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Nashville Jazz Workshop News June 24, 2006
May 26-27 - Kevin Mahogany
a review by Mark Edwards
A vocal force of nature blew through the Jazz Cave the weekend of May 26 and May 27. World renowned jazz singer Kevin Mahogany performed four sets over the course of the two evenings and, in the process, nearly peeled the paint off the walls with his blistering combinations of jazz standards, blues shouts and sublime choices from the Great American Songbook.
With supreme confidence in his magnificent instrument, Mahogany covered everything from an incredibly swinging version of Mile Davis's Four to a heart-rending (and totally impromptu) interpretation of Hoagy Carmichael's Skylark. Accompanied by the stellar rhythm section of Lori Mechem on piano, Roger Spencer on bass and Jim White on drums, Mahogany made full use of the large buckets of swing these three provided him. While this was his first time working with the group, there was an atmosphere of simpatico rarely felt when the prep time is so minimal. But, after all, these people are all consummate professionals. They swing for a living.
My personal favorite moments from both nights occurred when Mahogany performed duets with each of his three colleagues. He did an incredible interpretation of "Lush Life" with Lori Mechem. Both nights Mahogany and Roger Spencer took a page from the Mile Davis songbook and turned All Blues into a tour-de-force for bass and scat. And all this excitement was capped off with a "Don't Try This At Home" version of Charlie Parker's Yardbird Suite with some astounding brushwork from Jim White and heated scat from Mahogany.
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