New York, NY (Top40 Charts) At last! With his customary class, elegance and sophistication, Gregory Porter today announces his first ever Christmas album, to be released on Friday, November 3, 2023 via Blue Note/Decca Records/Universal Music. Entitled "Christmas Wish" it is a loving tribute to his favourite time of year - and to great songwriters, singers and interpreters including Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, Marvin Gaye, Dinah Washington and Nat King Cole. In addition to this list of world class names, Mr Porter himself has added to the Christmas catalogue with three original tracks, soon to be favourites for the festive season.
Backed by his long-time band and produced by repeat collaborator Troy Miller, with orchestral contributions recorded at Abbey Road, the album features inspired interpretations of carols, jazz-age standards and soulful sixties deep-cuts including "Silent Night", "Little Drummer Boy", Marvin Gaye's "Purple Snowflakes", Stevie Wonder's "Someday At Christmas" and Frank Loesser's "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?", which features a powerhouse guest vocal from double Grammy-winning sensation Samara Joy.
The theme of sharing and caring at Christmas, and the sense of renewal and revival that comes when the year draws to a close, is all here in Porter's most personal contribution - his trio of new, self-penned songs, "Christmas Wish", "Heart For Christmas" and first single, "Everything's Not Lost", released today (listen: here). This elegant piano ballad is Porter's persuasive plea to remember those less fortunate than ourselves. "I'm always thinking of balance" he explains. "That has been instilled in me and it keeps coming up in a lot of my music. At your highest, at your greatest, at your most pleasant time, don't forget about other people who are suffering."
Gregory will be spreading his love and talents even further, warming up the winter months as he tours the globe with his band. He returns to London's Royal Albert Hall (after three sold-out shows there earlier this year) for a special, one-off and highly anticipated performance on December 13, 2023.
Gregory has become known as the UK's favourite contemporary American jazz artist. His last five albums have all reached the Top 10, with 'Take Me To The Alley' (2016), 'Nat King Cole & Me' (2017) and 'All Rise' (2020) hitting the Top 5. A double Grammy-winner (Best Jazz Vocal Album for 'Liquid Spirit' (2014) and Best Jazz Vocal Album for 'Take Me To The Alley') and seven-time Grammy nominee, the singer and songwriter has amassed cumulative streams of 1.6 billion and counting.
Since breaking through almost a decade ago with 'Liquid Spirit', Gregory has become a beloved part of the British cultural firmament. The Californian cat-in-the-hat has played at numerous festivals, including Glastonbury (where he wowed the Pyramid Stage) and Radio 2's Live in Hyde Park. He performed multiple times for the late HM QueenElizabeth II, most recently as part of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, and has also appeared before HM King Charles III.
His laidback wit and effortless style has seen him become a TV favourite, with multiple appearances on Graham Norton, Later… with Jools Holland, Strictly Come Dancing and Never Mind The Buzzcocks. Gregory is also a natural host - he presented his own series, BBC Four's 'Gregory Porter's Popular Voices' and YouTube cooking show 'The Porterhouse'. Then there's his podcast, 'The Hang', on which he was joined by distinguished guests including as Annie Lennox and his duet-buddy Jeff Goldblum. And perhaps most important of all, Porter became the first celebrity to sing a lullaby on CBeebies Bedtime Stories and lent his distinctive voice to children's BBC favourite 'Numberblocks'.
The dance music world loves Gregory, too. Claptone's remix of his classic track 'Liquid Spirit' became the hit of summer '15 and the Most Shazamed track in Ibiza. Amongst his many collaborators are Disclosure, which whom he released 'Holding On', the lead single from the duo's second studio album, 'Caracal'. He performed the track live at BBC Radio 1's 'Ibiza 20' event at Ushuaia Beach Hotel. Talk about range.
Gregory Porter's Christmas Wish will be released on Friday 3rd November via Blue Note/Decca Records.
TRACKLIST:
Silent Night
Christmas Waltz
Everything's Not Lost (Written by Gregory Porter)
Someday at Christmas
Purple Snowflakes Little Drummer Boy
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? - feat. Samara Joy
Christmas Wish (Written By Gregory Porter)
Cradle in Bethlehem
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Christmas Time is Here Heart for Christmas (Written by Gregory Porter)
Christmas Wish was recorded between Sear Sound Studio in New York City and Crossways Studio in London and features Gregory Porter's friend and long-term pianist Chip Crawford on Piano, Emmanuel Harrold on Drums and Percussion, Gregoire Maret on Harmonica, Jahmal Nichols on Bass, Ondre Pivec on Hammond organ and Tivon Pennicott on Flute and Soprano/Tenor Saxophone and Backing vocals from Stephanie Fisher-Alvarenga, Chris Ashley Anthony and Sheherazade Holman. With orchestral contributions from the Kingdom Orchestra, recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.
GREGORY PORTER TOUR 2023/24:
05 Oct 23 Arena Theatre Houston
06 Oct 23 Bruton Theater at The Black Academy Of Arts And Letters Dallas
08 Oct 23 Los Cabos Jazz Festival Cabo San Lucas
05 Dec 23 Mitsubishi Electric Halle Dusseldorf
06 Dec 23 Messe Und Congress Centrum Halle Münsterland Münster
08 Dec 23 Musik- Und Kongresshalle Lübeck Lübeck
09 Dec 23 Elbphilharmonie - Grosser Saa Hamburg
12 Dec 23 Kauno Žalgirio Aren Kaunas
13 Dec 23 Royal Albert Hall London
15 Dec 23 Alexela Kontserdimaja Tallinn
16 Dec 23 Alte Oper Frankfurt
20 Dec 23 Saenger Theatre New Orleans
21 Dec 23 Fox Theatre Atlanta
22 Dec 23 Detroit Opera House Detroit
31 Dec 23 Kennedy Center Washington, DC
08 Feb 24 Botti At Sea Jazz at Sea Cruise
23 Feb 24 Knight Concert Hall at Arsht Center. Miami
17 Jul 24 Seebühne Bremen Bremen
