Jason Knight's Page

www.rumstreetz.com

Jason Knight

Aka

"The Blues Man"






Jason Knight has been performing since the age of ten in a small town called Grand Chain, Illinois playing music in a Pentecostal Church. At the age of fifteen Jason started playing harmonica, but it wasn't until later that Jason would find himself doing something bigger than he could have imagined with his life. In 1995 with only one year of college, Jason joined the Army as a Tank M1A1 driver and was transferred to Ft Lewis, WA were he started his music career not as a blues artist, but as a reggae rap artist performing at venues around Tacoma and Seattle. But, this was not the break that Jason was looking for so, in 1997 the young artist re-enlisted as a Tanker and they were moved to V Corps Heidelberg Germany. Since then he has been dj-ing, writing, and producing music. In 1998 Jason dedicated a lot of time exploring harmonica sound with a DJ mixing the sound with tracks and before he knew it he was performing and interviews with DJ Falk from Sunshine-Live dance radio station and many others. Word had spread and Sergeant Knight became a regular on the radio stations like Sunshine Live Dance with DJ Falk and others. This is when Jason started performing harmonica and MC-ing with DJ's playing his harmonica with hip-hop hence was born "Blues Hop."

This landed him shows all over Germany from Berlin to Saarbrucken, Stuttgart, France and Sweden in front of 2000+ audiences. While stationed in Germany Jason opened up for DJ Kool’s hit song "Let Me Clear My Throat" and The OUTLAWZ from hit artist 2PAC (Baby Don't Cry). 2001 Jason Knight moved back to the United States. Here he continued to promote his Blues Hip-hop style in Colorado, but enjoyed limited success. Soon Jason started playing open mic nights at blues clubs with accomplished musician Tony Rody (who later passed away in 2004). In 2003 Jason got orders to deploy to IRAQ and his unit moved across the desert and makes their first forward outpost Hit IRAQ and later move to Fallujah Iraq Camp Rifles. While in IRAQ morale was low and Jason linked up with a MP platoon from VA who had brought guitars from the States and they started playing the Blues in IRAQ. Jason would play the National Anthem on blues harmonica while soldiers would sit quietly as the dust and wind would blow by. Soldiers would pass by and listen to the band, tears would fall from their eyes reminiscing about their loved ones who they missed terribly. During this time Jason started "Blues Hop" again to help boosting morale among his company.

In 2006, Jason while still in Iraq started discussion on his web site Word On Da Streetz and later change it to R.U.M (Revolution of the Underground Music) On Da Streetz. with artists around the world about music. Jason soon put together R.U.M On Da Streetz Compilation Album International Players Volume 1 with artists from around the world. In 2007 Jason orders came down for recruiting and he was moved to New Jersey. There he met Alycia and Mikhael Lerer of Lerer Media (formerly TMEG) a company that produces events for Spread the Laughter a organization dedicated to bringing entertainment to the troops. With this non-profit organization he opened for such artist as Patti Labelle, Kevin Michael, Plain White T's, Trey Songz, Chrisette Michele, Musiq Soulchild, Capone from Night at the Apollo, and performed live in Times Square NYC.




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Simultaneously, Jason started working with IAVA (Iraqi Afghanistan Veterans Association) and this gave him the opportunity to open for Lockley at MTV Real Word Brooklyn, MTV Vet Concert, and Capital Hill Washington DC through Paul Rieckhoff (Executive Director & Founder IAVA) , Paayal Mahajan (Director IAVA) and Blake Henderson (Membership Associate IAVA) . Ken Wong (Commissioner, President's Advisory Commission, Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders) schedule Jason to play the National Anthem on Blues Harmonica at the Philadelphia Dragon Boat Race June 6th, 2009 and Watson P. Heilala (The Shore Football Coaches Foundation) the High School All-Shore Game which is attended by nearly 5000+ people and represents student-athletes from Monmouth and Ocean County July 17th, 2009.

While being free time "Blues Man" and full time military Sergeant Knight being deployed to the same conflict twice, Jason has seen and heard a lot of different styles of music during his time in the Army and for that he is truly grateful and it has made him open minded. BLUES MAN by Jason Knight is a combination of various blues styles which include Chicago, Memphis, and deep tones from the south. What is discovered, is the sweet and sweaty sounds of life with the up and down beat essence of hip hop. This sound amplifies and accentuates traditional tones with the modern, traditional syncopation maintained by the time honored blues harmonica. Nothing is lost, the old and the new is combined to make Blues Hop an exciting sound in the tradition of the legendary and inspirational artists like, John lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, BB King, and Bobby Blue Bland. Blues Man is a sound of poverty and the struggle of the common man.

Now back from WAR, "I continue to my promote music through family, friends, fans and new comers. Half way across the world people I care for are Fighting for Freedom, Fighting for a Dream, Fighting for Survival, Fighting to be Heard, Fighting for that "VOICE" in this world to impact life and leave an imprint". Like a spark, the "BLUES MAN" is spreading what is underground to surface one day at a time. Jason’s music can be found on his web site at www.JasonKnight.net, iTunes, NAPSTER, Livewire, Groupie, Emusic, and Rhapsody.