Coming 02/14/12
With Water still receiving critical acclaim, Gregory Porter is set to release Be Good on Valentines Day 2012. Porter seems to have come out of the blue with a fresh sound that has been missing from vocal jazz for decades. Musical frames of reference can be dangerous if not well thought out so perhaps think of that jazz happy place somewhere between say Joe Williams and Donny Hathaway. An organic and earthy presentation of soulful and soul filled music that runs the spectrum of the human experience but never goes to the self indulgent side that feeds an artists ego but can easily alienate an audience.
Porter reviews his own release best from his liner notes: From the song "Painted On Canvas."
"I'm the pigment of paint that is put upon"...trying to be honest and organic in the colors that I show.
From an artistic standpoint Porter is an impressionistic wonder. The earthy vocalist that sings of real joy, real sorrow and of the very real effect these emotions have on all of us. You can analyze the material to death and look in every nook and cranny but pretentiousness is not to be found and this is where the artistry of Porter begins to soar. Gregory Porter is real.
What attracts my attention to Porter's stellar performance on this particular release is his simple intention of a shared perspective. Too often artists have the crown of some arbitrary socio-political responsibility thrust upon them when Porter is simply looking for the individual to take something personal from his work and each personal experience is a unique but shared experience. The interpretation can not be that of the critic or even the artist but the personal cause and effect relationship that Porter's poetry can have and is unique to each individual inclined to expose themselves to such selfless work.
Be Good is a broad based musical picture painted on a deep rich canvas while perhaps slightly more organic than Water, there is a strong and vibrant sonic color palette that brings the musical picture into focus as a clear and distinctive voice that does chart a new course for the jazz vocalist. A vocal hybrid that transcends the norm and ignites the possibilities of new creativity in a time of the overly produced and self indulgent that ties down more so than up lifts the listener.
There are not messages in Porter's music but musical suggestions that are done with style and again what is taken away is left purely up to the listener. The ballad "The Way You Want To Live" deals with dangerous personal choices that effect us all."On My Way To Harlem" is a tune that encapsulates the vibrant energy of perhaps the jazz cultural mecca which is Harlem. Despite growing up in California before moving to New York, Porter has assimilated himself so deeply into this vibrant musical landscape that he has become an honest and incredibly believable figure in a musical sub culture that is so deeply rooted in history and tradition that its strength comes shining through in this tune. Porter's a capella version of the iconic "God Bless The Child" is without question the showstopper here but "Mother's Song" which is a Porter original and deals with the unconditional joy of a mother's love makes an equally powerful statement.
To compare and contrast Water to Be Good would be inherently unfair. The statement that Be Good is a brilliant piece of artistry based on solid songwriting, impressive instrumental players and brilliant production may be something I am more comfortable with. While working with essentially the same core band, I would be remiss not to acknowledge an up and coming tenor saxophone star in Tivon Pennicott as his performance throughout Be Good is stunning to say the least.
The natural progression of one of the most gifted vocal performers of our time has Be Good as one of the years finest.
5 stars.
Tracks: Painted On Canvas; Be Good; On My Way To Harlem; Real Good Hands; The Way You Want To Live; When Did You Learn; Imitation Of Life; Mother's Song; Our Love; Bling Bling; Work Song; God Bless The Child.
Personnel: Gregory Porter: vocals; Chip Crawford: piano; Aaron James: bass; Emanuel Harold: drums; Kamau Kenyatta: soprano saxophone; Keyon Harrold: trumpet; Yosuke Sato: alto saxophone; Tivon Pennicott: tenor saxophone;
