Kevin Mahogany's self-titled first record for Warner Bros. (9 46226-2) is unusual in that the 10 cuts offer works of such artists as Bonnie Raitt ("I Can't Make You Love Me"), Stevie Wonder ("I Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer") and Fats Domino's "I'm Walkin' ", but nothing you could categorize as a jazz vocal standard.
Regardless, it works, thanks to Mahogany's rich, deep voice, which I guess you should expect from someone born in Kansas City. Ballads may be his specialty, but he can swing ("Oh Gee") and scat ("Still Swingin' "), thanks in part to assists on this CD from drummer Greg Hutchinson and guitarist Peter Bernstein.There aren't that many good male jazz singers out there, but, with Kevin Mahogany, all is not lost.
- THE FIELD of female jazz singers is more fertile, as characterized by Dee Dee Bridgewater's tribute to Horace Silver titled "Love and Peace" (Verve CD 314527 470-2) and "New Moon Daughter" (Blue Note CD 832851 2) by Cassandra Wilson, who is the hottest thing going. Both CDs have been out for a while, but you may have missed them, and that would be unfortunate.
Bridgewater came to prominence in the early '70s with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis big band with singing that bordered on avant garde. I didn't hear much about her for a while, but she has certainly resurfaced with this release, which includes appearances by Horace Silver and organist Jimmy Smith on a couple of tracks.
Cassandra Wilson's handling of her material has been compared with Betty Carter and one magazine called her the "Ella of the '90s." Her Mississippi roots are reflected by her smoky, sexy and massaging voice, one that is at its finest on "New Moon Daughter," which has been a best seller.
When I picked up Claire Martin's "The Waiting Game" (Honest CD 5018) I had planned on giving it a perfunctory listen and then go on to other matters. After a few minutes though, I thought that she was pretty good. So I listened to it again, thinking that maybe I heard a touch of Chris Conner and June Christy. And I listened again, being impressed with her versatility. Then, a couple of days ago, I saw a magazine ad for her latest release, "Old Boyfriends," in which USA Today said Claire Martin "has impeccable taste and phrasing and a mesmerizing ability to inhabit lyrics." And CD Review said she "is such a fully developed artist that trying to point out her strengths is a dangerous exercise." Silly me.
- RECENTLY I was browsing at Border's in San Francisco and spotted a reissue of a 1957 album called "Annie Ross Sings a Song with Mulligan" (Pacific 746852 2). Annie is joined by heavyweights Mulligan, Art Farmer and Chet Baker sharing trumpet duties, Bill Crow and Henry Grimes on bass and drummer Dave Bailey. It's high-spirited, terrific fun.