The James Limerick Kerr Duo plays Best Video Film & Cultural Center Sat., May 4. The show starts at 7 PM and the cover is $10.

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE

James Limerick Kerr and Sid Hirschman make up the James Limerick Kerr Duo, a new acoustic blues and bluegrass project out of New Haven, Connecticut. Their performances incorporate acoustic blues and bluegrass, along with original compositions for the resonator steel guitar (Dobro). The duo’s recent album, Reasons and Rivers, consists of all original blues and bluegrass songs composed by Kerr.

Dr. James Limerick Kerr is a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and educator based in the Connecticut/New York City area. James completed a doctorate in classical guitar performance in 2016. He is Associate in Music Performance faculty at Columbia University, where he teaches applied classical and bluegrass guitar and directs the Bluegrass Ensemble. He is the author of A Twenty-First Century Guidebook for Guitarists: Practice, Performance, and Teaching (Kendall Hunt), a textbook for college guitar students. “His playing ability is head and shoulders above most players.” (The New Haven Register). After his first place finish at the 2022 Connecticut Blues Society Solo/Duo Challenge competition, James enjoyed the opportunity to represent CT at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, with two solo performances on historic Beale Street.

Sid Hirschman is a recent Yale graduate, graphic designer, vocalist, and rhythm guitarist currently residing in New Haven. Sid joined James’ bluegrass ensemble at Neighborhood Music School in 2022, lending her harmony and lead vocals to classic bluegrass material. Sid’s vocal talents, musicianship, and versatility were immediately apparent and it was not long before James invited her to join him on his performances in the NYC and CT area, and soon after on the recording of original material on Reasons and Rivers in the summer of 2023.