Just six years ago, the then 36 year old Gregory Porter was transitioning his career as a chef to a vocalist with his debut album Water. Now, this old soul of a vocalist has revived the art of storytelling through jazz, mixing standards with his own material, climaxing on this May 18. 2016 show in Berlin on cd and dvd. There is nothing pretentious or showy about Porter; he brings his life as a devout Christian to the front with songs about life, relationships and social awareness, all in a package of thrilling sounds and grooves.
His team of Chip Crawford/p, Jahmal Nichols/b, Emanuel Harrold/dr and Tivon Pennicott/ts are adept at both creating soulful pulses, extrapolating solos and sensitive frames for Porter’s rich molasses of a voice, depending on the mood and demands of the lyrics. Nichols provides a hip solo as an intro to the relentless “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” in which Porter sounds like a warning prophet. Harrold climaxes the gospel driven “Work Song” with an “Amen” of a solo, and Pennicott sears through a riveting “Holding On” like he’s recording for an Impulse! album.
As for Porter himself, he knows how to write songs with lyrics that more important than the standard “I love you, baby” as he tells a rich story of hope with Crawford on the thoughtful “Take Me To The Alley” and taps into his inner Bill Withers during “On My Way To Harlem/What’s Going On.” He sounds urgent and convincing on the encouraging “Be Good (Lion’s Song)” and delivers like a street preacher during “1960 What?” while “Don’t Be A Fool” and “Consequence of Love” could be sermons from an Old Testament prophet.
Porter has found his message as well as his medium. If you haven’t discovered him yet, here’s an excellent starting point.