Martin Luther McCoy: The Funk That Stole Christmas

Martin Luther is a soul singer with an un-compromised vision who, via his unique brand of rebel soul music, uses his 2nd tenor voice to captivate audiences from small intimate night clubs, to the big screen. Recognized as one of San Francisco Bay Area’s premiere talents, he has always presented a distinct blend of jazz funk fusion and more recently served as lead vocalist for the SFJazz Collective. Fiercely creative, he curates a multi genre platform for black excellence through a cinematic art ensemble called Moon Medicin and as a producer and songwriter, Luther has remained focused recording new music including a suite of jazz standards and his anticipated fourth studio full length entitled BLK WNDRFL (Summer 2023).
 
As an actor and voice talent, McCoy is most remembered for his breakout role of a Jimi Hendrix inspired character named “JoJo” in the motion picture ‘Across the Universe’ (Sony/Columbia), directed by Julie Taymor. He has been seen and heard in commercials (Airbnb, Jaybird, Diadora, Fresh Step), on theatre stages (Father Comes Home from the Wars parts 1,2,3.) and on soundtracks like Chasing Liberty, The Roots Present, Dave Chapelle’s Block Party and more recently contributing original music to the score of The Oracle by interdisciplinary visual artist and Moon Medicin co-founder, Sanford Biggers.
 
Before and post pandemic, Martin Luther has continued to contribute to independent cinema productions, record, and release music like the sizzling rnb song “Now”, on his own Rebel Soul Records imprint as well as several dance floor thumpers like “Back Tonight” produced by longtime collaborator and international selector, Miguel Migs. A former member of the iconic hip hop group The Roots, Martin’s wide range would eventually land him the job as first lead vocalist hired to join the critically acclaimed and fiercely instrumental, SFJAZZ Collective (2019). “I tend to focus less on what is expected of an artist by the audience and point my attention towards that exciting edge of the unknown, the undone is where it’s at.” Never shying away from paying homage to his influences, Martin has also enjoyed performing for sold-out audiences where he reimagines the music of legends like Marvin Gaye, Sade and Otis Redding.