Kevin Mahogany's decision to cover Motown hits in a jazz setting stems from his desire to not only increase the audience for jazz, but to add new material to the music's repertoire, in addition to the established standards. The results are ear-opening, particularly for those who never seriously listened to the likes of
Marvin Gaye or
Smokey Robinson.
Mahogany, whose richly textured baritone helped him become one of the top male jazz vocalists to emerge during the 1990s, arranged several of the tracks, including the stark "My World Is Empty Without You," where his only backing is provided by bassist
Melissa Slocum and percussionist
Don Alias, as well as a swinging treatment of "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game." The singer is backed by a quartet of singers for catchy doo wop interpretations of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" and "Reach Out I'll Be There." Pianist
James Weidman, who provides just the right support on six of the CD's 11 tracks, is the sole accompanist and arranger of "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)," reworking this huge hit into a lush ballad.
Gaye's "Pride and Joy," arranged by guitarist
Dave Stryker, is recast in a driving hard bop setting, featuring
Mahogany's scat exchanges with the muted trumpet of
Jon Faddis.
Stryker also contributed the tasty chart of "I Can't Get Next to You" and a startling, very slow ballad treatment of "The Tears of a Clown," where his acoustic guitar is the only backing for
Mahogany's magical vocals. This stunning release is heartily recommended. ~ Ken Dryden