A native of the Bronx, Samara Joy was captivated by classic R&B as a child and began her singing career in her church’s gospel choir. Although her family had a strong musical background, she didn’t explore the jazz tradition until she attended college at SUNY Purchase. During her time there, she won the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, which brought her recognition as a rising star in the jazz world. Both audiences and critics consider her to be a masterful interpreter of jazz standards and a rightful heir to the sound, technique, and charisma of jazz legends like Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, and Carmen McRae.
Joy’s new album on Verve Records is a great follow-up to her 2022 breakthrough album, Linger Awhile. The Grammy-winning singer co-produced the ‘Portrait’ with fellow Grammy winner Brian Lynch, who is a trumpeter and musical director known for his work with Eddie Palmieri and as a member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. The album was recorded with streamlined sessions at Van Gelder Studio, a renowned jazz recording site. Joy and Lynch aimed to recreate the close-knit energy of their live performances in the studio by recording all together in the same room. Joy describes it as the perfect place to capture the full sound of the band, with the members feeding off each other’s energy just like they would in a live show.
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Source/Images courtesy of Crossover Media
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