upfront
GREGORY PORTER
Laura Riley talks to jazz
singing sensation Gregory
Porter, ahead of his show
at the Brecon Jazz Festival.
T
he new voice of jazz has arrived – and his
name is Gregory Porter. After receiving a
full-ride athletic scholarship to San Diego
State University, Gregory Porter was set to
become an American football superstar, but a shoulder injury soon derailed his plans. Instead of moving
on to the routine nine-to-fives that so many former
college athletes do, Gregory decided to pursue his
other great love – music.
After years of hard work and the release of his third
album, the Grammy award-winning Liquid Spirit,
Gregory has seen his profile explode, but he still
makes sure to follow the same advice someone
special gave him when he was very young.
“‘Sing with an understanding’ is something my
mother said to me when I was five. Internalise the
words and allow them to come out with an emotional
tone. It seems strange and a throwaway thing, but I
use that advice when I sing now.”
Anyone who’s heard No Love Dying Here, Be Good
(Lion’s Song), 1960 What? – or any of his songs for
that matter – will know that Gregory’s words paint
incredibly vivid pictures.
“I’m generally trying to write from an organic perspective. I’m trying to put life to poetry – to put an
experience to poetry, to sing and put a melody to it.”
Gregory’s been compared to a number of his own
musical inspirations in recent years – Nat King Cole,
Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye, Lou Rawls – an
experience he describes as “strange but an honour at
the same time”. Now he’s starting singing alongside
them too.
“I’ve been meeting my idols lately, like Chaka Khan,
Tony Bennett, Stevie Wonder. I mean once you say
Stevie Wonder it’s like, wow – have that!”
Gregory’s tour schedule is incredibly hectic, with
dates spread throughout the rest of the year in the
US, UK and Europe, but if he does manage to grab
some downtime at Brecon Jazz, he knows who he’ll
be stopping by to see.
“Lala Hathaway, there you go bam, boom and Burt
Bacharach. Now, that’s an icon of the music right
there Burt, just song after song after song of greatness. I would like to stand next to his fire and listen
what he has to do musically.”
Gregory Porter, Market Hall, Brecon
Jazz Festival, 8pm, Sunday 10 Aug.
Tickets: £35. Info: www.breconjazz.
com
“‘Sing with an
understanding’
is something my
mother said to me
when I was five.”
BRING ON
BRECON JAZZ
WAY back in the summer of ‘84 the
inaugural Brecon Jazz Festival took the
small Welsh town by storm. Since then,
the festival has become an international
event for jazz fanatics everywhere, hosting
legends such as Dianne Reeves, Courtney
Pine, Stan Tracey, Van Morrison, and Amy
Winehouse.
As it reaches its 30th birthday, its
lineup continues to impress, bringing great
jazz musicians to the town.
As a nod to the festival’s history, Brecon
invites trumpeter Warren Vache back.
Having featured at the very first Brecon
Jazz, Vache is performing as part of a
quintet that includes Alan Barnes, who
has twice received the BBC award for
Jazz Instrumentalist Of The Year.
MOBO nominee Zara McFarlane will
also be in attendance this year, singing
her heart out at Brecon Cathedral. Kairos
4tet, fronted by saxophonist Adam
Waldmann (who has worked with acts
like Alicia Keys, Paloma Faith and Tinie
Tempah), will be gracing the stage at
Christ College.
Laura Mvula, who made her immense
debut last year as a soul singersongwriter, will be a performance not to
miss. Her top 10 album Sing To The Moon
took awards left, right and centre last year
for its idiosyncratic blend of classic pop,
jazz, and soul.
Category-defying London ensemble Polar
Bear will also be joining in the festivities.
Their latest album In Each And Every
One is more intense than previous work,
drummer and de facto bandleader Seb
Rochford (who has worked with Paul
McCartney and Patti Smith) steering them
in a new direction.
Finally, make sure to make time to see
the Streets Alive on Saturday. View street