Gregory Porter

Gregory Porter (born 4 November 1971 in Sacramento, California, United States) is an American jazz and soul singer-songwriter known for his baritone voice and modern interpretations of jazz vocal traditions. He is notable for Grammy Award-winning albums that brought contemporary jazz vocals to a wider international audience. 

Porter’s early career included work as a vocalist in clubs and jazz venues before his recording breakthrough. His debut album Water was released in 2010, followed by Be Good in 2012, which helped establish him as a prominent new voice in jazz and led to broader recognition in Europe and the United States. 

His commercial and critical peak began with Liquid Spirit (2013), which won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album. He later won the same Grammy category again for Take Me to the Alley, reinforcing his reputation as a leading jazz vocalist of his generation and securing high-profile festival and concert bookings worldwide. 

In later years, Porter expanded his repertoire through projects that connected jazz standards with popular songcraft, including the tribute album Nat King Cole & Me (2017). He continued releasing studio recordings into the 2020s, maintaining an active touring schedule and collaborations that reflected a blend of jazz, soul and gospel influences. 

Porter’s legacy rests primarily on his role in sustaining and renewing the jazz vocal album tradition in the 2010s and beyond. His repeated Grammy recognition in a major jazz category and a catalogue spanning originals, standards and tribute work have helped secure his lasting standing within modern jazz and soul performance.