Christmas Wish (Blue Note)
Gregory Porter
Released November 3, 2023
YouTube:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nf1M8VrGeQ6WryJ8hB6XkspuI7zhVeM5c
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/intl-pt/album/41CTZeexSebAHGNeLiEdon?si=G2sFdLnCRb6-rRKL3vqfEA
About:
With his customary class, elegance, and sophistication, GRAMMY-winning singer-songwriter Gregory Porter releases his first-ever Christmas album which is out now on Blue Note/Decca Records. Christmas Wish is a loving tribute to his favorite 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, Porter himself has added to the Christmas songbook with three original tracks, soon to be favorites for the festive season.
Backed by his long-time band and produced by repeat collaborator Troy Miller, the album features inspired interpretations of carols, 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 special guest appearance by GRAMMY-winning vocalist 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 “Everything’s Not Lost,” an elegant piano ballad that 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.”
Christmas Wish features Porter’s longtime pianist Chip Crawford on piano, Emmanuel Harrold on drums and percussion, Gregoire Maret on harmonica, Jahmal Nichols on bass, Ondre Pivec on Hammond organ, Tivon Pennicott on flute, soprano saxophone, and tenor saxphone, and backing vocals by Stephanie Fisher-Alvarenga, Chris Ashley Anthony, and Sheherazade Holman with orchestral contributions from the Kingdom Orchestra. The album was recorded between Sear Sound Studio in New York City and London’s Crossways Studio and Abbey Road Studios.
Track Listing:
1. Silent Night 03:28
2. Christmas Waltz 03:21
3. Everything’s Not Lost 04:08
4. Someday at Christmas 02:55
5. Purple Snowflakes 03:45
6. Little Drummer Boy 02:52
7. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? feat. Samara Joy 03:56
8. Christmas Wish 03:54
9. Cradle in Bethlehem 04:13
10. Do You Hear What I Hear? 03:42
11. Christmas Time is Here 03:43
12. Heart for Christmas 04:20
Personnel:
Gregory Porter: vocals
Chip Crawford: piano
Jahmal Nichols: double bass
Ondřej Pivec: hammond organ
Emmanuel Harrold: drums
Grégoire Maret: harmonica
Tivon Pennicott: flute
Chris Ashley Anthony: background vocalist
Stephanie Fisher-Alvarenga: background vocalist
Sheherazade Holman: background vocalist
Kingdom Orchestra
Violin 1: Rakhi Singh, Thomas Gould, Jamie Hutchinson, Miles Brett, Mirand Allen, Kotona Mather, Suzannah Quirke, Kirsty Mangan, Jess Murphy
Violin 2: Peter Graham, Lucy Curnow, Zahra Benyounes, Henry Salmon, Helena Logah, Kourosh Ahmadi, Ronan MacManus, Nadine Nagen
Viola: Lisa Bucknell, Joe Ichinose, Natalie Taylor, Clifton Harrison, Matthew Maguire, Kesari Pundarika
Cello: Desmond Neysmith, Tamaki Sugimoto, Nerys Richards, Magdalena Pietraszewska, Fraser Bowles, Sara Hajir
Double bass: Paul Kimber, Stephen Warner, David Guy
Timpane: Nigel Thomas
Harp: Cecilia Sultana De Maria
Review:
Gregory Porter’s first holiday album at once entertains with the minor miracle of his gut-deep baritone and tracks the respect, compassion, altruism and nostalgia that he deems important to Yuletide. Savor his natural gospel-rooted renditions of three thoughtful originals, of Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye X-mas tunes from the 1960s and of favorites like “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” (with acclaimed young singer Samara Joy). Porter’s sincerity doesn’t waver.
Frank-John Hadley (DownBeat)
