Gregory Porter

Having grown up to the sounds of Marvin Gaye's soul and the jazz of Nat King Cole, young Californian Gregory Porter made his debut on Broadway where he was quickly spotted in the musical It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues (1999). From there, he went on to direct his own musical, "Nat King Cole & Me", in 2004. Grammy Awards, parties with Stevie Wonder and concerts for the Queen of England followed, but the artist remained humble. He puts his huge success down to a theory: "My voice rocked me to sleep as a child, and I think it's the same for others who hear me sing. I try to heal myself with these songs."

We’d tell you Gregory Porter is back, but you probably already knew. You probably felt the earth rumbling. So what's the reason? His sixth studio album, All Rise, marks a return to original compositions by the baritone, with his heart-on-sleeve lyrics set to a stirring mix of jazz and soul, blues and gospel. The album shows Gregory Porter's artistic evolution: his oeuvre is both intimate and universal. After the salutory experience of composing the album Nat King Cole & Me in 2017, Porter decided to bring in an orchestra for his next LP. Bolstered by this latest revelation, All Rise brims with songs about irrepressible love, plus a little protest, because the road to healing is bumpy..

While the strings were recorded at Abbey Road, the core of All Rise was made in two locations: in Los Angeles at the legendary Capitol Studios, and at a cozy studio in Paris’ Saint-Germain-des-Prés quarter, a historic hub for literature and jazz.

"All Rise is the phrase we hear when a judge enters the room, and everyone stands up. But I’m thinking all of us rise — not just one person being exalted. We are all exalted and lifted up by love. It comes from my personality,  the personality of the blues, and of black people. It’s this idea that whatever the current situation is, it can get better through love".

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