I remember sitting anxiously
For my 4th grade teacher to called on me
And ask the question I had been preparing for all week.
What instrument would you like to play?
And proudly I said the saxophone.
That was after the drums had already been taken
But still I knew sax was a good choice because my dad loved jazz
And I wanted him to be proud of me.
See music set the mood in my house.
Brand New Heavies coupled with the sweet smell of eggs and bacon meant
I was doing yard work that morning.
Kirk Whalum and oatmeals sweet scent meant my dad was studying his bible
And I could get an extra hour of sleep.
The smoky smell of hickory Earth Wind and Fire's September and cocky laughter
Meant my dad was full of himself and I was eating soul food that day.
Oooo, this tastes good
Was my queue to run upstairs for a fresh sampling of his creamy mac and cheese
Right out of the oven.
Good music a mouth full of food and a smile on my face was his saving grace.
It was his way of showing me why I should be proud of my name.
That life is about love and faith.
That my word is the most important commitment I could ever make.
And if I could make a woman smile with some creamy mac and cheese
Then I could share the same beautiful moment with my kid someday.
I remember the long drives down I-75 to Savannah GA.
Mom sis and little brother passed out in the back seat
And dad ranting about his glory days.
How he had this huge collection of albums and dabbled on the trombone.
I learned about my past on these trips.
That music was a time machine shaping the way we viewed the world
Our tour guide in a life long escapade.
I learned that music was the muse of my birth
With pockets full of soul and rhythm
Plastered together in brick sized sound bites.
We listened to Miles Coltrane and Quincy
Blues and Fusion Hip Hop and Blackness.
My father used music to open my eyes to the life I was meant to live.
I gained the courage to be the me I was most afraid of
Be the voice I never thought I had
Be the salvation I sometimes forgot to pray about
Be a beautifully scored masterpiece etched into the memory banks of everyone I would meet.
Who would have thought
This nervous 4th grader with heart to make his father proud
Would turn into a man full of love and faith
With a commitment as strong as his word
And the ability to cook a smile onto that special woman's face
My Dad he did.