Growing up, my parents never played jazz albums. I didn’t really find out
about Miles Davis, John Coltrane and others until much later in life. One thing I did get a good dose of was Otis Redding. My father was (and still is) a huge Otis fan and I think I inherited his love. I also count it as a heavy influence in how I approach music – whether it is jazz on the trumpet or singing in the church choir.

The Dock of the Bay is easily one of my favorite albums. I have great memories associated to each song (I vividly remember singing the song “Tramp” with my sister all the time as kids) but even without the memories the music presented is simply fantastic. Otis Redding had a unique voice and the ability to pour so much emotion into a song. Whether he was begging his girlfriend to “Open the Door” or telling about the “Glory of Love” you could feel every bit of it. He plays with an incredible horn section including Otis Redding died at 26 in a plane crash. He was in the prime of his career and his writing on this album showed that he was on the verge of something tremendous. The lyrics of the song “Ole Man Trouble” hold a bone chilling irony considering that this album was released after his death…

Sometimes
Sometime I get – I get a little worried
ole man trouble Please Please
Stay away from me
Ole man trouble
Stay away from me
You’re nothing but trouble
Stay away, stay away Please