- Samara Joy
- Monday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m.
- The Moore Theatre, Seattle
Few figures in jazz history have experienced the kind of meteoric success that vocalist Samara Joy has, especially at such a young age. At just 25, her career is nothing short of sensational.
With five Grammy Awards to her name, including a Best New Artist win as well as an NAACP Image Award, Joy has achieved the kind of profile typically reserved for pop celebrities. Her visibility has made her a steady presence on network TV and a favorite among younger music fans, particularly on platforms like TikTok, where she’s helped introduce timeless American music to new generations. Her performance history reads like a who’s-who of the most legendary venues and events in jazz, with appearances at the Newport, Monterey, and Montreal Jazz Festivals, as well as iconic stages like the Apollo, Carnegie Hall, the Village Vanguard, and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Joy’s rise has been accompanied by rave reviews. DownBeat called her breakout Verve Records debut Linger Awhile “a beautiful recording,” hailing her as “a silky-voiced star,” while The New York Times described her as a “rising star.” NPR referred to her as a “classic jazz singer from a new generation.” With each performance, she has earned a reputation as a masterful interpreter of jazz standards, drawing comparisons to her legendary jazz heroines, including Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, and Carmen McRae.
A native of the Bronx’s Castle Hill neighborhood, Joy grew up surrounded by music. Her family’s musical legacy runs deep: her grandparents, Elder Goldwire and Ruth McLendon, led the Philadelphia gospel group the Savettes, and her father, musician and songwriter Antonio McLendon, toured with Andraé Crouch and recorded his own work. As a child, Joy was captivated by classic R&B and honed her singing skills in her church’s gospel choir. Her journey into jazz began in her teens, while attending Fordham High School for the Arts, where she won Best Vocalist at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s prestigious Essentially Ellington program.
Entry deadline is September 21.
