CD review: Gregory Porter – One Night Only: Live At The Royal Albert Hall 2018: Video

“Better be good,” Gregory Porter quips, just before opening his mouth to sing for a crowd of thousands in one of London’s most historic venues. And it is good. One Night Only, a program venerating Nat “King” Cole (along the lines of Porter’s 2017 studio album of his songs), finds the authoritative baritone in a lush setting with a 70-piece orchestra led by famed arranger Vince Mendoza (recorded on April 2, 2018).

But despite a prevalent focus on ballads—including the murderous, Cole Porter-penned “Miss Otis Regrets,” subject to intriguingly knotty reharmonization—Porter preserves the core of swing and soul that’s so central to his small-combo identity. Chip Crawford’s piano solo on “Pick Yourself Up,” Tivon Pennicott’s bebop tenor sax turns on “L-O-V-E” and “Sweet Lorraine,” bassist Jahmal Nichols’ bluesy aside on “When Love Was King,” the creative funk abandon of the quintet on the finale encore, “Don’t Lose Your Steam”: This is Porter in his element, formal setting or otherwise.

Tracklist:

1. Mona Lisa
2. But Beautiful
3. Nature Boy
4. L-O-V-E
5. Quizas, Quizas, Quizas
6. Miss Otis Regrets
7. Pick Yourself Up
8. In Heaven
9. When Love Was King
10. The Lonely One
11. Ballerina
12. No Love Dying
13. I Wonder Who My Daddy Is
14. Sweet Lorraine
15. For All We Know
16. The Christmas Song
17. Smile
18. Hey Laura
19. Don’t Lose Your Steam

Gregory Porter – vocals
Chip Crawford – piano
Tivon Pennicott – sax
Jahmal Nichols – bass
Emanuel Harrold – drums
Vince Mendoza – conductor
The London Studio Orchestra