Water
(Motema Music)

Los Angeles-born, Brooklyn-based vocalist Gregory Porter is a musical force. From the very first note of Water, his debut recording, Porter’s powerhouse sound grabs your ear. A frequent guest with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, he moves between uptempo burners and contemplative ballads with equivalent ease. Porter’s 11-track excursion is a mix of mostly original works, along with compositions by Wayne Shorter and Burke and Van Heusen. Porter is aided by magnificent musicianship from pianist Chip Crawford, drummer Emanuel Harold and bassist Aaron James, as well as a horn section on several tracks, that includes trumpeter Curtis Taylor and saxophonist James Spaulding, among others. This is a stellar debut from a voice much too good to miss.