Albums: Gregory Porter – Christmas Wish

Following in the footsteps of other jazz greats, Gregory Porter has released his first Christmas-themed album. The twelve-track recording features traditional Christmas songs, a smattering of soul classics, and, surprisingly, three original songs written by Porter.

Porter always sounds at his best on ballads; Christmas Wish, the album title track, and Heart for Christmas are both hope-filled numbers where his smooth, silky voice wraps around two tracks that deserve to become part of his touring set. Despite the festive spirit, these two tracks would easily fit in with his more regular repertoire.

Porter always mentions people who are less fortunate during his concerts, a sentiment he carries through here on Everything’s Not Lost, the third of the new Porter-written songs where the singer offers hope and the chance of a brighter future. The emotion in his voice is genuine and heartwarming.

Traditional songs Little Drummer Boy, Silent Night, and Christmas Time Is Here are given a Porter makeover, all coming with a warm glow, while his duet with Samara Joy on What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? sees two artists of the genre come together for a faithful interpretation of a song that has also been recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, with Porter’s version sounding just as good.

Versions of Stevie Wonder’s Someday at Christmas and Marvin Gaye’s Purple Snowflakes might not be as well known as some of the other tracks contained here, though they fit in easily amongst these other standards on an album that will still shine bright long into the new year.