Gregory Porter will release his first ever Christmas album, ‘Christmas Wish’, on Friday 3rd November 2023 via Blue Note/Decca Records.
‘Christmas Wish’ sees Porter paying tribute to his favourite time of the year and to great songwriters, singers and interpreters including Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, Marvin Gaye, Dinah Washington and Nat King Cole. The album also features three original tracks from Porter.
Backed by his long-time band and produced by repeat collaborator Troy Miller, with orchestral contributions recorded at Abbey Road, the album features inspired interpretations of carols, jazz-age 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 featuresa powerhouse guest vocal from double Grammy-winning sensation 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 first single, ‘Everything’s Not Lost’, out now. This elegant piano ballad 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.”
Porter will be spreading his love and talents even further, warming up the winter months as he tours the globe with his band. He returns to London’s Royal Albert Hall (after three sold-out shows there earlier this year) for a special, one-off and highly anticipated performance on 13th December 2023.
The track list for ‘Christmas Wish is:
1. Silent Night
2. Christmas Waltz
3. Everything’s Not Lost (Written by Gregory Porter)
4. Someday at Christmas
5. Purple Snowflakes
6. Little Drummer Boy
7. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? – feat. Samara Joy
8. Christmas Wish (Written By Gregory Porter)
9. Cradle in Bethlehem
10. Do You Hear What I Hear?
11. Christmas Time is Here
12. Heart for Christmas (Written by Gregory Porter)
GREGORY PORTER TOUR 2023/24:
05 Oct 23 Arena Theatre Houston
06 Oct 23 Bruton Theater at The Black Academy Of Arts And Letters Dallas
08 Oct 23 Los Cabos Jazz Festival Cabo San Lucas
05 Dec 23 Mitsubishi Electric Halle Dusseldorf
06 Dec 23 Messe Und Congress Centrum Halle Münsterland Münster
08 Dec 23 Musik- Und Kongresshalle Lübeck Lübeck
09 Dec 23 Elbphilharmonie – Grosser Saa Hamburg
12 Dec 23 Kauno Žalgirio Aren Kaunas
13 Dec 23 Royal Albert Hall London
15 Dec 23 Alexela Kontserdimaja Tallinn
16 Dec 23 Alte Oper Frankfurt
20 Dec 23 Saenger Theatre New Orleans
21 Dec 23 Fox Theatre Atlanta
22 Dec 23 Detroit Opera House Detroit
31 Dec 23 Kennedy Center Washington, DC
08 Feb 24 Botti At Sea Jazz at Sea Cruise
23 Feb 24 Knight Concert Hall at Arsht Center. Miami
17 Jul 24 Seebühne Bremen Bremen
