Noel McKoy is a British soul singer from Clapham in London. Born in 1961 and active until his death in 2022, he works across soul, gospel, funk and Northern soul, and is also associated with acid jazz and singer-songwriter material.

McKoy begins recording in 1989, when he and his siblings release the songs “I’m Lucky” and “Family”. In the early 1990s he fronts the James Taylor Quartet, and he also duets with Juliet Roberts, Mica Paris, Vanessa Simon, Beverley Knight and Ebony Alleyne. His music is rooted in soul but draws on gospel, funk and Northern Soul traditions.

Albums and recordings

His first album, Full Circle – Within A Social Soul, appears in 1993. Four years later he follows it with Mind Is the Keeper. In 1998 he owns his own label, Right Track Records, and issues his third album, Please Take This Personal.

In 2007 he records new material for Ian Levine’s Northern Soul 2007 and Disco 2008; the latter also includes his sisters. His fourth solo album, Brighter Days, arrives in 2009 on Tri-Sound and includes the singles “Jealousy” and the title track.

Later work

McKoy later works with ex-UB40 saxophonist Brian Travers and reggae-fusion trumpet player Patrick Anthony Tenyue on the self-penned track “Liberation”, released for TEK2 Productions.