The Intersection of Talent and Perseverance
The phenomenal Billy Porter performed two shows Monday night at Joe’s Pub in New York, showcasing his many vocal gifts, his skills as a songwriter and his showmanship at entertaining an audience. Enjoyable as the show was however, viewers were left with the thought that if the world were truly a fair and equal place, and people were judged solely on their talent, Porter would be ten times the star he is today.
The evening’s performance coincided with the release of his second album, At The Corner Of Broadway + Soul, and allowed the veteran actor-singer-dancer to draw on his experience in musical theater, his gospel roots in the church and his natural soul instincts. What resulted was an enjoyable program of up tempo R&B, stirring ballads and music with a real message.
This was his first return to Joe’s Pub since his triumphant autobiographical one-man-show, Ghetto Superstar, earlier this year. It is also where he debuted the current material more than a year ago. Porter is quite an accomplished songwriter and performed a number of his original compositions. Feel It to Heal It was penned after 9/11 and speaks of using love to overcome the pain of that event. Hell or High Water is a danceable track with the message that no is not an answer, while World’s Gon Hav 2 Wait had Billy taking us to church, as he puts the world on pause in order to make time for his own needs. Capathia Jenkins, Aisha de Haas and Marty Thomas made a joyful noise in the background.
About two or three songs in, Porter matter-of-factly restated the obvious. “Y’all know I’m gay, right?” Not only was that known but it was also one of the unifying elements to the evening. Gay or gay affirming seemed to be the general audience demographic. He further reminded folks of his recent appearance on Oprah. And therein lies the great paradox of his career.
While record companies fawn over the next teen heart-throb, with talent about as long as the stubble on their pubescent chins, Porter can easily put all of those whiney little kids to shame. He can out sing any number of Grammy-winning adult performers as well. But he’s gay. Open, proud and unapologetically gay. No doubt because of that, he does not have a recording contract and doesn’t neatly fit into the marketing packages producers and record execs try to craft for today’s stars. How do you sell the masses on a great soul singer who happens to be gay and refuses to hide that fact? (The late Luther Vandross clearly took a different approach.) They haven’t figured that out yet, meanwhile Porter forges ahead with his career largely through his own determination and the support of fans enlightened enough to look beyond sexual orientation.
At one point during the show, he and his lover and fellow out gay singer Ari Gold, performed another Porter original All That Matters which may have been the first time two men sang a love song to one another before an audience. Porter joked, “We’re the gay Jay-Z and Beyonce,” coyly asking audience members to guess which one of them was who.
While their song spoke of love being all that should matter in a relationship, it could just as easily have referred to one’s talent being all that should matter in show business. Nevertheless, Billy Porter continues on, demanding the entertainment world to take notice.
Posted by bernie at November 29, 2005 9:29 AMTrackBack
The first time I saw Billy was on a Logo commercial, where he affirmed his gayness. Then I saw him on Oprah where he was entertaining and interesting as hell. I guess I've been asleep, because everyone seems to know Billy but me. I plans on buying me his CD and introducing myself to the Porter.
Me.
Posted by: Reg at November 29, 2005 5:59 PM