Jeffrey Daniel: My six best albums

THE BEATLES: Meet The Beatles!

(UMC)

The album they came to America with in 1964. I was very young, watching people on TV at the airport screaming at these four guys. My mother bought the album and I was running around the house with a broomstick, shaking my head like they did, going “woo-woo-woo!” Then in 1984, Paul McCartney, my favourite Beatle, recruited me to dance in his movie Give My Regards To Broad Street.

CAROLE KING: Tapestry

(Ode/Epic/Legacy)

My sister bought me this because I used to sing to the radio when I heard, “I feel the earth move under my feet”. You can put it on and let every song play, great music with good stories and melodies.

MARVIN GAYE: What’s Going On

(Motown)

An album that changed the musical climate. He’s addressing the Vietnam War, police brutality, taxes going up, how black Americans were affected and it was an anthem for all of us. And a lot of the issues go on.

ROBERTA FLACK & DONNY HATHAWAY: Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway

(Atlantic)

This is a mixture of gospel, which I grew up with, and soul, plus Roberta Flack adds a touch of classical with her clear vocals. They were singing about things we were going through in America.

MICHAEL JACKSON: Bad

(Sony)

I’m biased because I choreographed the Smooth Criminal and Bad videos. That was another dream come true. But I like the fact that he released a ballad first, I Just Can’t Stop Loving You, which threw everyone off.

RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence

(Milan)

I went to see this as a David Bowie movie but when the music came on, I froze. I had to meet him. It started a long relationship between me and Sakamoto. Whenever he dies, he is going to be looked at as a Beethoven, Stravinsky or Bach. His string arrangements take you to the ceiling.