Big Band by Kevin Mahogany

01 Mar

Written by Richard Bourcier
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Anyone scanning the musicians in the list above might wonder why there are no less than seven sax soloists. The fact is that this album is the result of recording sessions in Chicago, Englewood, Brooklyn, Belleville and Mahogany’s hometown of Kansas City. The lion’s share of the CD finds the singer in front of Frank Mantooth’s Jazz Orchestra while other songs are recorded with The Kansas City Boulevard Big Band and The Big City Swing Jazz Band.

While this writer hasn’t received a Mahogany CD since his great Pussy Cat Dues celebrating Charles Mingus in 2000, this new disc is especially welcome. Mahogany is pure jazz singer in the tradition of the legends. The vocalist wends his way through ten fine songs from the likes of Johnny Mercer, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Cole Porter and Leroy Carr. Styles run the gamut from ballads like Moonlight In Vermont, the heavily swinging Centerpiece to the bluesy In The Evening penned by Leroy Carr and Don Raye.

Kevin Mahogany puts everything he has into each song and pushes aside any thoughts that only the old-timers can scat. The opportunity to hear Mahogany deliver Jon Hendricks’ and Sweets Edison’s Centerpiece in front of a pulsing big band is worth the price of the album. The soloists, trumpeter Bobby Shew and alto man Kim Park are in danger of swinging themselves to death. It’s a fabulous track!

Three Little Words is not the famous 1930 hit song. This is an original penned by Kevin Mahogany and Paul Holmann with nice solos by Pat LaBarbara & Paul McKee. The singer delivers a compelling version of Monk’s Dear Ruby backed by Roy Hargrove’s sensitive flugelhorn.

Big Band is worthy of your attention.

Additional Info

Artist / Group Name: Kevin Mahogany
CD Title: Big Band
Genre: Jazz Vocals
Year Released: 2005
Record Label: Zebra
Tracks: Moonlight In Vermont; It Don’t Mean a Thing; Centerpiece; In The Evening; One For My Baby; Three Little Words; Dear Ruby; There Will Never Be Another You; It’s Alright With Me; Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.
Musicians: Kevin Mahogany (vocals). Soloists: Scott Robinson (tenor sax); Pete Christlieb (tenor sax); Danny Barber (trumpet); Kim Park (alto sax); Bobby Shew (trumpet); Ramsey Lewis (piano); Pat LaBarbara (tenor sax); Paul McKee (trombone); Roy Hargrove (flugelhorn); Craig Treinen (alto sax); Jon Gordon (alto sax); Bob Sheppard (tenor sax); Veronica Martel (vocal on track 9); James Williams (piano).
Label Website: http://www.zebradisc.com
Rating: Five Stars