Linger Awhile＜Translucent Blue Vinyl＞

With her sophomore album, 2022s Linger Awhile, Samara Joy achieved an uncommon feat, winning the Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best New Artist. While Joy is no stranger to accolades, having emerged to acclaim as the winner of the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Jazz Competition, her double success at the Grammys was a surprise for a jazz singer, especially one whose impressive style harks back to icons like the aforementioned Vaughan, Betty Carter, and Dinah Washington. Produced by Matt Pierson, Linger Awhile nicely showcases Joys verdant tone and adept vocalese skills. Part of the albums charm is how straightforward it is, with Joy framed by her acoustic ensemble featuring longtime guitarist Pasquale Grasso, pianist Ben Paterson, bassist David Wong, and drummer Kenny Washington. There are also tasteful contributions by saxophonist Kendric McCallister, trombonist Donovan Austin, and trumpeter Terrell Stafford. Joy brings a dusky warmth to standards like "Guess Who I Saw Today," "Misty," and an achingly slow rendition of "Im Confessin (That I Love You)." Particularly notable is her vocalese take on trumpeter Fats Navarros "Nostalgia," for which she wrote her own romantic lyrics, including some for the legendary bebop trumpeters original 1947 solo. While Joy isnt the first jazz singer to sing a transcribed solo with lyrics, her artful attention to detail speaks to her maturity and deep feeling for the music -- aspects redolent throughout Linger Awhile. ~ Matt Collar