Coming from a musical family,
trombonist Andy Martin launched his career while still in his
teens. while traveling frequently for guest appearances.
Andy Martin is truly a world-class
jazz musician. His sparkling bebop lines and consummate
musicianship make him equally at home on the stage or in the
studio, and he maintains a busy schedule in L.A. as a recording
artist, sideman, and section player,
Andy has already released eight
albums as either leader, or co-leader. These albums showcase
his dazzling improvisation alongside other top jazz artists such
as the late Carl Fontana, Pete Christlieb, Bobby Shew, and Eric
Marienthal. Andy leads a quartet on his latest record project,
which is soon to be released on the Fresh Sounds label. He has
also collaborated as a sideman with jazz greats such as Stanley
Turrentine and Horace Silver. He is also well-known for his work
as a lead player, and featured soloist, with virtually every big
band in L.A. Most notably, he has performed with Gordon
Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, the Bill Holman Big Band, and Tom Kubis’
band. He has also appeared in bands led by Jack Sheldon, Louis
Bellson, and Quincy Jones, among others.
Andy has long been one of L.A.’s
first call trombonists for commercial recordings, television and
motion pictures, and live theater. He has contributed on albums
for many popular artists, including the Pussycat Dolls, Coldplay,
and Michael Buble. His television credits include major awards
shows like the Grammys, the Emmys, and the Academy Awards. He
has also appeared regularly on the soundtracks of hit TV shows
like “American Idol,” “Dancing With The Stars,” “Family Guy,”
“American Dad,” “King of the Hill,” and the new series
“Invasion.” Andy’s motion picture credits include the
soundtracks of over 75 major films, including a recent project,
with Grammy Award winning rap artist Kanye West, for the
soundtrack of Mission Impossible III.
The broad
range of his career is a credit to his exceptional talent. He
counts among his influences the trombone greats Frank Rosolino
and Carl Fontana, as well as saxophonist Michael Brecker and
trumpeter Clifford Brown, and he has incorporated these
different elements into a personal style that is a balance of
accuracy and spontaneity, discipline and creativity. He covers
the whole range of the instrument with the same warm tone and
impeccable articulation, and is equally adept in all styles,
with a vocabulary of ideas that never grows stale. His exciting
improvisations and melodic fluidity showcase a level of
technique hardly matched among trombonists. City Jazz is honored
to present Andy to Valley jazz fans.
http://www.drewbone.com/
Kevin Mahogany
As a student
at Baker University, Kevin performed with various instrumental
and vocal ensembles and formed his own vocal jazz choir. After
graduating, he returned to his roots in Kansas City, attracting
a huge following throughout the 1980s. All the while, Kevin was
continuing to develop his own style, absorbing the work of
Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Al Jarreau and Eddie Jefferson.
Shortly thereafter, he was introduced to Frank Mantooth, and a
friendship developed that had Kevin being featured on Frank's
next CD.
In February
1993, Kevin’s debut album " Double Rainbow" hit the record
stores. Its seldom-heard ballads, bop tunes and blues were met
with instant acclaim. In 1995, he signed with Warner Brothers
and released several CDs. In 2002 Kevin signed with Telarc, and
released "Pride and Joy", a tribute to the music of the great
Motown era. The shaping of these tunes became very important to
Kevin." When you listen to the artists that we respect and call
the masters of jazz, they were doing the same thing, performing
the music of their youth," Kevin states. "I want to do the same,
and continue the tradition."
Kevin has now
started his own label, "Mahogany Jazz," and has two projects
scheduled for release: "Kevin Mahogany Big Band" and "To Johnny
Hartman, " a tribute to the incredible vocalist of the
1940-70's.
With eleven CD's as a leader, and quite a
few as a sideman, Kevin has proved to be the quintessential jazz
vocalist. Newsweek describes him as " the standout jazz vocalist
of his generation." New Yorker magazine writer Whitney Balliet
writes, "There is little Mahogany cannot do." Says the LA Times,
"Mahogany is one of the first truly gifted male vocalists to
emerge in years." Fresno City college is honored to have Ken as
a guest artist for City Jazz 2008.
http://www.kevinmahogany.com/
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