THE SMOOTH JAZZ RIDE
Featured Artist Archives -- Art Porter Jr.
Feb. 14, 2010
Art Porter Jr. -- Energy Done Right
It was often said that the music of the late saxophonist Art Porter Jr. was the music preferr
ed by those who wanted their smooth jazz “not too smooth.” Well, if that meant infusing huge doses of funk and thick, telling bass lines, they certainly got what they wanted with this young man with energy to burn. To see Art Porter Jr. live—or just to listen to one of his albums--was to truly witness a soul-stirring experience through a prism of vivid colors of sound.
Art Porter Jr. was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on August 3, 1961, to an extraordinary musical family. His father, Art Porter Sr., was an outstanding musician and jazz pianist, much in demand in the local music venue. Starting off on drums and becoming part of his father's band, Art Jr. was drawn to the sax after noticing the melodic proficiency of his father and another band member, Leonard Johnson, who was his high school band director. He decided to drop the drums and get into the harmonics of music. The saxophone intrigued him with it being so close to the human voice. Porter picked up the sax and found that he had a natural affinity with the instrument. Needless to say, he became a premier saxophone player and composer.
The death of Art Porter Sr. in 1993 was a great loss for Little Rock and the jazz community. Many recall hearing Art Jr. playing a poignant “Amazing Grace” on saxophone at his father’s funeral in 1993. Reminiscent of that, Eric Struthers, a good friend of the artist, offered a heartfelt performance of that song on electric guitar at Art Jr.'s funeral service.
Art Jr. grew up in Little Rock and began his music career at an early age under the tutelage of his father. His first audience was the congregation of Bethel A.M.E. Church. He played music with his sister and brothers as a teenager, and with his father. By age 15, he was playing alto saxophone and performed regularly throughout Little Rock. At age 16, he studied at the Berkeley School of Music in Boston. After graduating from Parkview High School, he moved to Chicago to attend Northeastern Illinois University where he graduated in 1986. He also taught in the schools of Chicago, Illinois, and Gary Indiana. He started the Art Porter Quartet, which had a loyal following in the Chicago area.
As a popular musician whose star was rising, Porter attained wide popularity during his short lifetime. When Bill Clinton was in Arkansas, he was among the many fans of the Porter family. At one point when Art Jr. was a teenager, he was deemed too young to legally play in night clubs, even though he was playing with his father, Art Sr. Clinton helped pass legislation that would allow a minor to play in a night club if a parent or guardian was present. This became known as the Art Porter Bill.
As a long-time fan of the Porters, President Clinton said that his best memory of Art Porter Jr. was his performing with his father Art Sr. in the back yard of the Governor's Mansion. When Clinton won the 1993 Presidential election, Porter and his father collaborated to perform for the inauguration, playing the wonderful hymn “Amazing Grace” at the prayer breakfast and received a standing ovation.
Art Porter Jr. went on to share his music worldwide, though still coming back to perform in the Little Rock area from time to time. Some of his notable performances include professional appearances at the Kool Jazz Festival, Notre Dame University, and recording with Ramsey Lewis. He has been at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, taken European tours, been honored at the Music Festival of Arkansas (Fayetteville), and was invited to the North Sea Jazz Festival (Netherlands). He recorded four albums with Verve, his first in 1992, Pocket City. He also recorded Straight to the Point, Undercover, and his last album was Lay Your Hands on Me. There is also the posthumously released For Art's Sake, a handsome “Best Of” CD including a tribute track to the saxman from keyboardist Jeff Lorber. Art Jr. also appeared as a sideman on recordings by Lorber, Tom Grant, and Ramsey Lewis.
Tragically, on November 23, 1996, Art Porter Jr. died when the motor boat occupied by him and four others capsized during an outing in the Kratha Taek Reservoir, 150 miles northwest of Bangkok, Thailand. Porter was 35. It was reported that Art Jr. was on his way to an island for dinner with friends when the boat sprang a leak and sank. With no life preservers on the boat, only one person survived by swimming to shore. The saxophonist was in Thailand to perform at the Thailand International Golden Jubilee Jazz Festival to commemorate the 50th anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's reign in Thailand. Understandably, the news sent shock waves through the jazz community, leaving many numb with utter sadness, including this writer.
Art Jr. has since been inducted into the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame. He received the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998.
I am so grateful for having had the pleasure of catching this symbol of power in smooth jazz back in the early 90s at a local jazz festival. His sheer energy was as intoxicating as his hooks and melodies. Still standing prominently in my mind as one who always—and I mean always--“brought it” each time he placed the sax to his lips, Art Porter Jr. will always be the recipient of my gratitude and of the gratitude of thousands of others who were fortunate enough to partake of the music and joy he spread during his short but illustrious career. -- Ronald Jackson
Art Porter Jr. -- Energy Done Right
It was often said that the music of the late saxophonist Art Porter Jr. was the music preferr
ed by those who wanted their smooth jazz “not too smooth.” Well, if that meant infusing huge doses of funk and thick, telling bass lines, they certainly got what they wanted with this young man with energy to burn. To see Art Porter Jr. live—or just to listen to one of his albums--was to truly witness a soul-stirring experience through a prism of vivid colors of sound.Art Porter Jr. was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on August 3, 1961, to an extraordinary musical family. His father, Art Porter Sr., was an outstanding musician and jazz pianist, much in demand in the local music venue. Starting off on drums and becoming part of his father's band, Art Jr. was drawn to the sax after noticing the melodic proficiency of his father and another band member, Leonard Johnson, who was his high school band director. He decided to drop the drums and get into the harmonics of music. The saxophone intrigued him with it being so close to the human voice. Porter picked up the sax and found that he had a natural affinity with the instrument. Needless to say, he became a premier saxophone player and composer.
The death of Art Porter Sr. in 1993 was a great loss for Little Rock and the jazz community. Many recall hearing Art Jr. playing a poignant “Amazing Grace” on saxophone at his father’s funeral in 1993. Reminiscent of that, Eric Struthers, a good friend of the artist, offered a heartfelt performance of that song on electric guitar at Art Jr.'s funeral service.
Art Jr. grew up in Little Rock and began his music career at an early age under the tutelage of his father. His first audience was the congregation of Bethel A.M.E. Church. He played music with his sister and brothers as a teenager, and with his father. By age 15, he was playing alto saxophone and performed regularly throughout Little Rock. At age 16, he studied at the Berkeley School of Music in Boston. After graduating from Parkview High School, he moved to Chicago to attend Northeastern Illinois University where he graduated in 1986. He also taught in the schools of Chicago, Illinois, and Gary Indiana. He started the Art Porter Quartet, which had a loyal following in the Chicago area.
As a popular musician whose star was rising, Porter attained wide popularity during his short lifetime. When Bill Clinton was in Arkansas, he was among the many fans of the Porter family. At one point when Art Jr. was a teenager, he was deemed too young to legally play in night clubs, even though he was playing with his father, Art Sr. Clinton helped pass legislation that would allow a minor to play in a night club if a parent or guardian was present. This became known as the Art Porter Bill.
As a long-time fan of the Porters, President Clinton said that his best memory of Art Porter Jr. was his performing with his father Art Sr. in the back yard of the Governor's Mansion. When Clinton won the 1993 Presidential election, Porter and his father collaborated to perform for the inauguration, playing the wonderful hymn “Amazing Grace” at the prayer breakfast and received a standing ovation.
Art Porter Jr. went on to share his music worldwide, though still coming back to perform in the Little Rock area from time to time. Some of his notable performances include professional appearances at the Kool Jazz Festival, Notre Dame University, and recording with Ramsey Lewis. He has been at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, taken European tours, been honored at the Music Festival of Arkansas (Fayetteville), and was invited to the North Sea Jazz Festival (Netherlands). He recorded four albums with Verve, his first in 1992, Pocket City. He also recorded Straight to the Point, Undercover, and his last album was Lay Your Hands on Me. There is also the posthumously released For Art's Sake, a handsome “Best Of” CD including a tribute track to the saxman from keyboardist Jeff Lorber. Art Jr. also appeared as a sideman on recordings by Lorber, Tom Grant, and Ramsey Lewis.
Tragically, on November 23, 1996, Art Porter Jr. died when the motor boat occupied by him and four others capsized during an outing in the Kratha Taek Reservoir, 150 miles northwest of Bangkok, Thailand. Porter was 35. It was reported that Art Jr. was on his way to an island for dinner with friends when the boat sprang a leak and sank. With no life preservers on the boat, only one person survived by swimming to shore. The saxophonist was in Thailand to perform at the Thailand International Golden Jubilee Jazz Festival to commemorate the 50th anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's reign in Thailand. Understandably, the news sent shock waves through the jazz community, leaving many numb with utter sadness, including this writer.
Art Jr. has since been inducted into the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame. He received the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998.
I am so grateful for having had the pleasure of catching this symbol of power in smooth jazz back in the early 90s at a local jazz festival. His sheer energy was as intoxicating as his hooks and melodies. Still standing prominently in my mind as one who always—and I mean always--“brought it” each time he placed the sax to his lips, Art Porter Jr. will always be the recipient of my gratitude and of the gratitude of thousands of others who were fortunate enough to partake of the music and joy he spread during his short but illustrious career. -- Ronald Jackson
