The Kennedys

The Kennedys celebrate the second of their three CD releases marking their 20 years together: Maura's solo album, "Villanelle: The Songs Of Maura Kennedy And B.D. Love" (Varese Sarabande records.)

This concert is the second in a residency at Rockwood celebrating The Kennedys' three new releases. In April, the duo presented all new songs from their 20th anniversary duo CD, "West." This time around, Pete and Maura Kennedy will feature songs from Maura's solo album, all written by Maura and widely published California poet, B.D. Love.

Maura says this about the collaboration, "B.D.'s lyrics are much different than anything I would naturally write. Where I would write in straight four line stanzas, verse-chorus-verse-chorus-middle eight-chorus, for example, B.D. will write a Villanelle or a Sonnet, or some brand new form with odd-length sections and stand-alone lines, or with a litany at the end. He's so creative, and as a result of his approach, I'm forced to write melodies in these new and different (to me) styles. I find I'm writing melodies I never would have imagined before. The real trick is to fit my music to these challenging forms without having them sound forced. It's made me a much better, more interesting songwriter as a result."