Although Gregory Porter turned out to be an extremely talented Nat King Cole impersonator at a tender age, he never intended to become a singer. His aspiration lay in American football until a shoulder injury ended this dream. Then just sing again. A performance in the musical Ain't Nothing But The Blues opened up possibilities and led to his debut Water (2010). With his third album Porter he makes
… his debut on Blue Note. In addition to twelve own songs where his personal circumstances once again served as a source of inspiration, Liquid Spirit also contains two covers. Both Lonesome Lover by Abbey Lincoln and The Incrowd by Ramsey Lewis, like the title track, are notable for their fast pace. Because Porter has more blues, incorporates soul and gospel into his vocals than jazz alone, Liquid Spirit is perhaps his most emotional album. Of course there is still enough room left for the worn jazz ballads with which Porter has become famous. A nice side effect is that Porter swings more than ever before. (AD)more
