Gregory Porter

Gregory Porter

Porter on JazzLive in 2013

Porter at JazzLive International, Pittsburgh, 2013
Background information
Born November 4, 1971 (43 years)
Sacramento, California, US
Genres Jazz, Blues, Soul, Gospel
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, actor
Years active 1998–present
Labels Motéma Music, Blue Note
Website gregoryporter.com

Gregory Porter (born November 4, 1971)[1] is a Grammy Award-winning American jazz vocalist, songwriter, and actor. Porter won the 2014 Grammy for best jazz vocal album, Liquid Spirit.

Life and career

Gregory Porter was born in Sacramento and was raised in Bakersfield, California, where his mother was a minister. An 1989 graduate of Highland High School, he received a full-ride athletic scholarship to San Diego State University (SDSU Aztecs). A shoulder injury during his junior year of high school restricted his football career.[2]

Porter always wears a modified flat cap for public appearances. The reason for this is not entirely clear, but he has mentioned its role as a security blanket and refers to it as his "jazz hat."[3] In an interview with Jazzweekly.com conducted by George W. Harris on November 3, 2012, when asked "what’s with the ubiquitous hat?" Porter replied, "I’ve had some surgery on my skin, so this has been my look for a little while and will continue to be for awhile longer. People recognize me by it now. It is what it is." [4]

He was signed by Blue Note Records (Universal Music Group) on May 17, 2013, and his third album, Liquid Spirit, was released on September 2, 2013, in Europe and on September 17, 2013, in the US.[5] The album is produced by Brian Bacchus.[6] The album won the 2014 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album.[7]

In August 2014 Porter released "The 'In' Crowd" as a single.[8]

Critical reception

Since his 2010 debut on the Motéma label, Porter has been well received in the music press.

His debut album, Water, released in 2010 via Motéma Music, was nominated for Best Jazz Vocal album at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards.[9] He was also a member of the original Broadway cast of It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues. His second album, Be Good, which contains many of Porter's compositions, was released on February 14, 2012, and garnered critical acclaim for both his distinctive singing and his compositions, such as "Be Good (Lion's Song), "Real Good Hands", and "On My Way to Harlem". The title track was also nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.[10] In his review of Water, Kevin Le Gendre of the BBC wrote that "Gregory Porter has a voice and musicality to be reckoned with."[11]

The New York Times described Porter as "a jazz singer of thrilling presence, a booming baritone with a gift for earthy refinement and soaring uplift" in its review of Liquid Spirit.[12]

Discography

Albums

Solo albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications
Year Title Peak chart positions
US
[13]		 AUT
[14]		 BEL
[15]		 DEN
[16]		 FR
[17]		 GER
[18]		 NED
[19]		 NOR
[20]		 SUI
[21]		 UK
[22]
2010 Water — — — — — — 40 — — —
2012 Be Good — — 149 — 144 — 10 — — —
2013 Liquid Spirit 187 25 35 7 24 8 6 35 63 9

Collaborations

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications
Year Title Peak chart positions
US
[13]		 AUT
[14]		 BEL
[15]		 DEN
[16]		 FR
[17]		 GER
[18]		 NED
[19]		 NOR
[20]		 SUI
[21]		 UK
[22]
2014 Great Voices of Harlem — — — — — — — — — —
Issues of Life - Features and Remixes — — 138 — — 72 49 — — —

Extended plays

Year Title
2014 More Liquid Spirit – Features + Remixes

Singles

Year Title Peak chart positions Album
NED
[19]
2012 "Be Good (Lion's Song)" 100 Be Good
2014 "Revisited" — N/A
"The 'In' Crowd" — Liquid Spirit

Guest appearances

List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"Children, Your Line Is Draggin'" 1999 N/A It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues
"Sweet Home Chicago" C.E. Smith, Buddy Guy
"Do You Feel Like I Feel" 2011 Nicola Conte Do You Feel Like I Feel
"Ghana"
"Gogo Soul" 2012 The Rongetz Foundation Brooklyn Butterfly Session
"Hard Bob Merry Go Round"
"Love's Work" Robin McKelle & The Flytones Soul Flower
"Sweet Country Love Song" Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra The Golden Age of Song
"No Fundo do Teu Silêncio" Meeco Beauty of the Night
"Nowhere to Run" 2013 Zbonics Time to Do Your Thing
"She Danced Across the Floor"
"Issues of Life"
"She's Gone"
"Just in Time"
"Satiated (Been Waiting)" Dianne Reeves Beautiful Life
"Losin' Our Minds" Kentyah, M-1, Brian Jackson, The New Midnight Band Evolutionary Minded: Furthering the Legacy of Gil Scott-Heron
"Occupy Planet Earth"
"Song of the Wind"
"Army of the Faithful (Joyful Noise)" David Murray Infinity Quartet Be My Monster Love
"About the Children"
"Hope Is a Thing with Feathers"
"Souls" Magnus Lindgren Souls
"Small Stuff"
"Broken Heart"
"Vida" Max Herre MTV Unplugged Kahedi Radio Show
"So wundervoll"
"Stand by Me" 2014 Till Brönner The Movie Album
"Let the Good Times Roll" Andreas Varady Come Together EP
"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" Jamie Cullum Interlude
"Go Tell It on the Mountain / Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (Medley) Anita Wilson Motown Christmas
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" Renée Fleming Christmas in New York
"Central Park Serenade"
"Black Is the Colour (of My True Love's Hair)" N/A Autour de Nina

References

  1. ↑ "Gregory Porter: Prohibice by mi nevadila". Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  2. ↑ Gregory Porter MySpace bio.
  3. ↑ Spice, Anton. "Gregory Porter interview: "You have to know the protest in order to hear the protest"". ICrates. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  4. ↑ George W. Harris, "Gregory Porter: Living Water", Jazz Weekly, November 3, 2012.
  5. ↑ Jeff Tamarkin (May 15, 2013). "Blue Note Signs Vocalist Gregory Porter". jazztimes.com. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Liquid Spirit cover unveiled". marlbank.net/. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  7. ↑ "Best Jazz Vocal Album". grammy.com/. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  8. ↑ Guardian music. "Gregory Porter: The 'In' Crowd – video premiere - Music - theguardian.com". the Guardian. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Gregory Porter at Nominees Reception". grammy.com/. February 12, 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  10. ↑ "55th annual Grammy Awards nominees". usatoday.com/. January 16, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  11. ↑ Kevin Le Gendre, Gregory Porter Water Review, BBC Music, 2010.
  12. ↑ Nate Chinen, E"voking Older Ideals and Earthly Realities: Gregory Porter Mines Soulful Jazz in ‘Liquid Spirit’", The New York Times, September 6, 2013.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Gregory Porter - Chart history". Billboard.com. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Gregory Porter discography". austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Gregory Porter discography". ultratop.be/nl/. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Gregory Porter discography". danishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Gregory Porter discography". lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Gregory Porter - Liquid Spirit". Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 "Gregory Porter discography". dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Gregory Porter discography". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Gregory Porter discography". hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Gregory Porter discography". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved September 16, 2013.

External links