Kevin Mahogany facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kevin Mahogany
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Mahogany at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire Jazz Festival, 2007
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kevin Bryant Mahogany |
| Born | July 30, 1958 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | December 17, 2017 (aged 59) Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Vocalist |
Kevin Bryant Mahogany (born July 30, 1958 – died December 17, 2017) was an American jazz singer. He became very well known in the 1990s. Kevin Mahogany was especially famous for his scat singing, which is a type of jazz singing where the singer uses sounds instead of words. People often compared his singing style to famous jazz vocalists like Billy Eckstine and Joe Williams.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Kevin Mahogany started learning music when he was a child. He first learned to play the piano. Later, he learned the clarinet and the baritone saxophone. Even when he was in high school, he played in jazz bands and taught music. He once said that music was as important as English and math in his home when he was growing up.
He went to Baker University where he sang and played in different music groups. He even started his own vocal jazz group there. In 1981, he earned his degree in music and English drama.
Becoming a Performer
After college, Kevin Mahogany went back to Kansas City. In the 1980s, he became very popular there, performing with his own groups called "The Apollos" and "Mahogany."
His first CD as a solo artist was called Double Rainbow, released in 1993. Then came his album Kevin Mahogany in 1996. This album got a lot of good attention from the media. The magazine Newsweek even called him "the standout jazz vocalist of his generation."
Kevin Mahogany also appeared in the movie Kansas City in 1996. He played a character in the film who was based on another famous Kansas City singer, Big Joe Turner. In 1997, he sang the song "Laura" for the soundtrack of the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
He said that some of his biggest inspirations for singing were Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Al Jarreau, and Eddie Jefferson. Kevin Mahogany also taught music at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and the University of Miami. In 2016, he was featured on a song called "Special Girl" with a Polish rapper named Bosski Roman.
Later Years and Passing
Kevin Mahogany passed away on December 17, 2017. He was 59 years old. He died from problems related to diabetes.
Music Albums
Here are some of the albums Kevin Mahogany released as a main artist:
- Double Rainbow (1993)
- Songs and Moments (1994)
- You Got What It Takes (1995)
- Kevin Mahogany (1996)
- Another Time Another Place (1997)
- My Romance (1998)
- Pussy Cat Dues: The Music of Charles Mingus (2000)
- Pride & Joy (2002)
- Big Band (2005)
- The Vienna Affair (2015)
Kevin Mahogany also sang on albums by other musicians, including Monty Alexander, Ray Brown, and Elvin Jones.
See also
In Spanish: Kevin Mahogany para niños
