Bluesman Kerry Kearney to appear at Looney Tunes in West Babylon

Local bluesman Kerry Kearney is gearing up for the launch of his new album, "The Kerry Kearney Band," which drops June 20. The guitarist from Breezy Point is celebrating with an in-store signing and performance at Looney Tunes Record Store in West Babylon on June 19 at 6 p.m.

"We're visiting our blues roots with a more natural approach to the sound on this album,"  Kearney said. "The inspiration came from playing out live and feeling what the audience responded to the best. We’ve built a great rhythm section and are focusing more on raw guitar."

The band, which consists of Kearney (guitar/vocals), Jack Licitra (keyboards/vocals), Mario Staiano (drums), Gerry Sorrentino (bass) and Nydia Liberty Mata (congas and percussion), recorded the basic tracks for the album at Dream Recording Studios in Bellmore and mixed them at Paradiddle Records in Huntington.

"We come from the same mold musically so it's a great fit," Kearney said.  "The band plays all styles of blues — Chicago, Piedmont, Texas, Louisiana and, of course my favorite, Mississippi blues."

For more information on the Looney Tunes event, call 631-587-7722 or visit looneytuneslongisland.com.

By David J. Criblez

david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez

David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.