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Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Gregory Porter will come to the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center on Saturday, August 13, to perform his latest album, “Take Me to the Alley.”
Being that it is his first time in Westhampton Beach, he is unfamiliar with the audience and what to expect. Although it is a relatively small theater, he said he will try to bring the same energy and uplifting message as if he were performing at Glastonbury Festival in England, which he just did in June to a crowd of more than 100,000 people on the same stage as Coldplay and Ellie Goulding.
The 44-year-old singer, known for always sporting a suit, a flat cap and an altered black ski mask without the off-putting face covering, was born in Sacramento and raised in Bakersfield, California. While living there, he was exposed to jazz, rhythm and blues, gospel and soul—all of which he incorporates into his own sound.
When he began producing his unconventional jazz music, his unique talent was recognized almost immediately. His debut album, “Water,” which was released in 2010, was nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album at the Grammy Awards. The title track from his 2012 album, “Be Good,” was then nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the Grammy Awards. He finally saw tangible results when he won the 2014 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album for his third record, “Liquid Spirit.”
“I’m very grateful for the energy I receive around the world in terms of people listening to my music,” he said.
Since achieving success with “Liquid Spirit,” he has been touring internationally, performing approximately 250 shows a year. He said that this year has been on par with that schedule; however, these shows have gained a new political energy as a result of the world’s current conflicts.
“Wherever I’m performing—in Israel, Lebanon, France—it is right before or right after some tragedy that happened there,” he admitted. “My last gig in the South of France was canceled because of the terrorist attack in Nice about 15 minutes away from my performance hall. All of this energy—I think that comes out in my songs. They are reaffirming the idea that we’re in this together. They continue the idea of love.”
That type of energy should be expected at his Westhampton Beach show, mixed with messages of romantic and brotherly love. He said he enjoys combining the two messages—addressing the political climate and the importance of loving one another—in his albums to such a degree that the unofficial name of his first album was “Love and Protest.”
“Take Me to the Alley” was released on May 6 of this year and has since then been very well received by listeners as well as the press. It peaked at No. 5 on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart Top 100 the week after its release, right below Drake’s “Views” and Beyoncé’s “Lemonade,” and still stands at No. 11 in August. It also reached No. 5 on the Netherlands’ GfK Dutch Charts that same week, beating Justin Bieber’s “Purpose,” and has high positions in other European charts in Belgium, Austria and Germany.
Inspired by his mother, the title track of the album holds a heartfelt message that he hopes listeners practice in their own lives.
“If things are going great, don’t forget about the people who are having a lesser time and a deeper struggle,” he said. “Try to give back to your community and your country.”
Another song on the album, “Holding On,” was first released as a single by the British electronic duo Disclosure in May 2015 featuring vocals by Mr. Porter. He decided to remake it on his album with a slower, jazzy rhythm and more focus on his signature voice.
Following his Westhampton Beach concert and a concert the next day in Edgartown, Massachusetts, he plans to take a few weeks off at his new home in California before returning to a life on tour. His late August and September schedule will bring him to France, Germany, Korea and Australia.
Gregory Porter will perform at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, 76 Main St, Westhampton Beach, on Saturday, August 13, at 8 p.m. For tickets, starting at $65, visit whbpac.org or call 631-288-1500.
on Aug 4, 2016