Only just found Jon Kennedy (2016) and am "loving his work". His debut is a quite remarkable album, one which is impossible to turn off half way through. He seems to have quite an ear for rhythm, groove, funk, jazz and a little chill in there too, but all with a punch and reality that is quite unique. Sounds bang up to speed for today's market. Thoroughly recommended.

Is it right that Jon Kennedy's debut album WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR YOU NOW samples John F. Kennedy in the very first track? Well, if he's going to be so cheeky about it, why not? "(Let Me) Get Myself Together" has such a thick bass that you want to topple over, while the beat takes center stage for "Chocolate And Cheese." The slow "What You Searchin' For" takes in some Indian influences in its sitar and brief string sample. Interestingly enough, "Dub" kicks off with a piano line before letting the languorous jazz permeate, while "Steam Carnival On Tour" starts with a bass line and keeps it there for the whole track. The moodier "Tell Me How You Feel" has a simple plucked guitar to accompany the beats and the sampled vocals. But the flute-y mellow "The Messenger" and the dark and jazzy "Tributes and Dedications" delivers us back into good feelings. The simple breaks 'n' guitar of "Am I Groovin You?" are like a soft breeze, while the easygoing tones and scratches of "Encounters of the 7th Kind" get us into a space station funk. A joyous and warm album.

INTERNATIONAL DJ AUGUST 2001 - MATT ANNISS Debutant Jon Kennedy graduated from the same Stockport school of surreal Sonics that produced the other madcap manc, Mr Scruff. The two are great friends, and you can hear the influence of the scruffy one in Kennedy's inventive downbeat mash-ups. But where Scruff has his eyes firmly on the dance floor (and the chip shop), Kennedy prefers to take things a little easier. So instead of jazz-house, dub breaks and spaced-out jungle we get chunky hip hop, sampadelic beats and blessed out jazz breaks. With Kennedy piling on the samples and surreal snippets, it makes for hugely enjoyable and entertaining listening. Just what is about Stockport that produces such loons?

MIXMAG AUGUST 2001 - ALEX RAYNER Do we dare we say 'summery'? Yes we dare "Summery is an over used adjective in reviews around this time of year, but we feel obliged to wheel it out in case. 'We're Just Waiting For you Now' features 15 tracks of instant acoustic sunshine, from the jazzy twang of 'Chocolate And Cheese' through to the blessed-out 'End Theme'. Rather than pursuing the usual instrumental hip hop and light weight sequenced funk of most down-tempo producers, Jon Kennedy takes his lead from post rock acts such as Tortoise and Pavement, producing deep relaxation music that isn't afraid of the odd miss-timed bit of jangly guitar twang. Whatever this lacks in production genius it more than makes up for in charm. It's top chill-out fare from right-on Brighton's best label".

JOCKEY SLUT (AUGUST 2001 EAR WAX ALBUM REVIEWS - MARK JACKSON) "Jon Kennedy was blissfully holed up in Stockport until fellow resident, the cartoon-crazed Mr Scruff, got hold of his misanthropic musical musings. Some heavy dub plate pressure, a stint on Brighton's 'Unfold' radio show and voila, you're signed to Tru Thoughts alongside other rising leftfield luminaries like Bonobo (who recently defected to Ninja Tune) and Quantic. Definitely a break from the norm, 'We're Just Waiting' has more character(s) than a ward of Schizophrenics, with LSD-addled soldiers running rampant on the languid blues chiller 'You're Crazy', some New Orleans 'broad' inciting the crowd on the infectious, ever so jazzy 'Chocolate and Cheese', and a philosophical muso ranting on the Eastern-inflected 'What You Searchin For'. Elsewhere, 'Get into This' marries heavy techno drums with floaty light ambience, and 'Tributes And Dedications (Part 2)' pays loving homage to his mum. Heightened with the live drums, bass, guitars and keyboards, 'We're Just Waiting' is a synergistic collection that is sometimes bittersweet while improbably chirpy at others. Worthy of your investigation".