The chances of a fresh, effervescent, young artist appearing on the jazz music scene and gaining accolades, attracting new fans, and being awarded prestigious honors within a short period sounds like an unlikely feat in the current era we live in.
But in a perfect world, where musicianship is revered, and listeners are moved by raw, finely crafted talent and vocal prowess, the incredible Samara Joy stands towering, above the vast majority of her contemporaries, across all genres of music.
Just shy of her 24th birthday, and with three fine albums to her credit (including her recently released third offering, the exquisite Portrait), Joy has found a way to inject classic jazz, delightfully paired with precise and soulful vocal chops, into the mainstream. Already having won a handful of Grammy Awards since the release of her debut album in 2021, as well as receiving countless amounts of praise from respectable jazz publications, Samary Joy is on the brink of an exciting and limitless career.
Joy and her astounding seven-piece band (including some members with local roots), shone brightly throughout their performance at Clearwater’s Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre last Friday evening, and, in the process, showed a capacity-filled house how they are doing their part to keep the torch of jazz music burning brightly.
Finely dressed in smart, dapper suits and ties, Joy’s ensemble took the stage first to kick off the night with a brief taste of what was in store for the night. A four-piece horn section (including former St. Petersburg music students Jason Charos on trumpet, David Mason on alto sax, and Kendric McCallister on tenor sax), drummer, standup bassist, and pianist, filled the room with joyous sounds before Joy herself walked out onstage to thunderous applause.
Donning an elegant sparkly jumpsuit, Joy exuded fashion and poise as she stood at her microphone and launched into a stunning a cappella number to open the show. Some shouts of “We love you!” from the crowd soon subsided, as those in attendance started to let the sheer magnitude of that fine instrument of a voice Joy possesses permeate every corner of the cozy theater.
It was clear by the second selection of the program, the transcendent “Reincarnation of a Lovebird,” based on a piece of music written by jazz legend Charles Mingus for which Joy penned accompanying lyrics, that this was to be a night that those lucky enough to attend would not soon forget. This, a makeup show that had to be rescheduled due to the area’s recent hurricane woes, was more than worth the wait and the potential postponement hassles that both the venue and patrons might have endured. Having the chance to witness a rising star, backed by a young, hugely gifted, and accomplished band of musicians, is an indescribable experience for true music lovers to witness. Joy’s exuberance and passion for her craft were consistently matched by the excellent performances (and solos) her band members provided throughout the evening, which made for a truly special and unforgettable occasion.
Never missing an opportunity to shine the spotlight on her onstage musical accompanists, Joy often vacated her spot at the center of the stage and made her way to either side of it to draw more attention to her group. Introducing them several times throughout the performance, Joy even went as far as to call out and thank some of the local music teachers by name who were instrumental in giving some of her musicians guidance and instruction early in their lives. In attendance, Joy asked them each to stand up and took the opportunity to thank them each by name for the career paths they chose. “Thank you to the teachers!” she excitedly announced.
Also in attendance was Dominic Avant, a Sarasota-based artist who was commissioned to create the stunning oil painting of Joy that adorns the front cover of her latest album. Equally enchanting when delivering anecdotes and recalling real-life experiences between songs as she is when she’s singing, Joy gleefully described her plight to find the right painter to create a portrait of her for her album cover and how she discovered Avant while searching the internet. Joy then also asked Avant to stand so that the crowd could offer him a round of applause.
While it is refreshing to see a young artist so proud and willing to give praise and thanks to those who’ve played a role in her ascent to stardom, it is of course imperative to discuss the amazing gift Samara Joy possesses, which is what has worked in her favor in allowing her to reach such heights. Boasting an incredibly uncanny ability to bake in so many vocal styles and approaches into her delivery is really what makes Joy stand out.
Whether weaving an almost operatic tone into her performance or engaging in hushed, sultry passages, Joy carries an arsenal of styles and nuances in her musical tool belt and boasts an astronomical range of octaves. Her flawless scatting at the close of “Day By Day,“ the final track on her new album, was matched by her heartfelt, mournful cooing on “Left Alone,” a composition by jazz great Billie Holiday. Note perfect on every line, Joy’s voice is almost unbelievable to comprehend and digest in her recorded works, but hearing it in pure, unadulterated form in a live setting is truly something to behold. Happy to engage in lighter, more buoyant numbers, Joy shone just as brightly during the playful bop of Betty Carter’s “Tight.” During the performance of “Beware My Heart,” another song attributed to Carter, Joy took a moment to specifically recognize the influence and inspiration Ms. Carter’s recordings have provided her throughout her personal musical journey.
For all the jaw-dropping performances this night boasted, it was probably the pairing of “Peace of Mind,” a Joy original, with Sun Ra’s “Dreams Come True” that personally evoked the most heartfelt reaction. Still seeming to earnestly enjoy her whirlwind ride to eventual jazz royalty and not shy to share her reflections on that ride, Joy spoke of her musical and academic schooling and confessed to only starting to listen to jazz in 2017, and considering it as her musical pathway of choice. The unabashed recollection and the sheer gratitude she extolled was the perfect segue for launching into this collaboration of songs as a vehicle that represents her current state of gratitude for landing where she is now as a recognized musical force. The selection also served as vivid proof of Joy’s capabilities and vocal acrobatics throughout.
By the time the 95-minute performance came to an end, it was evident that Samara Joy and her fantastic band conquered the room and precisely proved their reverence and flair for what they’ve chosen as their careers is fueled by a true, unequivocal love of music. Here’s hoping Joy and her band are indeed the next generation of purveyors of one of our greatest and oldest art forms, jazz music. If anyone can fulfill that tall order, my money is on this group and its marvelous singer.
