KEVIN MAHOGANY

Jeff Charney


I had the opportunity recently to talk with Kansas City's own Kevin Mahogany, who, as we were going to press, was voted "Top Male Vocalist" in the 1999 Down Beat Readers Poll. I began by asking the award-winning singer/composer/bandleader how he tests new material for future recording projects.

Kevin Mahogany

KM: The best way to find out what will work on an album is by doing it for a live audience. That way you can tell how people are going to respond to something new. Right now we have a variety of new things we are trying out just to see how people will react. Some of it may be included on the next album.

JC: Have you found that some songs that go over well live don't necessarily go over well on a recording?

KM: Yes, and for different reasons. Usually, it's not because people don't like the way the song came out (on the recording), it's because the recording doesn't capture the magic of the live performance. When you do a tune live, it's right there in the moment, and you can change things and be more creative. Also, the moment itself can be inspired. But, unfortunately, it's not always captured like that in the recording studio.

JC: You've released six albums and have written original songs for each. Do you like writing, or would you rather just focus on the singing?

KM: I do like writing because it's more personal. If I can't find another song that says what I'm trying to say, then it's good for me to try and write one out.

JC: One of my favorite songs of yours is "Still Swinging," which is on your self-titled CD and your first for Warner Brothers. How did that one come about?

KM: That came about because I'd heard so many people dissing a lot of the younger musicians by saying, "Well, they're pretty good technically, but they don't swing." I remember thinking, "Man, I'm listening to the same thing they are and I think those guys are swinging like crazy!" So, that was my ode to those people who are saying that just because we're young we can't swing.

JC: Tell me about an embarrassing moment, something unusual that has happened to you on stage.

KM: (laughs) I've had my share of embarrassing moments on stage. We played at Birdland in New York once and I didn't know until afterwards that I'd skipped a complete verse and ended the song early. The band just followed me like the pros that they are. Later they said, "What happened there?" And I said, "What do you mean?" "You totally skipped that one part!" they said. And I said, "Oh, really?" That happens sometimes; you forget the words. It can happen probably more than I'd like to admit.

JC: Have you ever forgotten some of the words to a song that you wrote?

KM: Yes, I have.

JC: What do you think causes that?

KM: You might be a little overconfident... this is your song, so you figure you should know it. Also, sometimes I'm planning what I think we should do next. We don't write out a song list in advance, and we don't follow any set pattern of tunes, so sometimes I have to think ahead so I'll know when one tune finishes what we are going to do next... so there's not a lot of dead time in between. That is unless I'm going to talk or have a little fun. Also, sometimes your mind gets preoccupied when you're listening to the sound of the monitors, or any number of things that are going on that you are always trying to pay attention to.

JC: Do you bring your own microphone to the gigs?

KM: Sometimes. A lot of places prefer to use Shure microphones, and as much as I like those, there are others that are a little better for what I do. So, I tend to carry other microphones with me just in case.

JC: Sometimes you use yours, sometimes you don't...

KM: Right. When you go to Europe, a lot of the festivals there can get anything you want within a few minutes, so there's no need to take (them) there. Plus, when you run a microphone through the x-ray machine (at the airport), it looks like a gun (laughs). On the other hand, if you are using a certain type of microphone and you are playing a club date in the U.S., sometimes the equipment -- even though you have a rider which states what kind of equipment you want -- sometimes the equipment can't handle certain microphones. So you still end up using the house system even though you brought your own mike. I don't prefer that, but I know how to EQ it so it sounds best for my voice.

JC: And then you are at the mercy of the sound man...

KM: Exactly. And that can be a little complicated. The whole thing then is that once you get the sound set up, you have to make sure that they sit back, relax and don't move anything! That in itself is sometimes a problem because they believe they are the artist, and they are shaping the music by moving the faders. But they don't need to! We do all that up on stage. We increase the volume or decrease it or put the emotion into the music in such a way so sound men shouldn't need to do anything. The best festivals that we've been to are the ones where once we get things set they just sit back and let the show take care of itself.

JC: Most musicians say their latest CD is their favorite. Is "My Romance" your favorite? If so, why?

KM: "My Romance" is my favorite because it's a concept album I've always wanted to do: an album of all love songs and ballads. My wife's favorite (album) is my first one ("Double Rainbow"), partly because it was my first, and also just the nature of the tunes and the breaking out that it brought to us. I also like my second one, "Songs and Moments." I like it for a variety of reasons, mostly because we had so many different musicians on it that I had fun working with. But "My Romance" is special because it is a concept album that I developed and an idea that I had that came to fruition.

JC: You performed in KC few years ago with an all-star big band in support of the "Kansas City" movie soundtrack. Would you ever consider doing a record like that as a concept CD?

KM: Oh yeah! Definitely. I've been putting together an idea for my own big band that I would love to take out for a little while, and then, hopefully, do a project.

JC: Can you tell us more?

KM: Those who know me know that I'm not a very small person (laughs), so we've toyed around with the idea of forming "The Kevin Mahogany Very Big Band"... where the least you could weigh is 250 pounds. We joked about it at the very beginning, but after a while we started to realize the quality of musicians would make it a lot of fun. So, that's an idea we're kicking around. We probably wouldn't go out on tour a lot, but we would definitely do an album, and maybe a couple of festivals.

JC: When are you going into the studio next? Will you use the same group you've been working with?

KM: We're looking at December. But Warner Brothers and I haven't decided yet. And yes, I'm trying to use the group that I tour with because these guys have been with me for quite a few years -- the newest member has been with me for three years, another has been with me for seven -- and I'd like to take them in (to the studio) because I feel I owe them that and they deserve it. I also feel that these are the people who make the music on the album come alive when we are out doing the club dates and the festivals. So I'd like to get a good representation of them on the new CD.

JC: One last question. It's been rumored that you might be moving to Boston to teach at the Berklee College of Music. Can you tell us any more?

KM: I have been approached; and my wife and I are considering it. I think it is just a matter of time -- finalizing a deal that would get me to Boston -- and we probably will accept the offer. It is an opportunity for me to redouble my own efforts to focus on jazz as well as helping the next generation. Hopefully we can still maintain a base here in Kansas City. But, if for some reason we can't, we will still come back often. We have many friends and family here.


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