Melvin McKnight means soul. Melvin McKnight means funky rhythm. Melvin
McKnight means acoustic and electric guitar and full-bodied vocals.
Melvin McKnight means stage and studio experience.
On the professional music scene for ten years Melvin
feels a sense of history has emerged from his playing. "I want
to show people that I respect where I came from while at the same time
giving them something new to think about." Mr. McKnight has been doing
just that with own band, Malicious Soul, which has been playing the New
Jersey circuit for the past three years.
Malicious Soul, the funky quartet fronted by Mr. McKnight, is an
incestuous marriage of soul music and R&B. The New Brunswick-based
group consistently packs the house, and its monthly residency at
Makeda's brings fans from all over the state. Mr. McKnight's catchy
originals are woven seamlessly into the fabric of classic material from
Prince, Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Donny Hathaway.
Malicious Soul, which is composed of students and alumni of the
Julliard School, Berklee School of Music, and Mason Gross School of the
Arts, provides a stunning display of musicianship as well as laying
down pure, unadulterated funk.
But Malicious Soul is not all that Mr. McKnight has to offer. He has a
flourishing solo career as well, performing explosive acoustic sets at
cafes and similar venues. His songwriting shows a mature social
understanding with a symbiotic balance of strength and timidity. His
lyrics are accessible and his textured arrangements aren't overstated.
Mr. McKnight is also an experienced studio session musician, having
laid guitar tracks for TM Stevens, Pras of the Fugees, and Lil' Flip.
Mr. McKnight has also performed with TM Stevens' touring band, the
Trammps, and most recently, John Legend.
Studio, stage, history, future, electric, acoustic, guitar, vocals: you
find it all in Melvin McKnight. And you find Melvin McKnight in all
that he does.