Kevin Mahogany
Encyclopedia
Kevin Mahogany is an American
jazz vocalist
who became prominent in the 1990s. He is known for his scat singing
, and his singing style has been compared with jazz singers Joe Williams
and Johnny Hartman
.
and later learned to play the clarinet
and baritone saxophone
, performing with jazz band
s and teaching music while still in high school. "When I was a kid, music was just as important as English and math in our household" says Mahogany. "In fact piano lessons were a grade school staple for the whole family." Mahogany attended Baker University
, where he performed with both instrumental and vocal ensembles and formed a vocal jazz group. In 1981, Mahogany received his BFA in Music and English Drama.
where he attracted a local following in the 1980s performing with his groups, "The Apollos" and "Mahogany." In 1991, he was featured on a CD by Frank Mantooth
.
His first CD release as a solo artist was Double Rainbow in 1993. This was followed by the self-titled album Kevin Mahogany, which won him his first critical acclaim in the media, prompting Newsweek
to call Mahogany "the standout jazz vocalist of his generation."
Mahogany appeared in Robert Altman
's 1996 film Kansas City
, playing a character said to be based on Kansas City singer Big Joe Turner
.
Kevin Mahogany lists his vocal influences as Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Al Jarreau
and Eddie Jefferson
. As a jazz educator, Mahogany has taught at the Berklee College of Music
in Boston
and the University of Miami
.
:
With Warner Bros.
:
With Telarc
:
With Jazz Empress
Under his own label, Mahogany Music:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz vocalist
Vocal jazz
Jazz singing can be defined by the instrumental approach to the voice, where the singer can match the instruments in their stylistic approach to the lyrics, improvised or otherwise, or through scat singing; that is, the use of nonsensical meaningless non-morphemic syllables to imitate the sound of...
who became prominent in the 1990s. He is known for his scat singing
Scat singing
In vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables or without words at all. Scat singing gives singers the ability to sing improvised melodies and rhythms, to create the equivalent of an instrumental solo using their voice.- Structure and syllable choice...
, and his singing style has been compared with jazz singers Joe Williams
Joe Williams (jazz singer)
Joe Williams was a well-known jazz vocalist, a baritone singing a mixture of blues, ballads, popular songs, and jazz standards.-Early life:...
and Johnny Hartman
Johnny Hartman
John Maurice Hartman was an American bass jazz singer who specialized in ballads and earned critical acclaim, though he was never widely known. He recorded a well-known collaboration with the saxophonist John Coltrane in 1963 called John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, and was briefly a member of...
.
Early years
Kevin Mahogany began his study of music as a child with pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and later learned to play the clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
and baritone saxophone
Baritone saxophone
The baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
, performing with jazz band
Jazz band
A jazz band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands usually consist of a rhythm section and a horn section, in the early days often trumpet, trombone, and clarinet with rhythm section of piano, banjo, bass or tuba, and drums.-Eras:SwingDuring the swing era in the mid-twentieth...
s and teaching music while still in high school. "When I was a kid, music was just as important as English and math in our household" says Mahogany. "In fact piano lessons were a grade school staple for the whole family." Mahogany attended Baker University
Baker University
Baker University is a private, residential university located in Baldwin City, Kansas, United States. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest university in Kansas and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Baker University is made up of four schools...
, where he performed with both instrumental and vocal ensembles and formed a vocal jazz group. In 1981, Mahogany received his BFA in Music and English Drama.
Performing
After graduation, he returned to Kansas CityKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
where he attracted a local following in the 1980s performing with his groups, "The Apollos" and "Mahogany." In 1991, he was featured on a CD by Frank Mantooth
Frank Mantooth
Frank Mantooth was an American jazz pianist and arranger.Mantooth attended University of North Texas College of Music, graduating in 1969, then played in and arranged for the Air Force Academy Falconaires from 1969 to 1973...
.
His first CD release as a solo artist was Double Rainbow in 1993. This was followed by the self-titled album Kevin Mahogany, which won him his first critical acclaim in the media, prompting Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
to call Mahogany "the standout jazz vocalist of his generation."
Mahogany appeared in Robert Altman
Robert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman was an American film director and screenwriter known for making films that are highly naturalistic, but with a stylized perspective. In 2006, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognized his body of work with an Academy Honorary Award.His films MASH , McCabe and...
's 1996 film Kansas City
Kansas City (1996 film)
Kansas City is a 1996 film, directed by Robert Altman, and featuring numerous jazz tracks. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Miranda Richardson, Harry Belafonte, and Steve Buscemi starred. The film was entered into the 1996 Cannes Film Festival.-Plot:...
, playing a character said to be based on Kansas City singer Big Joe Turner
Big Joe Turner
Big Joe Turner was an American blues shouter from Kansas City, Missouri. According to the songwriter Doc Pomus, "Rock and roll would have never happened without him." Although he came to his greatest fame in the 1950s with his pioneering rock and roll recordings, particularly "Shake, Rattle and...
.
Kevin Mahogany lists his vocal influences as Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Al Jarreau
Al Jarreau
Alwin "Al" Lopez Jarreau is a seven-time Grammy Award winning jazz singer.- Background :Jarreau was born in Milwaukee, the fifth of six children. His web site refers to Reservoir, Inc., the name of the street where he lived. His father was a Seventh-Day Adventist Church minister and singer, and...
and Eddie Jefferson
Eddie Jefferson
Eddie Jefferson was a celebrated jazz vocalist and lyricist. He is credited as an innovator of vocalese, a musical style in which lyrics are set to an instrumental composition or solo. Perhaps his best-known song is "Moody's Mood for Love", though it was first recorded by King Pleasure, who cited...
. As a jazz educator, Mahogany has taught at the Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
.
Discography
With Enja RecordsEnja Records
Enja Records is a German jazz record label based in Munich, Germany. It was founded by jazz enthusiasts Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber in 1971....
:
- Double Rainbow (1993)
- Songs and Moments (1994)
- You Got What It Takes (1995)
- Pussy Cat Dues (2000)
With Warner Bros.
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
:
- Kevin Mahogany (1996)
- Another Time Another Place (1997)
- My Romance (1998)
- Portrait of Kevin Mahogany (2000)
With Telarc
Telarc International Corporation
Telarc International Corporation is an independent record label, based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, and founded in 1977 by two classically trained musicians and former teachers, Jack Renner and Robert Woods...
:
- Pride and Joy (2002)
With Jazz Empress
- Warming Up Kansas City (2003)
Under his own label, Mahogany Music:
- Big Band (2004)
- To Johnny Hartman (2004)