivated for life by the explosion of sound and unique grooves of Kennedy Administration!

“I believe Kennedy Administration is going to be the next big star on the music scene” – Gregory Porter

 

 “Listening to this record brings me back to my years living in New York, watching the band set fire to stages in the West Village and going home inspired. Things haven’t changed a bit.” Michael League (Snarky puppy)

 

“Nothing lifts the spirits like a good soothing, chill, well balanced GRUV… Excellent job guys” – Richard Bona

 

​“So excited by the new musical lovescape conjured up by Kennedy and her Administration with their new release SECOND TERM. The sound is fresh, hypnotic, musicianship is superb, fronted by Kennedy’s amazing vocals.” – Dee Dee Bridgewater

Based in Brooklyn/NYC, this dynamic project consisting of NYC’s top of the young next level musicians and is driven by the two masterminds: the charismatic powerhouse singer, KENNEDY, and her musical partner, keyboarder and producer extraordinaire ONDRE J, a longstanding collaborator of GREGORY PORTER.

Kennedy Administration isn’t just making music; they’re ushering in a new era of sonic brilliance crossing and fusing multiple genres together with Jazz and outstanding solos and vocals. Their joy and passion are contagious, promising an immersive journey into a world where every note is a celebration. You feel immediately the magnetism and infectious joy.

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In the heart of New York, a city of chances, where ventures blossom into projects and where partnerships are born out of odd encounters, Kennedy and Ondre J. met and Kennedy Administration emerged!

It’s the city where Czech-born keyboardist and producer Ondre J played open mikes, churches, club gigs, jam-sessions and along the way connected with Gregory Porter, becoming a go-to collaborator of the Grammy-winning Jazz and R&B singer for almost a decade. It’s also where Ondre met Kennedy, a vocalist and musician who grew up in Michigan and, like Ondre, came alone to New York.

Kennedy, whose musical journey began in her grandfathers small church in Michigan has become a force to be reckoned with in the New York music scene. She grew up with few limits on her listening. Everyone from Anita Baker to Ella Fitzgerald, Sade to Michael Jackson, Dave Matthews to Prince, Kennedy heard and embraced. Since moving east, she has worked with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Terri Lynn Carrington, Christian McBride, Jeff Tain Watts, James Genus, Nate Smith , among others — her calling card a powerhouse soulful Jazz voice that combines great influences with character all its own.

As a New York opportunity, Kennedy was get offered a residency and needed a keyboard player. Everyone was already booked and the one that she really wanted wasn’t allowed in the club due to a fight he was involved in a year before at that same club. The only one keyboard player without a gig was OndreJ! The chemistry between both was just right, the show a great success and Kennedy Administration was born. Almost as soon as the duo became crowd favorites, Ondrej received the call from Gregory Porter to join him and his collective on the road. Both never stopped to perform, write and create together.

New York was also the city where their band the Kennedy Administration, has taken off. A popular 6 year residency at the fashionable “Groove”, a Manhattan live-music mainstay where funky, soulful, and pop-savvy sounds have made them a beloved fixture and soon become the new hot act on the scene.

Since 2015, the quintet conquered stages in Europe, Eastern Europe, middle East and Asia, leaving an indelible mark at prestigious venues. They have played some of Europe’s and Asias biggest festivals (f.e. Java Jazz festival in Jakarta — a three-day affair with attendance totaling 115,000) and opened for Elton John in 2018 and many more,

A self-titled debut studio album arrived in 2017 and 2023 the album “Second Term” with guests: Gregoire Maret, Keyon Harold, Paul Bollenback, Farrah Boule, ILLspokin, Kyla Moschovic, and Cassondra James Kellam was released, both on Leopard records, both filled with original written material. The group is currently working on remixes and writing new material for a recording to come up in 2024/2025.

Watch any live performance by KENNEDY ADMINISTRATION and you’ll become a fan for life!