Gregory Porter is Gateshead's festival's first star act
TICKETS went on sale this morning (July 3) for Gateshead International Jazz Festival 2016 with hosts Sage Gateshead announcing that Grammy Award-winner Gregory Porter is the event's first headline act.
After an amazing set at this year's Glastonbury Festival and a sell-out concert at Sage Gateshead last October, Porter will be bringing his Californian charisma to Sage One on Friday, April 15 to open the event.
Combining jazz and soul singing, Porter continues to perform to sell out audiences across the world and has achieved international recognition and acclaim with his Grammy-winning album Liquid Spirit. In the UK alone, the album is certified gold and has remained in the official album charts for 80 weeks since release.
Critics have labelled Porter as a new "king of jazz" and a "leader of the pack" and showing extraordinary presence. He has been compared to the greatest of the greats, such as Joe Williams, Nat Cole, Donny Hathway and Marvin Gaye.
Further festival artists are due to be announced in the autumn.
Sage Gateshead programme the festival in collaboration with London-based music producers Serious, and it runs from April 15 to Sunday, April 17.
Viv Hardwick
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here