UpStArt: Chuck of All Trades
+ 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.