Two
of the most distinctive voices of their generation, Rene Marie and
Kevin Mahogany join forces on January 13th for a rare
night of duets to open the 2007 jazz season at Kennedy Center in
Washington, DC.
 Rene Marie © Howard A. Gitelson
 Kevin Mahogany © Andrea Canter From
bop to blues, ballads to swing, Kansas City native Kevin
Mahogany showed his early gifts on piano, clarinet, and bari
sax, and was a member of Eddie Baker’s Orchestra while still in his
teens. In high school he played in multiple concert and marching
bands, finally discovering his vocal talents during his senior year
after hearing Al Jarreau. At Baker University, he continued to pursue
both instrumental and vocal music, forming his own jazz choir. After
graduation, he formed bands performing a largely R&B repertoire,
and become a popular vocalist in Kansas City throughout the 1980s.
Meanwhile he was evolving his own distinct style, influenced by
Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Al Jarreau and Eddie
Jefferson. With his
debut
recording Double Rainbow in 1993, he was soon in the
limelight, recording three more albums for Enja before signing on
with Warner Brothers in 1995, and more recently with Telarc. Now,
with 11 recordings to his credit, he has formed his own label and has
been anointed by Newsweek as “the standout vocalist of his
generation.” Kevin has also appeared on film, in Robert Altman’s
Kansas City where he portrayed a character based on Big Joe
Turner. In addition to performance, Kevin has a long history as a
teacher—starting when he was fourteen, continuing on the faculty of
the Berklee College of Music when he lived in Boston, and moving on
to the University of Miami.
In
recent performance, the 48-year-old baritone has been drawing on his
latest project, a tribute to Johnny Hartman, the subject of one of
his two new releases on his new label.
Separately,
any performance by either of these artists is a must-hear. Together,
Rene Marie and Kevin Mahogany will create an unforgettable evening.
Rene
Marie and Kevin Mahogany sing duets on January 13th in the
Terrace Theater of Kennedy Center (2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC);
two sets, 7:30 and 9:30 pm; $30. Reservations at
www.kennedycenter.org
or 800-444-1324. |
SF Bay Area 
Saturday, 04 July 2009
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