“Bobby Brown – My Prerogative is one of my very first albums. A new jack swing era defining album, bringing the 80s sounds into the 90s. An album front loaded with hits and not much after but my, what hits they were. Reminding me of Primary school love, by no means the real thing but special nonetheless if you experience it….”

I’m currently working through my CD collection and leaving post it notes in album sleeves. Above is the first of many. These collections are my passion and the soundtrack to my life. I want the kids to know how these records made me feel and what I loved about them. I hope it won’t influence their own take on the songs too heavily, but it will let them know a little of what I heard and what they meant to me.

I remember having some conversations with Dad about some of the records he loved. I knew of his love for Anita Baker’s masterful Rapture album, the instrumentation on the Incognito “Positivity” album that was always on heavy rotation in the van when he would pick me and my brother up for the weekend, and that famous red heart shaped Bobby Caldwell vinyl “Do for Love“. How he used to love Kanye’s “Slow Jamz” although I didn’t clock at the time it was a sample from one of the finest records of all time Luther Vandross’ “House is not a Home“. I’m glad I got to talk to him about that song and the majestic performance Luther delivered. When I wrote my dissertation on Reggae music and how it brought the British Caribbean community together. We got to talk about Reggae music, the dances, the culture, the bass and what it meant and how it brought people together. A time when every Black face you saw was acknowledged. I wish I could talk to him now.

Get his take on a Jordan Rakei album, the horns on the latest Corinne Bailey Rae or the future alt soul of King, Thundercat and Anderson Paak. But I’d really love to delve into his music collection and find out the hidden story that lies behind each record. I miss him so much.

Sunday June 18th marks the 6th year of his passing… Father’s day. It’s such a love hate week for me. The memory and pain of the loss twinned with the celebration of my role as a Father that he himself taught me. I almost wrote unknowing there but then I realised that he was always teaching and preparing me for Fatherhood through near enough every action (he wasn’t perfect). I guess that’s the thing… given the events of the last week we never know when our time is going to come and my children will probably never know all of the questions they want to ask me while I’m still here. Through these Daddy Diary posts and CD notes that I write they’ll know some of my intricate thoughts and feelings. But through my daily actions they will always know me, they will know my heart. Just like I know my Father’s.

Happy Father’s day. Thank you Dad