My influences are many, but here are just a few: My Mom (aka. Contra Mom on MySpace.com- vocalist/songwriter), and step-father Victor McCadd (Nommo- jazz trumpet), Carter Jefferson (jazz saxophonist -R.I.P), The Spinners, Earth, Wind and Fire, James Brown, George Clinton, Marvin Gaye, Parliment Funkadelic, Al Green, Curtis Mayfield, Mother's Finest, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, Manhattan Transfer, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, Kenny G, David Sanborn, Everett Green (I think that's his last name lol), Brian McKnight, Maxwell, Main Ingredient, and DAngelo, Luther Vandross, Smokey Robinson, Rodney Franklin, Dave Brubeck, The Sugarhill Gang, Run DMC, Kool Moe Dee, Grand Master Flash and The Furious Five, Mastadon, and Salt-N-Pepa.