Melissa Jones | Fusing Soul and R&B with a Feel-Good Sound
“Don’t move too fast” or you’ll miss the ever-so-soulful speeding bullet that is Melissa Jones!
Following the release of her album, She Be in 2019 and her single, Grapevine, Melissa has released a single this year titled Make It Last.
The song opens with a burst of energy, with a funky and jazzy melody reminiscent of late 90s, early 2000s Pop R&B (think Blu Cantrell and Lady May). That said, the influence of soul queens such as Angie Stone, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Heather Headley and more becomes more palpable as the song progresses.
Melissa describes her music as a blend of neo-soul, R&B, jazz, soul, and funk. There are elements of live instrumentation, vocal scatting, and dynamic musical changes in the arrangement of songs. Funk is alive and well on this track, with a rich and steady bassline and drums that implore you to get up and dance. The message is endearing- encompassed in Melissa’s lyrics are all of the tools to show you how to show love and what true love is, as well as showcasing her desire to keep the love connection present and fresh.
“We gotta feel the mood and let it ride,
We’re gonna let the beat play on,
We’re just gonna make it last,
Don’t move too fast,
We’re just gonna make it last,
Don’t move too fast now”
Melissa’s message is to live in the moment, in today, and revel in love and positivity. The song ends in a melodic and joyful harmony that reminds me of Sunday Service when you’re a child- the pastor, along with his drums and choir, dismissing you with a comforting, familiar and upbeat rhythm. Coupled with an apparent Gospel influence, jazz is present throughout as Melissa scats rhythmically over unique grooves to immerse you further into this track.
Melissa Jones’s musical style and cadence is reminiscent of improvised jazz with an eclectic fusion of neo-soul, hip-hop and R&B. As a singer-songwriter and producer, Melissa channels her energy through free-form scatting and melodic rhythms. Her songwriting process is described as a stream of consciousness of melodic/musical arrangements that form instantaneously.
"The goal of my music is to continue to develop my sound by pushing the envelope. I want to create something that hasn't been done before." - Melissa Jones
About Melissa Jones: Born and raised in Oakland California, Melissa grew up in a musical household where she was exposed to her parents’ broad range of music vinyl collection and stereo surround sound speakers that amplified a house concert experience. Melissa’s musical influences range from Erykah Badu, Anderson .Paak, Robert Glasper, and Prince. Melissa has collaborated with a multitude of musicians and artists and was the former lead singer of soul band No Lovely Thing, a genre-bending 7-piece band that combined a mixture of neo-soul, blues, funk, and alternative rock. Melissa has gone on to record and collaborate with other producers/musicians where she strengthened her songwriting and production skills. Melissa currently resides in Brooklyn, New York where she is recording and working on her debut solo album with Producer/musician Errick Lewis.
Make It Last from her forthcoming album is available on all streaming/digital platforms including Spotify and Apple Music.
You can follow and witness her artistic evolution/updates on Instagram: @melissajonesmusic
Learn more about Melissa on her website: https://melissajones.bandzoogle.com/
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