Acclaimed American Jazz singer songwriter, Gregory Porter received his first Grammy nomination in 2000, for his debut album ‘Water’. In 2013 ‘Liquid Spirit’ received global recognition and bagged him his first Grammy Award for best Jazz vocal album. Three years later the award was his for a second time with follow-up album ‘Take Me to the Alley’. Mr Porter is currently touring the UK and will perform at The Brighton Centre on the 22nd of April. Our editor caught up with him for a chat about his passion for Jazz, fast cars and gardening.
What inspired you to pursue a career as a Jazz vocalist?
I was attracted to the freedom of the subject matter, there was no pressure to have this pop ‘coolness’. I was also attracted to the classic style, sound and the messaging of Jazz
Your voice has been described as ‘liquid gold’, how do you feel about that?
I love that, I am aware that I have a richness to the sound of my voice and my mother said that I would hum myself to sleep as a baby. I am aware that there’s a comfort to the tone of my voice and I’ve used it for my own healing over the course of my life.
How did you feel when you won your first Grammy?
It was unbelievable. It does several things, sure it pumps up the ego or whatever. But it is also a validation of your journey. In my case I decided this was what I was going to do, write my own songs containing my own messages. And for me it was the validation of that part of my career and I continued to operate in that mode. Being in the room with all of the biggest names in music, it can be humbling but it can also be an affirmation that I belong there as well. It has been a lot of fun.
After you received your Grammys did your approach to music change?
Like I said it was validation so I carried on in the same way. Certainly the win increased my opportunities and visibility. It was fun to be in the same room and in conversation with people you idolise such as Quentin Jones and Stevie Wonder. Or when I found myself bumping into Smokey Robinson. I also recall meeting Tony Bennet at a Grammy event. It has been amazing and inspirational on another level.
Who were/are your biggest musical influences?
Nat King Cole, I used to imagine him as my father in the absence of my own. As I mentioned earlier I always loved the classic sound and style of Jazz, unencumbered by modern stylistic choices. These grand themes that would be portrayed in songs, like ‘Nature Boy’, the last line of that song being, ‘The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.’ This theme is something I was so attracted to and that was fostered from artists like Nat King Cole. Those optimistic songs, like Lewis Armstrong and lesser known but no less powerful artists such as Donny Hathaway would sing these optimistic songs that blew me away. You can be popular as an artist and still say something that has some soul to it. I have always been deeply inspired by that.
What albums would you suggest someone should listen to get an education or foundation in the world of Jazz?
Miles Davis Blues, for instrumental. Also a nice, easy and yet accessible genius record to listen to, Gregory Porter Liquid Spirit. It’s a modern day record but people can still identify the Jazz. The umbrella of the genre is so wide you really have to take a little time and in an hour you’ll find some artists that could be pleasing to the ear. Under the umbrella of Jazz exist the sounds of Robert Glasper, who as an modern artist has produced and performed with many of the greatest Hip Hop and R&B acts as well as the greatest Jazz artists. So he is all over the map. So there you go, my top three, Miles Davis, Gregory Porter and Rober Glasper.
Where do you draw your inspo from when you are writing?
When I write I try to find this commonality between all of us and I do that in the spaces that we all inhabit, which is love and its ups and downs, the human condition of loneliness, optimism about love and hope. I like to deal in those spaces and places that are undeniable to all people across race, socio economic and geography. How do you do that without saying something with complete vagary? That’s the challenge. I enjoy trying to find the way I can speak about the optimism of love. That’s what I try to do.
Any new music coming up?
From show to show I will be sampling some new works, my new album isn’t ready but I will be dabbling. I’ll be in the studio over the next few weeks before the tour and when the tour ends I will be working heavily on my new project – there’s a new record coming this year for sure!
Are you looking forward to being in the UK?
The UK has been incredible to me, incredible audiences and has really propelled my success around the world so I am really grateful to you all. I think the thing that has helped me in the UK is I have a soulfulness and you guys love a soulful human approach, you dig it.
What’s the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you?
My mother’s advice to me when I was a little boy was, ‘sing with an understanding.’ I took that to mean believing what it is you are singing. When I sing and close my eyes and step to the microphone and spread my arms and deliver to the audience, I am trying not to say anything that’s a lie. I really do believe in love and hope for mankind. Singing things I believe has been the best advice for my career because I hope I come off as authentic to my fans.
What do you do for fun?
I binge on garden shows from the UK, I love Monty Don, he is my man! Yesterday I was in the garden for about eight hours with my hands in the dirt, planting and digging up flowers. He does it so aggressively, plunging a shovel into the ground and dumping some beautiful flowers and covering it up and eventually you know it’s going to be perfect. His philosophy is don’t worry the earth will correct it, so I was emulating that. I also have a sports car. I love to drive really fast around the mountains. So between gardening and having my fingers full of dirt and driving my Porsche fast those are the things I do for fun.
Have you ever visited Brighton before?
I have! It’s funny I still have some antiques I purchased and never picked them up as I couldn’t fit them into my luggage. Every couple of months I call the store and ask if they still have my things and they tell me, ‘Yes, still here Mr Porter’ so I’m hoping to pick them up this time. I love shopping in the North Laine and I love the seafront.
See Gregory Porter at The Brighton Centre: Tue 22 Apr 2025 – Book tickets here.
