first record remembered
David Fathead Newman - Hard Times (produced by Ray Charles)
This record had a tremendous effect on me. The combination of jazz, gospel and R&B, at that time, was a unique blend - one that affected me for the rest of my life and career!

a song that reminds you of school
Cal Tjader - Afro Blue
This became the first tune I learned when I formed a band in high school. Since we only knew three or four songs, we wound up playing "Afro Blue" in as many different styles and configurations as we could.

a record you fell in love to
Milton Nascimento - Clube Da Esquina
The frist time I went to Brazil. I purchased this album, and it changed my life. The rhythms, the melodies, the concepts - this is one incredible album!

your ultimate heartbreak song
My own song "No Rhyme No Reason" is my own personal ultimate heartbreak song. The lyrics to this song represent a personal part of my life that actually took place, for the most part, in Montreux, Switzerland during the festival. I will never forget those moments!

a record that evokes greatest summer of your life
The Clarke/Duke Project 1 album evokes memories of my greatest summer ever - being on tour with a "hit" record, playing large venues, partying and generally just acting crazy and getting paid for it!

your liberation anthem
"Lift Every Voice And Sing" has been an inspiration to me since I was a kid. In fact, it has been considered the Black National Anthem for many years, and my mom made me aware of the song and what it represented while I was very young.

a song you wish you’d made yourself
I've always loved the Chaka Khan song "Through The Fire". It is a great song musically and lyrically. I wish I'd thought of that!

a song guarenteed to make you feel depressed
The only music that makes me depressed is "BAD" music. By that, I mean music that is not created from the heart - style and idiom is of no concern.

the best Miles Davis record
This is tough - I love so many!! If I had to choose one, I would probably choose "Four and More" because of its' rawness. It's a live album that shows the incredible creativeness of a band at its' best.

the song played at your funeral
Milton Nascimento - Bridges.
I have always loved this. The ultimate song for me has always been and will always be the merging of a great lyric with a great composition and melody. This song represents that achievement.