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So I was always around music and my dad was in his own way a progressive jazzer, a big band jazzer guy.

I got my love of jazz from my stepfather, who was a jazz musician.

As time passed on, got to hear some players who were straight up funky, not just jazz. Nat Adderley, for instance - he's a funky trumpet player, so he was my man.

That was the producer who produced a couple of my solo albums. He produced my second, third and fourth solo albums. It was his project and I just joined him on it. I sang on one and played bass on another one.

Possibly, I should have been a jazz singer from the beginning.

I was a jazz major in high school, in an all-jazz band. No matter what I do, it features my musical influences.

I was blessed to work with The Jazz Messengers when the two piano players were Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea.

And I played in jazz band as well during all three years in school.

I loved Art Tatum! And, through him, and other different jazz musicians, I actually found my technique.

I cut myself off from the mainstream of jazz. It stood me in good stead later on, as a musician.