THE man in the hat surely has one of the best jazz/soul voices on the planet and he was on top form on the Welsh leg of his UK tour.


Supported by singer/pianist and Prince protege Kandace Springs, whose short set was largely self-penned other than a spellbinding version of Ewan MacColl's The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Porter and his brilliant six-piece band held the hugely-supportive St David's Hall audience in the palm of their hands.


Touring ahead of next month's release of his new album Take Me To The Alley, Porter mixed new material with old favourites from the Liquid Spirit, Be Good and Water albums.


Brilliant musicianship and a velvet voice meant there was little to fault in an electric set, though there were perhaps a few too many individual solos for my taste.


Highlights were terrific renditions of No Love Dying, Musical Genocide and Hey Laura, an understated but emotional Water Under Bridges, a soulful On My Way To Harlem, a frenzied 1960 What?, and a truly great cover of the Temptations' Papa Was A Rolling Stone.


Porter mixes romance with politics and spirituality, but in the end the voice is everything.


And his is up there with the very best.