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The love man of jazz, Gregory Porter at the Royal Albert Hall in London, July 2023.
Backed by a tight backing band and a choreographed orchestra, Gregory Porter bestowed the Royal Albert Hall in London, providing the packed venue with a two-hour set, thrilling the audience with an array of songs from his increasing retepore.
Porter’s three-night residency at the ionic British venue, steeped in Victoriana, formed part of his current world tour.
The soulful Gregory Porter in London. Image (C) Tim Sandle
Porter opened his set with a powerful trio of songs: Revival, If Love Is Overrated and No Love Dying. The majority of the songs performed were taken from Porter’s most and acclaimed recent album – All Rise. Even when it’s painful, confusing, out of reach, or under attack, love is ultimately curative.
Each song performed is saltry, full of soul and powerfully presented. Jazz reinvention in progress.
Porter is one of the few jazz singers to break into the mainstream (especially in the UK where he has enjoyed four consecutive top-ten albums). He has twice won a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album. The first in 2014 for Liquid Spirit (the Blue Note released album landing at number two on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart) and then again in 2017 for Take Me to the Alley.
For those less familiar with Porter’s jazz numbers, he was the guest vocalist on the song Holding On by British electronic music duo Disclosure. This song reached number on the US Dance Club Songs chart.
Porter has a special ability to work the audience. This includes introducing songs and providing some contextual information to sharing experiences, be that discrimination, COVID, and lost love.
Porter’s set included the romantic If Love Is Overrated (‘If love is overrated let me be the one that is naïve’) and the song Concorde, which is a beautifully melodic ode to home: ‘Sixty thousand feet up in the air / I can’t wait to come down, drop down.’
Porter tells the tale of travelling on a plane slowly landing after a tour, referencing the iconic transatlantic passenger plane that broke the sound barrier.
The show was invariably uplifting with Porter’s booming baritone ensuring the momentum was tuneful, move-to, and swinging.
Several tracks showcased Porter’s cross-pollinated brand of jazz, soul, and gospel. Across the 15 songs performed he is able to tap into disarming levels of power and range.
Another song namechecks the boogie woogie piano man Jools Holland. Porter stayed at Holland’s converted railway station home and the two “ate some good food, listened to some blues records and fed the ducks”.
Standing tall, Porter wears his now-famous hat to cover up the scars he has from undergoing skin surgery, which he was left with over a decade ago.
An especially generous performer, Porter invariably gave space to his band to perform, permitting them several moments to demonstrate their virtuoso skills, including sublime renditions on the Hammond Organ, piano, saxophone, trombone and trumpet.
Good vibes, good times, were had by all.
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