Samara Joy

Description

Samara Joy is a singing star in ascendancy. The young vocalist attracted attention in 2019 after winning the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Her 2021 self-titled debut album puts her spin on jazz standards from the Great American Songbook for a release that furthers Joy's reputation as one of America's most promising young jazz vocalists. Joy grew up in the Bronx around a supportive musical family. Music was a pervasive presence due to the inspiration of her paternal grandparents, Elder Goldwire and Ruth McLendon, who led the Philadelphia-based gospel group, The Savettes. "My mother and father gave me the opportunity to hear music on an interesting spectrum, from Luther Vandross and Chaka Khan through to George Duke and Stevie Wonder. Actually, I hadn't heard of Sarah Vaughan until college. My friends were all into jazz and started sharing their favorite recordings with me. The turning point was when I heard Sarah's version of "Lover Man" – I was hooked." Samara has performed in many of the great jazz venues in NYC, including Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, The Blue Note, and Mezzrow, in addition to working with jazz greats such as Christian McBride, Pasquale Grasso, Kirk Lightsey, Cyrus Chestnut, and NEA Jazz Master Dr. Barry Harris.