Gregory Porter, Cork Opera House, Guinness Cork Jazz Festival ★★★★☆ It was raining heavily outside but inside Cork Opera House on Thursday night, the crowd luxuriated in the warm and mellow vibes generated by Gregory Porter. The popular Grammy award-winning singer was the biggest draw of this year’s Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, and the Californian didn’t disappoint in his first of two sell-out gigs. Looking dapper as ever in his distinctive headgear and a tan check suit, he had a literally packed house in the palm of his hand from the off with some well-judged banter.
He began with one of his best-known songs, 'Holding On', before launching into a blistering performance of 'On My Way To Harlem'. Porter has a gently commanding but reassuring stage presence, dealing with some early microphone issues with grace and humour. He may have had star billing but there was absolutely no ego in evidence, and on numerous occasions throughout the night he stood back to let his virtuosic band members strut their impressive stuff, with standout solos from Scooter Brown on sax, Chip Crawford on piano and a wonderfully inventive and entertaining interlude from Jahmal Nichols on double bass.
Porter deploys his own instrument with an apparent effortlessness that belies his skill, one minute muscular and passionate, the next, delicate and melodic. Although he has huge crossover appeal and can handle any musical style, from blues to funk, jazz is clearly at the heart of what he and h.
