Porter channels his church background to rousing effect on this richly orchestrated selection

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Gregory Porter’s last studio release Nat “King” Cole & Me was an eminently listenable if somewhat safe collection of covers. All Rise, the Grammy-winning jazz artist’s sixth studio album, has more fire in its writing and delivery. Porter wrote or co-wrote all fifteen songs. “Yes, you could say that I went big,” he says, “but, quite frankly, the way I write in my head, it all happens with just voice and piano first, and it’s built up from there. It feels good to get back to the rhythms and the styles and the feelings and the way that I like to lay down my own music from start to finish.”

It goes without saying, but Porter’s honeyed baritone remains an invaluable asset. Though widely regarded as a crooner in the vein of his idol Nat “King” Cole, Porter can tap into almost disarming levels of power and range. He takes several songs to the rafters. The album’s less arresting melodies (‘Merchants of Paradise’, ‘Everything You Touch is Gold’) are also lifted by his meticulous phrasing and ineffable warmth.

Producer Troy Miller (Laura Mvula, Jamie Cullum, Emeli Sande) is Porter’s secret weapon on All Rise. The record is liberally, at times extravagantly, orchestrated but Miller’s choices and nuances never feel overbearing or redundant. ‘Long List of Troubles’ with its brassy, bluesy groove and churchy Hammond is a masterful feat. ‘Faith in Love’ begins as a piano-driven ballad before shifting into a 70s soul midtempo with Porter in conversation with his backing vocalists. Elegant string arrangements appear on ‘If Love is Overrated’ and ‘Modern Day Apprentice’.

Compared to his previous outputs, All Rise owes more to Porter’s gospel sensibility. He enlists a 10-strong choir that provides fiery backing at several choice moments throughout. ‘Revival’, about the restorative powers of faith, is the clear hit from the album and where the choir is at its most powerful. ‘Thank You’ is pure hand-clapping joy with a dynamic call and response between Porter and his backing singers.

Porter’s songwriting- sometimes abstract, sometimes confessional – shines throughout. The spacey opening track ‘Concorde’ reflects the tension between Porter’s high-flying, demanding career and his longing for domestic bliss with his family. ‘Sixty thousand feet up in the air / I can’t wait to come down, drop down.’ He professes his romantic idealism in ‘If Love Is Overrated’ (‘if love is overrated let me be the one that is naïve’) and extends sincere, heartfelt support to a loved one in ‘You Can Join My Band’. The latter’s climax brings together Porter’s soulful ad libs, backing vocals, and swirling licks of Hammond to create a soundscape so enveloping and comforting.

His focus turns more specific and personal. ‘Dad Gone Thing’, the album’s highlight and Porter’s most vulnerable lyric, relays his complicated feelings about his estranged father. Despite his father’s philandering and negligence, he conferred upon his song a great musical ability and intelligence. ‘He didn’t teach me a dad gone thing / But how to sing,’ Porter reminisces against a backdrop of overlapping bluesy and gospel textures. ‘Mister Holland’ indirectly addresses racism in America as Porter praises the father of his white girlfriend for his tolerance and acceptance (in terms that avoid schmaltz), hinting at the prejudice he is used to experiencing.

Traversing jazz, blues, and gospel, All Rise is Porter’s most varied album yet.

Standout tracks: ‘Dad Gone Thing’, ‘Concorde’, ‘Lost List of Troubles’

(Image copyright: Blue Note)