Samara Joy

Samara Joy is an American jazz vocalist known for her deep, warm voice and her interpretations of the Great American Songbook and midcentury jazz repertoire. She has quickly become one of the most celebrated young singers in jazz, and she now appears with symphony orchestras across the US, pairing her small-group jazz sensibility with full orchestral arrangements of standards by Ellington, Gershwin, Carmichael, and others.

Expect a program built around the Great American Songbook and jazz standards, arranged for full orchestra rather than a small jazz combo. Joy sings with a low, velvety contralto voice and favors unhurried tempos that let lyrics breathe, often lingering behind the beat before catching up to the band. In these orchestral gala programs, listeners can expect Ellington ballads like "Sophisticated Lady" and "Come Sunday," Gershwin's "Cuban Overture" as an instrumental showcase for the orchestra, and Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust" alongside Billie Holiday's "Left Alone." She also brings in newer or less expected material, such as the Brazilian song "Flor de Lis" by Djavan, showing a range beyond strict jazz repertoire. The overall effect is intimate phrasing scaled up to concert hall size.