Bob Marley, Muddy Waters and Jimi Hendrix appear to channel themselves through him. Each of his finely turned verses and his penetrating guitar rifts carry the textured stories of jazz greats, chieftains of funk, blues heroes, R&B giants and epic rock legends.

Martin Luther is the real thang.

As a multi-talented singer, songwriter, actor, musician and producer, Luther's sultry old school brand of artistry is far from the tepid, techno driven, spirit-less sounds that attempt to pass themselves off as traditional soul music. His peers respect his clarity and Luther's fans have developed a healthy craving for the real deal. In fact, Luther is the only independent artist given the privilege of recording a performance session for "MTV Live."

He also was twice named VH1.com’s, “You Outta Know” artist. With a video for the single “Daily Bread” making it to VH1 Soul’s Top 10, he went on to perform and tour with industry heavy-weights like Dave Matthews, Jill Scott and countless others. He has been seen by millions of fans, as a featured member of the legendary hip-hop band, The Roots, which also landed Luther a coveted cameo in Dave Chappelle’s comedic concert film, "Block Party."

Luther made his cinematic debut as a lead actor in the Sony Pictures release "Across the Universe," directed by Julie Taymor. The soundtrack, which he also appears on, is now platinum plus. Luther's last studio album, "Rebel Soul Music," was one of music underground’s most anticipated albums of 2004, nationwide. Since the album was released in September 2004, it has received amazing critical acclaim. Associated Press named it No. 4 on its Top 10 Albums of 2004 and People Magazine named RSM its “Critic’s Choice,” rating the album 3.5 out of 4 stars.

Thursday at the New Parish, flanked by his regiment of mind-blowingly gifted, next-level musicians, this spirit soldier laid down his simple, beautiful truth. The stage expanded to include us all - and Luther reveled in his experience of us. The easy grace that we witnessed tore through our neo-matrix-inflicted-4G-Generation souls and energized the ancient code that calls us to commune face-to-face ... with ourselves.

This is not an exercise - this is music that compels you to release joy like a child on the first day of summer and strut your bliss like a kiss from your first love. The jubilant crowd gathered there left with a swagger that confirmed the absolute authenticity of Luther's rebel music message.

In an interview with him, I gained insight into and a deeper appreciation for his soul rebel revolutionary stance: