Kevin Mahoganys Debut Album Now on SACD

Well known Jazz Vocalist Kevin Mahogany recently joined the Telarc label. His first album for Telarc entitled “Pride and Joy” was issued 2 weeks ago. Today, Telarc follows up on Mahogany’s CD release with a Multichannel and Stereo SACD version of Pride and Joy.

The Pride and Joy album is a collection of classics from the Motown era. Mahogany’s improvisational, exploratory approach to timeless songs penned by Smokey Robinson, Holland/Dozier/Holland, Marvin Gaye, Barrett Strong, Clifton Davis and other Motown legends results in a recording that’s familiar and innovative at the same time.

Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Mahogany grew up on the music of Motown.

“Some of Motown’s earlier recordings had jazz musicians recording the backing tracks for some of the greatest R&B acts,” Mahogany notes. “Even though I started with jazz at an early age as an instrumentalist, I have always loved the sound of Motown music. It was as deeply instilled in my heart and soul as the jazz music that I had grown to love.”

Mahogany was an accomplished clarinetist and saxophonist by the time he finished high school. He shifted his emphasis to vocals in college, and played in a number of jazz, R&B and soul groups during his post-college years in the ‘80s.

After a handful of albums on independent labels in the early ‘90s, he garnered high praise from critics during a five-year run on Warner Brothers in the latter half of the decade. Newsweek called Mahogany “the standout jazz vocalist of his generation,” while the Los Angeles Times called him “one of the first truly gifted male vocalists to emerge in years.”

“Combining jazz and Motown music seems natural to me,” says Mahogany. “I grew up loving both styles, and I know that there are others who will love this combination also.”

Album Performers:
Kevin Mahogany – vocals
Don Alias – percussion
Gregory Clark – tenor saxophone
Peter Eldridge – bass
Jon Faddis – trumpet, flugelhorn
Charles Haynes – drums
Todd Johnson – tenor saxophone
Melissa Slocum – bass
Dave Stryker – guitar
Gerald Trottman – baritone saxophone
James Weidman – piano

Album Tracks:
1. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours
2. Pride and Joy
3. I Can’t Get Next to You
4. Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First to Say Goodbye)
5. The Tears of a Clown
6. Reach Out I’ll Be There
7. My World Is Empty Without You
8. Never Can Say Goodbye
9. She’s Out of My Life
10. The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game
11. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)

Early Comments on the Album

  • “the standout vocalist of his generation.” — Newsweek
  • “one of the first truly gifted male vocalists to emerge in years.” — Los Angeles Times
  • “…there is little Mahogany cannot do.” — The New Yorker