When JJ Sansaverino and Day Kornegay take the stage, there’s no rigid setlist.
One song can flow seamlessly into another, a Bruno Mars hit might suddenly morph into a hip-hop groove, and before the audience has a chance to sit down, the band has already moved on to the next medley.
That’s exactly how the longtime musical partners like it.
“We constantly blend all those genres into each other,” Kornegay said. “We might start with one song and take it somewhere completely different.”
The duo, who perform together as JJ & Day, have spent more than two decades making music together after first meeting on the New York City club circuit. Along the way, they’ve each built successful solo careers while continuing to perform together throughout the metropolitan area, Long Island and beyond.
“We came up playing in those bars in the Village and all around, so we’ve known each other for decades,” Sansaverino said.
Kornegay has released six solo albums, while Sansaverino has enjoyed success as a Billboard-charting contemporary jazz guitarist. Kornegay has also reached the Billboard R&B charts as a solo artist.
Their performances are as flexible as their musical tastes.
For larger venues, they perform with a five-piece band. Smaller settings might feature just the two of them playing acoustically, or a trio or quartet depending on the event.
“We also play in an acoustic duo setting,” Kornegay said. “Sometimes there’s two of us, sometimes three, sometimes four.”
That versatility has helped them build a repertoire that spans rock, pop, R&B, Motown, soul, jazz, reggae, hip-hop, country and even salsa. Rather than separating those styles into distinct songs, they blend them together into extended arrangements that keep the music continuous.
“We’ll take a Bruno Mars song and remix it over a hip-hop beat,” Sansaverino said. “We keep the music going like a DJ would.”
Both musicians credit New York City with shaping them as performers.
“For me, my favorite place to play is right here in New York City,” Sansaverino said.
Kornegay agrees.
“It’s nothing like it,” he said. “It’s the mecca of music to me.”
While New York remains home, the East End has become a regular stop on their calendar.
A mutual friend first introduced them to audiences in the Hamptons and on the North Fork. Since then, they’ve become familiar faces at venues including Claudio’s in Greenport and other East End stages.
“This has really become our home outside of New York City,” Kornegay said. “Greenport specifically feels like home.”
They’re also hoping to perform at more North Fork wineries.
“People shouldn’t feel intimidated about reaching out,” Sansaverino said. “We love playing acoustic shows, too.”
Their travels have taken them far beyond New York.
Together, they’ve performed in Sicily, Japan, Australia and Africa, experiences they say have reinforced one lesson: audiences everywhere respond to great live music.
“Every place has got a unique situation, and there are great people everywhere you go,” Kornegay said.
No matter where they’re performing, the goal remains the same.
The duo closes many of its shows with Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind,” a nod to the city where their musical partnership began.
“We have a signature song that we like to end with,” Kornegay said. “You’ll hear it.”
JJ & Day have a full schedule of performances planned throughout the summer, including appearances on the North Fork, in Rockaway and Long Beach. Information about upcoming shows and bookings is available through the duo’s online and social media pages.
