Gregory Porter on Hive Radio

© Colin Muirhead

As Russell reported here, last Monday night’s concert at the O2 City Hall in Newcastle was indeed memorable.  This was the first time I had heard Gregory Porter live and – like the other 2000 people present – I was blown away by his voice, his personality and his excellent band.  Plus, it was great to see Jo Harrop perform on this iconic stage, in front of her home audience.

I’ve been fortunate to have Jo as a guest on my podcast Jazz on the Tyne on Hive Radio on several occasions.  The idea that, one day, Gregory might also appear on the show seems like a pipe dream.  That said, the great man has already featured on the station!

Hive Radio was originally run by Community Arts Project North East.  When I started volunteering there some years ago, I was told about an earlier programme with jazz links that had operated on Hive Radio and how the presenters had once enticed Gregory Porter to take part.

The occasion was Gregory’s performance at Hoochie Coochie (as was), back in March 2014; an event that he mentioned during his City Hall concert, to much applause.  The presenters of the Jazz, Funk and Soul Show on Hive Radio - Les and Joe - met up with Gregory after the Hoochie Coochie gig and recorded a short interview with him.  How did they convince Gregory to do this?  Well, they offered to go to the takeaway next door and get a cheeseburger and chips, to satisfy the singer’s appetite!  Not only that, but they recorded their visit to the takeaway and played it on the show, along with the interview!

You can listen it all here (just over an hour into the programme), along with Les and Joe’s shout-out to Lance for his enthusiastic review of the Hoochie Coochie gig.

This made me wonder: should I have popped backstage after the City Hall concert and offered to get Gregory a cheeseburger?  Or perhaps he would have preferred something else; maybe something unique to the North East?  Of course - stotties!  What a pity that Greggs had closed by then... Colin Muirhead