Part career-spanning retrospective and part companion album to 2020's
All Rise, 2021's
Still Rising: The Collection brings together some of vocalist
Gregory Porter's most beloved and potent tracks with newly recorded songs. Along with many solo tracks, there is also a second disc showcasing his ebullient duets with singers like
Lalah Hathaway,
Renee Fleming,
Dianne Reeves, and others. Of the new tracks featured on
Still Rising, we get the gospel influenced "I Will," the romantic piano ballad "Bad Girl Love," and the kinetic pop anthem "Dry Bones," the latter of which splits the difference between contemporary hits by
Fitz & the Tantrums and the '80s new wave-infused work of
Hall & Oates. Of the retrospective material, we get cuts like "Illusion" off
Porter's 2010 debut Water, "No Love Dying" off 2013's Grammy-winning
Liquid Spirit, and his cover of the standard "L.O.V.E." off 2017's
Nat King Cole & Me. We also get fan favorite duets, including "Insanity," his deeply soulful collaboration with
Lalah Hathaway off 2016's Grammy-winning
Take Me To The Alley, as well as "Water Under the Bridges" with
Laura Mvula off
Liquid Spirit. There are also several previously unreleased covers here, including a live version of
Sting's "It's Probably Me" and an infectious rendition of the R&B classic "My Babe." Most of these tracks feature
Porter's longtime backing ensemble of pianist
Chip Crawford, bassist Jahmal Nichols, drummer
Emanuel Harrold, and saxophonist
Tivon Pennicott. While in no way a standard greatest hits compilation,
Still Rising: The Collection nonetheless manages to further illuminate
Porter's decade-long rise from buzzed-about jazz star to one of the most acclaimed and genre-defying vocalists of his generation. ~ Matt Collar