To fully understand Gregory Porter’s musical world view, it’s essential to appreciate his church upbringing. Sunday Morning isn’t something he does, it’s who he is, and it comes out in each of his albums and in each of his songs. This latest release has Porter’s thick Bill Withers-toned voice mixing between trio and jazz combo, but the mood is always in the church service.
Thus, with the B3 backing him up, he sends a message to the congregation in “Don’t Be A Fool” and the funky “Don’t Lose Your Steam” and with a muted trumpet gives a jazzy note of encouragement on “Insanity.” A spiritual back beat has Porter testify on “Consequence of Love,” but even best is when he gets into the mood of a recitative. “Holding On” has a gentle pulse to feel like a balm of Gilead, and the title track is as reflective as a pre-offering moment of meditation. Even Sunday School is hinted at with the high stepping “In Fashion” and the Latin “In Heaven.” Forget the myth of the speakeasy, Porter takes you back to where jazz really came from; the church. This guy puts the “soul” back into soul music.
Blue Note Records