At the start of 2010, the buzz about Los Angeles-born, Brooklyn-based jazz and soul vocalist Gregory Porter was a strong, steady murmur, fueled by a growing crowd of fans. When Wynton Marsalis selected the then-unknown singer to perform a residency with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, people took notice. Now, just a few years later, NPR Music has hailed him as “the next great male jazz singer.” A disarmingly sincere performer with a groove that never quits, Porter is that rare jazz vocalist with true star power, combining the big heart of a gospel shouter with the honeyed tone of a crooner. His album Liquid Spirit, which has gospel, blues, and R&B influences, was recently awarded the 2014 Grammy Award for “Best Vocal Jazz Album.”