Mahogany Frog

Mahogany Frog is a collective of musicians who, over the past seven years, have explored the boundaries of their own creativity and abilities. The undeniable intensity of their live performance has amazed and assaulted listeners across the prairies, and their musicianship and originality have won Mahogany Frog recognition and respect in various active art communities.
The concept for Mahogany Frog was contrived in 1996 by Graham Epp and Jesse Warkentin for a college entrepreneurship project. The project developed into a band in 1998 when they joined forces with the illustrious frontal attack of bassist Nathan Loewen.
Playing shows throughout Saskatchewan with a variety of drummers, they began to develop an astonishingly loyal fan base, and familiar faces began to repeatedly pop up at even the most rural of locations.
Mahogany Frog reached new heights in late 1999 with the acquisition of drummer Jean-Paul Perron, who not only accented heavier punches and gave substance to more atmospheric sections, but introduced an experimental and electronic edge with the use of a variety of samplers and tape loops.
Around this time, Mahogany Frog began to coordinate functions at a variety of halls, venues and cafes throughout the Saskatoon area. The emphasis of these events, which were often collaborated efforts with other established bands, DJ’s, poets and performers, was generally based on creating an intense atmosphere with the use of film projection, interactive installations, ethnic food catering, and of course an array of music, spoken word and modern performance art. In little time, these events and the experimental yet extremely catchy rock n’ roll of Mahogany Frog began to gain momentum in the city’s music scene.
As a result of these performances, established bars and venues began to recognize the Mahogany Frog’s increasing cult-like popularity. Between 2000 and 2002 the band headlined regularly, and played with notable Canadian acts such as The Junior Panthers, The Watercolor Movement and Eric’s Trip. In this time, Mahogany Frog released their first full-length album comically entitled “Mahogany Frog Plays the Blues”.
In late 2002, as the band contemplated moving to a larger centre, they formed a six-piece, introducing horns, keyboards and synth sounds. With this lineup, Mahogany Frog performed and recorded a single hour-long composition which serves as their second full-length album (but which was not yet to be released until March of 2003).
Relocating to Winnipeg and working on an increasingly refined repertoire, Mahogany Frog minimized to a four-piece, introducing the technical genius of bassist Scott Ellenberger. With the release of their second album “The Living Sounds of Mahogany Frog” came recognition from an array of local artists and musicians. Again Mahogany Frog became involved in a series of multi-media events, collaborating with independent film, performance art, and experimental musical acts such as The Absent Sound, Multiple Partners, Redsayno and Ham.
After a series of short prairie tours, the group commenced work on their third and fourth full-length albums. They joined forces with recording technician/musician Mike Petkau, and spent the summer months of 2003 creating what would become “Mahogany Frog Vs Mabus”. This five-song hour-long collection demonstrates the increasingly complex compositional aspect of the group, as well as the expanded use of synthesizers and various analog instruments.
With the release of “Mahogany Frog Vs Mabus” in February of 2004, the band currently pursues distribution and nation-wide tour in hopes of reaching a broader audience.