CHICAGO | On Friday October 27th, we attended an unforgettable night with jazz vocalist Samara Joy at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. We were lucky enough to score a meet-and-greet with Samara and hear her soundcheck. Although the show sold out before we had a chance to get tickets, Samara was kind enough to offer us free tickets as her personal guests.
At only 23 years old, Samara Joy is a true prodigy and virtuoso. She grew up singing in church and steeped in gospel with several musician family members. She became a vocalist for the jazz band at Fordham High School for the Arts and soon after won Best Vocalist at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington competition. Joy graduated from her undergrad at SUNY Purchase only two years ago and has already toured all over the world with her own band and with Wynton Marsalis’s Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Earlier this year, Samara won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best New Artist — the second jazz artist ever to win the award — and it was clear why. Accompanied by four horns, bass, drums and piano, she showcased her exceptional vocal range and technique on original arrangements of jazz standards.
With a program including tunes like “Sweet Pumpkin,” “Linger A While” and “Guess Who I Saw Today,” to name a few, the performance left the entire audience totally captivated and stunned. As Joy would pause, in the silence, you could actually feel the audience’s anticipation. The band smoothly incorporated fusion styles into their arrangements, allowing the personal touches of Joy and the instrumentalists to shine through. In any case, her youth was no disadvantage as she honored the traditions of vocal jazz while presenting a modern yet sincere perspective.
The performance of “Guess Who I Saw Today” was particularly moving; embodying the poise and power of Nancy Wilson, one of her top influences, Joy took a storytelling approach to singing this standard. Her voice gave each lyric meaning as she told the tale of love and infidelity. She had a polished stage presence and graciously shared the spotlight by featuring the other members of the band, who were all rather young as well and equally talented. We were awestruck by how Joy glided effortlessly throughout her expansive range. The theater was deservedly packed and it was evident that everyone there shared our enjoyment of the show. She has a remarkably mature sound for her age, merging the tone and style of jazz singers like Ella Fitzgerald with classical technique and her gospel upbringing.
Before the show, we were able to ask Joy one question: if she was trapped on a desert island and could only take three albums with her, which would she choose?
“Of course this [question]! Three albums, my god. Ok probably Kim Burell’s Everlasting Life. Um, most likely um Duke Pearson an album called Dedication and The Audience with Betty Carter,” said Joy. We are so grateful to Joy for her time and generosity and we look forward to seeing her again soon!