Kevin Mahogany life and biography

Kevin Mahogany: Celebrated Jazz Vocalist and "Baronial Baritone"

Kevin Mahogany, an influential American jazz vocalist who rose to prominence in the 1990s, was renowned for his scat singing and deep, rich voice. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1958, Mahogany's vocal style has been compared to jazz greats Joe Williams and Johnny Hartman.

Early Life

Kevin Mahogany's early ambitions were not directed towards becoming a jazz singer. As a child, he studied piano and later picked up the baritone saxophone in junior high school. His formal music education began under the guidance of saxophonist Ahmad Alaadeen at Kansas City's Charlie Parker Academy. By age 12, Mahogany was performing with Eddie Baker's New Breed Jazz Orchestra, an 18-piece big band, and by 14, he was teaching clarinet. His interest in singing emerged only during his senior year of high school.

Academic Pursuits and Musical Formation

Mahogany attended Baker University in Baldwin, Kansas, where he formed a jazz choir and developed an interest in Broadway-style shows. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Music and English Drama in 1981. Frustrated by the limitations of his saxophone to match the solos he imagined, Mahogany decided to focus exclusively on his vocal career. His instrumental background, however, gave him a unique edge as a vocalist and bandleader. "I've been on both sides of that, as an instrumentalist and vocalist," he noted. "If you're going to be a vocalist you need to know what's going on here."

Career Beginnings and Breakthrough

In Kansas City, Mahogany founded a group known initially as Mahogany and The Apollos, later simply as Mahogany. The group performed R&B, crossover jazz, and popular music, building a local following over the next decade. As a booking agent, Mahogany's talents were recognized by the Montana-based group NRE Trio, who invited him to tour with them. This tour led to a recording contract with the German label Enja Records after a producer heard him sing.

Mahogany's debut album, Double Rainbow (1993), showcased his ability to perform a wide range of styles, including ballads, bop tunes, and blues songs. Critics praised his versatility and powerful scat singing. His subsequent Enja albums, Songs & Moments (1994) and You Got What It Takes (1995), further established his reputation.

Major Label Success and Film Appearances

In 1995, Mahogany signed with Warner Brothers and appeared in Robert Altman's film Kansas City, playing a character based on Big Joe Turner. His Warner Brothers debut, Kevin Mahogany (1996), received high praise, with Newsweek calling him "the standout jazz vocalist of his generation." The New Yorker’s Whitney Balliet dubbed him "The Baronial Baritone," and JazzTimes' Willard Jenkins commended his spirit, care for lyrics, and abundant feeling.

Mahogany's sophomore Warner Brothers album, Another Time, Another Place (1997), continued his critical acclaim. In 1997, he collaborated with Clint Eastwood on the Eastwood After Hours: Live at Carnegie Hall CD and the soundtrack for Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

Later Work and Recognition

Mahogany's third album for Warner Brothers, My Romance (1998), featured covers of contemporary songs and old standards. Warner Brothers likened him to Billy Eckstine, Nat King Cole, and Johnny Hartman. Critics praised his interpretation of classics and his versatility in performing a range of genres, from R&B and blues to gospel, jazz, and country. That year, Down Beat named him Male Vocalist of the Year, and he also earned Best Male Vocalist of the Year in the Jazziz reader's poll.

Teaching and Final Years

Kevin Mahogany taught at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and the University of Miami. In 2016, he was featured on the track "Special Girl" on the CD Bang & Classic by Polish rapper Bosski Roman.

Kevin Mahogany passed away on December 17, 2017, due to complications from diabetes. He was 59. Mahogany's legacy as a versatile and powerful jazz vocalist remains, celebrated for his ability to blend tradition with contemporary styles and his profound influence on the jazz vocal landscape.

Selected discography from Kevin Mahogany:

As leader
Double Rainbow (Enja, 1993)
Songs and Moments (Enja, 1994)
You Got What It Takes (Enja, 1995)
Kevin Mahogany (Warner Bros., 1996)
Another Time Another Place (Warner Bros., 1997)
My Romance (Warner Bros., 1998)
Pussy Cat Dues: The Music of Charles Mingus (Enja, 2000)
Pride & Joy (Telarc, 2002)
Big Band (Zebra, 2005)
The Vienna Affair (Cracked AnEgg, 2015)

As sideman
Monty Alexander, My America (Telarc, 2002)
Cheryl Bentyne, Moonlight Serenade (King [jp], 2003)
Ray Brown, Some of My Best Friends Are...Singers (Telarc, 1998)
Elvin Jones, It Don't Mean a Thing (Enja, 1993)
Tony Lakatos, The Coltrane Hartman Fantasy Vol. 1 (Skip, 2010)
Frank Mantooth, Sophisticated Lady (Sea Breeze, 1995)
T. S. Monk, Monk on Monk (N2K Encoded, 1991)
Marlena Shaw, Dangerous (Concord Jazz, 1996)
Roseanna Vitro, Passion Dance (Telarc, 1996)

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