Gregory Porter Water (1)

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Water [2010]

Overview & Release Details

• Artist:

  • Gregory Porter

• Release Date:

  • 11 May 2010

• Timeline:

  • 38 years old at release, first studio album

• Label:

  • Motéma Music – Indie

• Genres:

  • Jazz

  • Blues

  • Rhythm and Blues

• Nationality:

  • American

Tracklist

• Illusion

  • [c: Gregory Porter, p: Kamau Kenyatta]

• Pretty

  • [c: Gregory Porter, p: Kamau Kenyatta]

• Magic Cup

  • [c: Gregory Porter, p: Kamau Kenyatta]

• Skylark

  • [c: Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer, p: Kamau Kenyatta]

• Black Nile

  • [c: Wayne Shorter, p: Kamau Kenyatta]

• Wisdom

  • [c: Daniel Jackson, Gregory Porter, p: Kamau Kenyatta]

• 1960 What?

  • [c: Gregory Porter, p: Kamau Kenyatta]

• But Beautiful

  • [c: Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke, p: Kamau Kenyatta]

• Lonely One

  • [c: Gregory Porter, p: Kamau Kenyatta]

• Water

  • [c: Gregory Porter, p: Kamau Kenyatta]

• Feeling Good

  • [c: Anthony Newley, Leslie Bricusse, p: Kamau Kenyatta]

Album Insight

• Theme:

  • The album explores themes of social justice, love, loss, and empowerment, blending emotional storytelling with jazz traditions

• Trivia:

  • The recording took place over just two days in August 2009 at 58 North Six Media Lab in Brooklyn

  • Gregory Porter’s breakout track 1960 What? became an anthem for modern jazz and soul, addressing civil rights issues

  • The album established Porter as a leading figure in contemporary jazz, showcasing his vocal range and emotive power

  • Porter worked closely with producer Kamau Kenyatta, who remains a key collaborator in his career

  • Porter’s performance of Water on various late-night shows introduced his music to a wider audience

  • The album includes covers of classics like Skylark and Feeling Good, reimagined with Porter’s soulful style

  • The track Black Nile pays homage to composer Wayne Shorter, reflecting Porter’s jazz influences

  • Critics drew comparisons between Gregory Porter and jazz legends like Kurt Elling and Nat King Cole

  • Water marked the beginning of Porter’s journey into the global jazz scene, earning recognition for both his songwriting and vocal prowess

Reception

• Awards:

  • Grammy Awards: Nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album [2010]

• Achievements:

  • Widely praised as one of the best debut albums in jazz at the time of release

  • Ranked number 27 in Jazz digital albums on Amazon as of 2017

• Critic Response:

  • Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes: The intersection of Kurt Elling and Sammy Davis Jr. may seem an unfathomable junction, but that’s precisely where you’ll find Gregory Porter

  • Phil Johnson, The Independent: Porter seems relatively unbound by technique, sounding less mannered and more soulful as a result

  • Kevin Le Grande, BBC Music: Gregory Porter has a voice and musicality to be reckoned with and could fill the gap of new male African-American jazz singers

  • Howard Dukes, Soul Tracks: I think Nat King Cole would be pleased. Porter is an artist whose approach brings a freshness that both jazz and soul fans should love

• Legacy:

  • The album positioned Gregory Porter as a rising star in the global jazz scene, blending traditional and modern elements to captivate audiences