It's About the Melody

Composer/musicians Mark Saltman and William Knowles call Washington D.C., home. Together, they form a collaborative unit that expresses some of the best new concepts in jazz. These ideas include singable melodies, colorful harmonic jaunts and a swinging, driving groove. One may argue that these concepts are not new; but in light of today's gymnastic, angular, chop-blistering approach, these ideas seem refreshing. Mark and William met while studying composition at the University of Massachusetts. During their time at school they began to play their compositions together, and the seeds of the group were formed. Together they have produced three recordings for various labels under the name Soulservice. Stop Look and Listen followed by Dreamcatcher and Sandcastles. They were also Artists in Residence at the Kennedy Center and earned two grants from the D.C. commission for the Arts. The press has described their music as; 'rhythmically infectious', 'melodically alluring', 'colorful', 'a seamless blending of sounds'. Some live press descriptions include; "had the whole house swinging", "the crowd was...drawn to the hard breaks, stops and starts."; "great interplay" and "a sincere and emotional collection of tunes". Throughout history, music has helped folks make sense of their world, deal with troubles, celebrate and convey emotions. The music of William Knowles and Mark Saltman strives to be a part of this fine tradition.