Gregory Porter

Whenever the man with the distinctive balloon cap takes the stage, he immediately captivates the audience—whether in an intimate jazz club or on a major festival stage. His powerful and velvety baritone is warm, resonant, and perfectly suited to conveying strong emotions, which is why he is now rightly regarded as one of the most important contemporary voices in jazz. The great artistry of this singer from Bakersfield, California, lies not least in his ability to blend jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, and gospel into his very own “Gregory Porter sound” which touches countless people beyond any single genre. His Grammy-nominated debut album “Water” brought him to the ELBJAZZ stage for the first time in 2011; his third, Grammy-winning album “Liquid Spirit” (2013)—his first for the renowned Blue Note label—helped him achieve his international breakthrough and brought him back to the Port of Hamburg in 2014, before he last graced our festival stage in 2017. Like a fine wine, Gregory Porter has only gotten better over the years and has released seven studio and two live albums. We are absolutely thrilled to present Gregory Porter again at ELBJAZZ for the first time in ten years!