Gregory Porter Gets Festive With ‘Christmas Wish,’ Shares ‘Everything’s Not Lost’
The album features Porter’s interpretations of carols, jazz-age standards, soulful deep cuts, and three originals.
Gregory Porter has announced his first Christmas album, to be released on November 3 via Blue Note/Decca Records. Christmas Wish pays tribute to the much-loved vocal stylist’s favorite time of year, and to great writers, singers, and interpreters such as Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, Marvin Gaye, Dinah Washington, and Nat King Cole.
The festive set also features three original songs by Porter, who is backed throughout the album by his longtime band and produced by his frequent collaborator Troy Miller. The orchestral contributions for Christmas Wish were recorded at Abbey Road. The album features Porter’s interpretations of carols, jazz-age standards and soulful deep cuts from the 1960s, on a track list that includes “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?” The latter number has guest vocals by double Grammy-winner Samara Joy.
Porter’s trio of new, self-penned songs includes the title song “Christmas Wish,” “Heart For Christmas” and the album’s first single, the piano ballad “Everything’s Not Lost,” which is now available. released today. That song is a plea by Porter to remember those less fortunate than ourselves. “I’m always thinking of balance,” he says. “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 touring in the UK and internationally with his band this winter, and will return to London’s Royal Albert Hall for a one-off show in December 13. He played three sellout concerts at the hallowed venue earlier this year.
Pre-order Christmas Wish, which is released on November 3.
The full tracklist is:
01. Silent Night
02. Christmas Waltz
03. Everything’s Not Lost (Written by Gregory Porter)
04. Someday at Christmas
05. Purple Snowflakes
06. Little Drummer Boy
07. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? – feat. Samara Joy
08. Christmas Wish (Written By Gregory Porter)
09. Cradle in Bethlehem
10. Do You Hear What I Hear?
11. Christmas Time is Here
12. Heart for Christmas (Written by Gregory Porter)
