Gregory Porter | Take Me To The Alley Review - Out 6th May

This Friday (6th May) sees Gregory Porter release his 4th studio album Take Me To The Alley. 
The man in the hat is back with the follow up to his platinum selling album Liquid Spirit, which last year became the most streamed jazz album of all time.  Porter's music and vocal talent has led him to connect with audiences of all ages; he even had hits in the dance world last year with the Claptone Remix of Liquid Spirit, and with the Disclosure track Holding On. The album opens with the original version of Holding On. 
Porter says that some of the inspiration for the record came from the energy the Pope brought to New York when he was visiting New York at the same time Porter was in town making the album. The record has many hints of Porter's religious roots as his Mother was a minister back in his home town of Bakersfield, California. What always stands out on Porter's records is his incredibly smooth vocal, which gets even smoother when he reaches down to his lower vocal register.
This record shows that Porter can sing almost anything, from the upbeat bluesy Don't Lose Your Steam and the groovy French African Queen to the slow ballads More Than A Woman and the title track Take Me To The Alley. Commercial success is very rare for albums released in the jazz genre, but this album is sure to be as successful as his last, maybe even more.
Track Listing 1. Holding On (Gregory Porter/James John Napier/Guy William Lawrence/Howard John Lawrence)
2. Don't Lose Your Steam (Porter)
3. Take Me To The Alley (Porter)
4. Day Dream (Gregory Porter/Craig Dawson)
5. Consequence of Love (Porter)
6. In Fashion (Porter)
7. More Than A Woman (Porter)
8. In Heaven (Darlene Andrews, Gregory Porter’s cousin)
9. Insanity (Porter)
10. Don't Be A Fool (Porter)
11. Fan The Flames (Porter)
12. French African Queen (Porter) Take Me To The Alley is released Friday 6th May on Decca Records. 
Check out this great video of Porter singing Don't Lose Your Steam