Mahogany, Kevin
Telarc, 2002, CD
Instrument: Male Vocals
Issue: 8.2w
Jazz Ruler Type: Ballads, Blues
Performance: 5
Sound: 5
Score: 
O’s Notes: Kevin’s baritone vocals are tough to resist. He opens with a rousing a cappella vocal quartet cover of “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” immediately followed by the title track, featuring a scat, solo exchange with Jon Faddis on trumpet. By the fourth track I realized that all of the songs are jazzy covers of the legendary Motown sound. While the lyrics and beats are familiar, the arrangements allow Kevin to put his indelible signature on each. The band includes guitarist Dave Stryker and Melissa Slocum on bass. The vocal quartet (Greg Clark, Todd Johnson, Gerald Trottnan & Kevin) returns on “Reach Out I’ll Be There” as does Faddis on flugelhorn complementing Mahogany’s buttery vocals on “She’s Out of My Life”. It doesn’t stop there, get ready to reminisce, relax and enjoy eleven renewed classics!
