Their history with Brian and Kevin dates back to their high school days at Cottonwood High School, Salt Lake City, Utah. They also spent a brief time at the University of Utah. In the late seventies, their paths diverged and they decided to pursue different musical careers. Kevin moved to Las Vegas, where he is a well-known fixture of the Las Vegas music scene. Brian decided to stay in Salt Lake City, where he discovered his musical niche. Kevin and Brian were reunited after many years at a reunion concert of the Cottonwood High School Jazz Ensemble. Brian was working as a personnel manager at the Grand Teton Music Festival, helping to organize a big band for the concert series. Brian invited Kevin to join him in Jackson Hole, Wyoming as part of his band that summer. Kevin, who had just returned from seven years with the Four Freshmen, was available. It turned out that the Grand Teton Music Festival gig became a week-long “hang”, in Jackson Hole as well as Teton National Park. Kevin and Brian still enjoy it to this day. While hiking up Cascade Canyon in the Tetons, the dream of recording their own CDs was first discussed. A plan was created and implemented a few months later. Jazzed5 Records was established to record and produce the music of Brian Booth and Kevin Stout. The first CD by Kevin and Brian, Good Pals, was released in 2002 by Jazzed5 Records. Good Pals reached number 23 on the Jazz Week charts thanks to the hard work of a great team. Good Pals’ compositions include main-stream straight-ahead Jazz and latin grooves. Many of the compositions follow a proven method that dates back to the be-bop masters in the late ’40s and early 1950’s. This includes the creation of new melodies using borrowed jazz tunes and standards. Kevin and Brian had just as much fun writing the compositions names as they did writing them. Linda, Kevin’s wife, created the brilliant cover art for Good Pals CD. It depicts Brian and Kevin as instruments playing octopuses. Kevin and Brian felt the need to capitalize upon their recent success so they set about creating their next CD. Up Jazz Creek, which was released in 2003, was based on the same formula that worked well for Good Pals. Up Jazz Creek received a lot of airplay and reached number 35 on Jazz Week’s chart thanks to the efforts of the Good Pals team. Brian and Kevin were happy to see their first two albums crack the top 40. Linda Stout once again created beautiful and colorful cover art. Brian and Kevin are shown as orangutans floating down “Jazz Creek”, complete with upright basses that can be used as canoes. 2004 saw the release of Tales of the Tetons, their third CD. Both Brian and Kevin have found inspiration from the Grand Tetons over the years of Jazzed5 Record’s history. Tales of the Tetons was released to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Grand Teton National Park. Brian and Kevin created Tales of the Tetons to pay tribute to the Jackson Hole’s inspiring scenery and beauty. Linda Stout’s artistic vision and creative talent are evident in the covers and back panels of the CD. She once again nailed it! After a long hiatus Brian and Kevin finally released the long-awaited Color Country album. The majority of the music on the CD was composed over a period of several years. The charts reflect the grandeur and beauty of southern Utah’s national parks and monuments, along with some of the historical and geologic features that are associated with this incredible part of God’s creation. Color Country is unlike anything Jazzed5 Records have released. Brian and Kevin wanted to add a lot more color to their music so they added several instruments, including flute, alto flute and guitar. To emphasize the title of the CD, a variety of latin auxiliary drumming instruments were also added. After listening to this new work, the listener will notice a deeper level in arranging, composition, and production. Color Country is the result of many years of creative development and other experience. This project required the reassembling of the incredible rhythm section that was featured on the first three CDs. Joey, Tom and John are no disappointment. Their playing on Color Country continues the same excellence and freshness they displayed on Jazzed5’s earlier recordings. Jo Belle Yonely’s vocals add an additional layer to the already vibrant CD. Linda Stout once again designed and produced the cover art. It features a pair desert tortoises enjoying southern Utah’s beautiful scenery. Joe Thomasula’s layout and graphic design add a touch more class to this CD’s overall appearance and feel. Color Country is Jazzed5 Records’ finest production. http://jazzed5.com
