Mahogany – ever hear of them. Well, if you were in the US they would be unknown, if you were in the UK, they would have been familiar to you blues fanatics, but this recording was never issued in the UK, only in a country that didn't know them – the US. Go figure.
The band existed only for a little under two years, and started off as Mahogany Guinness, later shortened to just plain Mahogany. They were a Chicago-styled blues band and fit right in with all the other groups of the era, Savoy Brown, Fleetwood Mac and Ten Years After.
They were 'discovered' by Tony Clark (he of Moody Blues fame) who cut this wonderful album for Epic.
On this their only Lp, Mahogany proves that original blues material (they composed everything on the album), if played with skill and vitality, can elicit from an audience that pure gut level reaction.
Magohany is comprised of four young performers, each of whom has had extensive musical experience prior to joining the group: Stephen Darrington (organ), Joseph Southall (bass guitar), John MacKay (lead guitar, lead vocals) and Paul Hobbs (drums).
Although t are only four members of Mahogany, their musical skill is considerable: between three of them they play no less than ten instruments including trumpet, violin and classical guitar.
Organist Stephen Darrington describes his compositions as "innumerable drunken 12-bar blues"
filled as they are with wronged lovers, drinking bouts, packing up and parting times-but like the best of blues they're exhilarating, cathartic, and sometimes, even happy.
Tracklisting:
01.Coolin'
02.Best Woman, Best Friend
03.Live Your Love A Lie
04.Easy
05.Two Trains
06.Armchair Woman
07.Sweet Home Chicago
08.For Jane
09.Keepin'
10.Feeling Good
Mahogany:
John Mackay (guitar)
Joe Southall (bass)
Paul Hobbs (drums)
Stephen Darrington ( keyboards and harmonica)
01
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