Willy Porter returning to CSPS in Cedar Rapids

Sometimes it’s a let down when a solo recording artist performs without a band. The accompanying musicians help flesh out the material and add other dynamics to the live show.

However, the Willy Porter experience is fine when the engaging singer/songwriter is by his lonesome on stage. It helps that the charismatic bard is a terrific guitarist and an amusing storyteller.

“I’m used to being alone up there and that’s how it's going to be when I come back to CSPS,” Porter said. “I enjoy performing no matter what (the configuration) is.”

Porter, 58, will preview songs from his forthcoming album, “The Ravine,” when he returns to Cedar Rapids on March 23, 2023.

“All of the songs were written on guitar, including the title track, which is a long piece, that's about nine minutes long. It’s s a journey type of a song. I’m excited about what people think of it at CSPS. I love that venue. It’s such a great sounding room. I’m pretty sure it’s haunted. There is no place like it.”

Count on Porter to also draw from material spanning his entire career. He has recorded eight albums, dating back to his debut album, 1995’s “Dog Eared Dreams.”

It’s been a solid run for Porter who was influenced early on by Iowa City singer/songwriter Greg Brown and acoustic guitar master Leo Kottke, both of whom recently have played concerts in the Corridor.

“Both of those guys have had a huge impact on me,” Porter said while calling from his Milwaukee home. “Greg Brown is such a brilliant writer. There is no one like him. Singer/songwriters aspire to write a song like Greg. I can’t believe Greg is retired. I would love to see him perform again, but oh well.

“With Leo, he really opened up things for me. Leo comes from a different universe. I love his open tunings and his sense of humor. Leo is so wonderful to see since he’s so gracious — and who doesn’t love his rambling stories, which are hilarious,” Porter said.

Like Kottke, Porter easily jumps from folk to blues, and he also flirts with rock and pop.

“I enjoy so many different styles of music,” Porter said. “I would get bored with just playing one type of music.”

“Ravine,” which is Porter's first album since 2016’s “Bonfire to Ash,” sounds like a roller-coaster ride with Porter jumping genres.

“I have 12 songs with no through line,” he said. “The songs are interconnected stylistically. You have to hear the songs to get what I’m talking about. Making music and performing is such a joyful experience.”

The Milwaukee native grew up in a musical household. His father was a pianist and Porter came of age with a variety of styles of music, courtesy of his older siblings.

“I was always hearing something new and cool, like Pink Floyd, Queen and Joni Mitchell,” he said. “Experiencing those incredible artists at a young age moved me.”

He embraced the guitar at age 12, and it didn't take him long to experiment with unusual tunings.

“I’ve always been about trying to make the guitar work more effectively,” Porter said. “I’ve done what I can to make the guitar work for me.”

Some iconic figures have noticed Porter’s enviable skill set. He has opened for The Cranberries, Tori Amos and Rickee Lee Jones, and toured with Sting, Paul Simon and Jeff Beck.

“All of those incredible musicians were incredibly gracious,” he said. “I can’t express how kind Tori Amos — who is such a genius — was with me. I had the opportunity to spend a good bit of time with another genius, Sting.

“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to learn so much from some of the best in the business. I’m still learning at this age, but I’m also enjoying myself a great deal. I just want to keep challenging myself and we’ll see where I head to next.”