Kevin Mahogany: Pride & Joy (2002)

C. MICHAEL BAILEY,

C. Michael Bailey

Senior Contributor since 1997

...wants to know if Gene Harris is playing "Summertime" in Heaven...

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Published: June 1, 2002

The Tamala-Motown songbook...

Kevin Mahogany is a bit of a quandary. A very fine jazz vocalist, Mahogany is not content just to recapitulate the standards. His current Pride & Joy and 2000's Pussy Cat Dues— The Music of Charles Mingus are both tightly focused efforts intent on shining a light on little illuminated corners of jazz. Pride & Joy is a swinging tribute to Motown. Mahogany opens his tribute with a down-on-the-corner a cappella "Signed, Sealed, and Delivered." Marvin Gaye's "Pride and Joy" is transformed from a Motown template into a swinging jazz vehicle that Mahogany takes for a spin. "Tear's of a Clown" is delivered as an angular ballad with only guitar accompaniment. A cappella delivery returns with "Reach Out I'll Be There." "Never Can Say Goodbye" is slickly produced and performed. Mahogany throws off these gems in the same way George Gordon, Lord Byron could throw off brilliant verse— without effort. Pride & Joy is well-conceived and delivered...Signed and Sealed.

Track Listing: Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours; Pride and Joy; I Can't Get Next to You; Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First to Say Goodbye); The Tears of a Clown; Reach Out I'll Be There; My world Is empty Without You; Never Can Say Goodbye; She's Out of My Life; The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game; Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me). (Total Time: 50:22).

Personnel: Kevin Mahogany, Gregory Clark, Todd Johnson, Gerald Trottman, Peter Eldridge -- Vocals; Jon Faddis -- Trumpet; James Weideman -- Piano; Dave Stryker -- Guitar; Melissa Slocum -- Bass; Charles Haynes -- Drums/Telephone Books; Don Alias -- Percussion

Record Label: Telarc Records
Style: Vocal