The Latin Porter

These days, Cole Porter tributes are a dime a dozen in the jazz world. Many of today's jazz tributes to the famous composer show little or no imagination — all too often, knee-jerk retro-boppers insist on performing the same old Porter standards the same old way. But that is hardly the case with Mark Murphy's The Latin Porter; while other Porter tributes can put you to sleep because they're so darn predictable, Murphy manages to keep the Porter songbook fresh and exciting. Recorded live in January 2000 at the Dakota Bar in St. Paul, MN, The Latin Porter is full of Porter standards that have been recorded time and time again — but Murphy doesn't perform them the same old way. From "Dream Dancing" and "I Get a Kick Out of You" to "In the Still of the Night," "Get Out of Town," and "I've Got You Under My Skin," every Porter standard on this excellent CD gets a Latin makeover. Murphy (whose accompaniment includes trumpeter Tom Harrell, pianist Peter Schimke, and drummer Daniel Gonzales, among others) is hardly the first jazz artist to provide Latin-flavored interpretations of Porter standards, but it's rare to hear a Porter tribute album with a consistently Latin-minded approach. Besides, the veteran singer is so risk-taking and distinctive that even the most overdone warhorses can be interesting in his hands — if you have heard most of these Porter songs so many times that you think there should be a moratorium on them, Murphy is one of the few people who can show you that they still have possibilities. And to his credit, he also unearths a few of Porter's lesser-known gems, including "Looking at You" and "Experimental." The Latin Porter is, without question, one of 2000's most rewarding jazz vocal releases.