Often cast as a soul, gospel, or even pop vocalist, Gregory Porter from California is a truly versatile songwriter and singer. His musical journey owes much to influential soul and R&B performers like Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, and Bill Withers. Furthermore, his mother, a Pentecostal minister, was instrumental in promoting his early singing talent in church.
Throughout the recent years, Porter propelled himself to international fame rather unusually and somewhat late in his atypical career. He is now a significant figure on the global stage, accumulating Grammy awards, making appearances on talk shows, and even hosting his own cooking series. Notably, it had been seven years since Porter’s last performance in Ireland, and the 1,300 tickets for his first of two performances at the Cork Opera House, part of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, sold out within a mere 10 minutes.
Despite his diverse talents, Porter remains a devout jazz singer at heart. Together with his loyal touring band, he lends a fluid and spontaneous energy to his music and performances. Porter’s quintet launched into their relaxed opening song, Holding On, mimicking a club atmosphere before the star made his dramatic entrance to the delight of the eager audience.
Porter also encourages his band members to showcase their skills, notably the searing alto saxophonist Scooter Brown. With hands confidently placed in his beige double-breasted suit pockets, Porter moves and nods in recognition of their jazz traditions and expertise.
At the core of it all, the constant centrepiece of the stage is the attractive and towering figure of Porter, a 6ft 5in 52-year-old. Sporting his emblematic newsboy cap with a customised strap that covers his ears and chin, his deep, romantic, and layered baritone voice is the icing on the cake.
Beginning his concert with a statement that he and his band are set to peruse their repository of songs, Porter gives a hint of his vintage inclinations as well as the demographic makeup of the predominantly couple-based audience. Showcasing his most popular and largely self-penned tracks over the course of nearly two hours, the loudest acclamation is unsurprisingly assigned to Hey Laura. Nonetheless, other Porter classics such as Liquid Spirit, Take Me to the Alley, Mister Holland and Musical Genocide are greeted just as enthusiastically.
Throughout the gig, Porter demonstrates a charming blend of unassailable love, social awareness, effervescent applause and upbeat vibes. As he smoothly quips at one juncture, “the rain may be pouring, but we’re cozily nestled indoors.” Occasionally, one might long for a slightly more profound lyric or a rougher vocal texture. Yet, this serves as an ideal kickoff to the extended weekend festivities in Cork, reflecting the festival’s essence – jazz that expands its horizons and warmly embraces its attendees.