+ By Rahsaan “Wordslave” Eldridge + Photos courtesy of Charles Kavoossi
The phrase “jack of all trades, master of none” is a cliché that doesn’t seem to apply to Charles Kavoossi, because he seems to master everything he does. The Prince George’s County-born artist is well-known for his great songwriting, smooth voice, and masterful guitar playing, but his capacity as an artist extends beyond music, into photography, videography, sound engineering, graphic design, and cooking. In addition to his artistic prowess, he’s also known for just being a great guy.
Like many artists, Kavoossi’s origin as a musician started at home in Bowie, Maryland. His Iranian father is a professional percussionist. Kavoossi remembers attending his father’s gigs, listening to traditional Iranian music played on the tombak, an indigenous drum (also called a zarb). His parents wanted him to be a lawyer or doctor, but by age 13, he’d become obsessed with guitar, and they supported his passion by enrolling him in guitar lessons. His older sister played piano—she is also a photographer. She later became a resource for Kavoossi as his creative endeavors expanded. From childhood, he’s always dabbled in areas outside of music. He was using Adobe Photoshop software, creating vector art, and recording silly videos with his friends using an old camcorder. In high school, he built his band’s website. He was always experimenting and learning.
After high school, he moved to Boston, Massachusetts, with his bandmate, who attended Berklee College of Music, and shared a studio apartment with him and his girlfriend. They’d planned to move to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to be close to the Nashville music scene, but when they pit-stopped back home in Maryland, they stayed. Kavoossi moved to Boston for music, but his trajectory changed unexpectedly when his passion for learning—and need for money—led him to become a chef.
On his first day at Bukowski Tavern, the head chef told him to prepare some ingredients. Kavoossi stood befuddled because, outside of a pizza shop, he had never really cooked before. The chef said, “You don’t know how to cook, do you?” And Kavoossi replied, “I thought I did.” Instead of firing him on the spot, the chef mentored him. Kavoossi flourished and became consumed with the craft, spending most of his time between two restaurants, leaving little time for music. His musical ambition never left, though. He and his roommate were able to sneak in some recording, but not nearly to the extent they’d originally planned.
Eventually, Kavoossi landed in Baltimore, where he worked as a sous-chef for four years before moving to Portland, Oregon. He liked Baltimore, but he grew tired of hearing people tell him, “Once you’re in Baltimore, you’ll never leave.” His response was to go as far away as possible, to prove that theory wrong. He lived in Portland for a year, still cooking, before returning to the Charm City. He worked for a while at a restaurant, for an owner he’d known previously, but eventually left due to personal differences.
For years, music had taken a back seat to cooking, but the same week that he left his restaurant job, he was invited to play at a songwriter series hosted by Alexander Peters and Aaron “Skribe” Yealdhall. Kavoossi credits his entry into full-time musicianship to a conversation he and Peters had, in which Peters said it was possible to make a living as a full-time musician, but that meant not getting another full-time job. Since then, he hasn’t. Instead, he maintained a part-time job until he was able to cut those strings and rely solely on music as his livelihood.
The grind for full-time musicians can be taxing. There are no health-care benefits or paid sick leave. For some, losing a gig could mean dire financial consequences. Fortunately, Kavoossi is a man of many talents. He can design logos; he can run sound at an event, record or live stream a show; he can be the show as a solo act or with his band Kavoossi and the Typos. Those in need of an adjunct band member or supporting act for a tour can rely on him, as Joey Harkum and Jimmie’s Chicken Shack can attest.
Lately, video has played a prominent role in his career. But it’s more than a means to an end—it’s an intersectional component that whets both his creative and technical appetites. It’s something he gravitated to while working with a longtime friend, Laura MacKay. They began working together at Local Echo Productions, which hosted Stan & Joe’s Pop-Up Showcase series. Kavoossi recorded the audio and edited the video. Other artists, including Thomas “Gingerwolf” Beall, Kelsey Price, Chris Au, TJ Dolan, and Mark Peria, helped with the production.
Peria was particularly impactful on Kavoossi, who says that Peria’s the reason that he got into video. Kavoossi says he was blown away the first time he saw Peria’s Olympus mirrorless camera and was so enamored with Peria’s shooting style that he bought the same camera. Kavoossi enlisted his sister, asking for some pointers, and developed his skills to the point that he’s now able to sustain a living largely from video production work. This shift has allowed him more time to create music instead of feeling that he has to take every gig that comes his way. It also gives him more family time with his stepchildren and his longtime partner, with whom he sometimes shares the stage as the Betas.
For all the things that Kavoossi can do, there’s equal if not more praise for who he is. Says Michael Hughes of MH Media Strategies of his work with clients, “He’s really good at making people at ease and nurturing them through the process.” Alexander Peters says, “His excitement and enthusiasm just makes a project fun and a great experience, working with him.” Kavoossi admits that the nice guy title is not always his favorite, citing his tendency to be passive and want to please others, sometimes to his own detriment. But he’s truly empathetic and genuinely wants others to be happy.
Jaime Horrigan of Sweet Leda knows firsthand of Kavoossi’s empathy. They were together when Horrigan got the news about his grandmother’s passing. Kavoossi looked at his friend and said, “What do you need from me right now? You want to go get some food and talk [or not talk]? Do you want me to give you some space right now? Whatever you need, just tell me.” For Horrigan, that moment taught him what to say to someone in times of grief. They went to Horrigan’s favorite sushi spot, and it was exactly what he needed at that moment.
While Kavoossi’s been a professional artist for 10 years, his journey started as a 13-year-old, fiddling around with a guitar in the basement, going to his father’s gigs, and editing graphics on the family computer. He’s a man of many trades that feed him, both literally and figuratively. He has an insatiable desire to learn more about whatever he’s working on because he wants it to be the best it can be. He wants whomever he’s collaborating with to feel good about the work and whoever is around him just to be happy. He goes above and beyond for results. That’s what he does, and that’s who he is.
For more information,
visit kavoossi.com.
