By Shelah Moody
San Francisco native and acclaimed vocalist/musician Martin Luther McCoy is the epitome of style and cool. Perhaps for those reasons, the silky tenor was chosen by SFJAZZ to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Marvin Gaye’s iconic 1971 album “What’s Going On.” Luther and his eclectic band perform the songs of “What’s Going On” Sunday, Oct. 17 at SFJAZZ Center. https://www.sfjazz.org/tickets/productions/martin-luther-mccoy-whats-going-on/.
Here’s a snippet of my recent conversation with Martin Luther McCoy. To see the full interview; and to hear McCoy sing a few acapella tracks, check out the following video.
Streetwise Radio: For the youngsters out there, tell us what you know about Marvin’s iconic album and its relevance in 2021.
Martin Luther McCoy: I mean, it’s Marvin Gaye. It’s one of the best to ever have done it. It’s always a challenge to do anything with the music of the greats. Some of us might be charged with holding the torch and keeping it in the air; keeping it alive in the now and not just samples or clips of something from yesterday. I have often tributed some of the great artists who have impacted my artistry; and Marvin—his work and his chord choices; and the placement of his beautiful voice— that voice was such an instrument. Those guys at Motown were carving some new stuff. They were putting the absolute best melody over this chord change to (emphasize) this thing in his voice. It was that conquering lion. You could lean on it at any time and get the sweetest, but coldest soul music ever. Anyway, I funk with Marvin Gaye; all the time. It’s the 50th anniversary of the album.
Back to the chords. They’ve impacted some of the songs I’ve written and the way I deliver them.
Streetwise Radio: What are your favorite songs on “What’s Going On,” the album?
MLM: “What’s Happening Brother” is probably my favorite song, when I think of the album, “What’s Going On.” The feeling, the joy, the wonder, the way it was phrased gave you so much information about the perspective and the writing of that song. It’s awesome. I love how he’s just rapping with us. Marvin—he’s just that dude. He just talked to you, with this cold smile, with this tone. They got that Motown polish.
But, you know, I get it like Martin. I enjoy what I do with it because I’m doing it now; I’m making sure that these things are still in the air for us to show up, sit up and enjoy and party with. I’ve never done an artist’s body of work like this from top to bottom, so this is new for me. When I listen to that body of work, I don’t just listen to one song; I just let it rock. That’s just how good it is. But anyway, “ What’s Happening Brother” is my joint.
Streetwise Radio: Do you think you could play Marvin Gaye in a biopic or a movie?
MLM: I’d love to. I auditioned for a few things that were going on with Marvin Gaye. What’s for you is for you. We’ll see. That’s an awesome thought.
Streetwise Radio: You have an element of style and cool that reminds me of Marvin Gaye.
MLM: He’s got it, and thank you. Just to be thought of in such a fashion is awesome. I want to revere those cats for having done what they did with it, and I also want to be able to put myself up against them. No matter what, I want to be able to create something that somebody’s going to go to just as hard as they are going to go to some of their music. So I’ve got work to do.
Streetwise Radio: How long have you been working with SFJAZZ?
MLM: SFJAZZ has become an incredible home for me as a solo artist who’s a part of an organization that’s already running, that connects me to other things in that atmosphere. And those things are fantastic; and I do what I do for those things like I do what I’m doing for my own career. So, now it’s like having an ally in the mix. It’s awesome having SFJAZZ as an ally.
Streetwise Radio: How do you feel about SFJAZZ Center’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement for the audience? Does it make you feel any safer as a performer?
MLM: I understand the measure and how things have to go forward. People have to determine whether or not they want to be a part of that movement. I can’t really say that it’s safer or not because I’m out in the general public. By theory, it should be safer. And do I feel better about it? Yes. I don’t know, because I don’t want to put it on something like this is the answer. We don’t know. There’s so much we don’t know, so we have to find out in cautious ways. Some of us will not be a part of that mix at all, and others will take the jab.
For more information on Martin Luther McCoy, go to: https://martianluther.com/.
Streetwise Radio Zoom Interview With Martin Luther McCoy
