Samara Joy
(Roundhouse. 27 April 2024. Review by Sebastian Scotney)

The rise and rise of Samara Joy i the past three years has been spectacular, and has been well chronicled on this site:

I remember that Adam Sieff noticed cameo appearances by her on the album “Introducing Ruben Fox” in 2021, using the epithet “wonderful”. Adam then stuck to his last with an ecstatic review of her eponymous first album, in which he took note of “a young singer with the level of talent that only surfaces once in a blue moon”  (we also had a John Fordham album feature). He was equally fulsome in his praise of her Verve debut “Linger Awhile”. We have also had four live reviews from the past three years that have seen her leap to fame with three Grammy’s en route.

Last night, her winning combination of magnificent stage presence, a totally charming and humble spirit, plus a spectacular voice, an instrument of astonishing adaptability and dexterity, used fearlessly, wowed a capacity crowd at the Roundhouse, the penultimate date of five on a UK tour.

Her band has gone from a trio to septet. The only constant since she appeared at the Barbican last November (reviewed) is drummer Evan Sherman. The increase in band size has resulted in a series of new arrangements: Joy uses the method which Wynton Marsalis sometimes uses with the JALC Orchestra, and allocates the arrangements around the band. The results are mixed.

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There are very good things on offer, such as the Billie Holiday/ Mal Waldron tune “Left Alone” in an arrangement by alto player David Mason. To get a flavour of that. Samara Joy has posted a clip from the Istanbul concert of the current tour on her instagram (LINK).

But not all the arrangements are as effective. Whereas the ‘original’ “Sweet Pumpkin” on “Linger Awhile” with guitarist Pasquale Grasso has an easy and enlivening swing feel, the arranger of the new version played last night has turned the tune into a convoluted obstacle course for Joy and the band to negotiate. They do get through it – of course they do – but I couldn’t help thinking that here was an arrangement which stands in the way of both the singer and of the song. I hope Samara Joy gets to hear the arrangements which Callum Au has done for Emma Smith’s forthcoming album; they are in a different league.

Samara Joy won over a host of new fans and friends last night. The standing ovation which greeted her second encore last night, a blues, was open-hearted, unanimous and rightly so, but her astonishing ability to touch hearts needs, deserves, and hopefully will attract, a flow of good material.

BAND

Jason Charos (trumpet)
Donavan Austin (trombone)
David Mason (alto sax)
Kendric McCallister (tenor sax)
Connor Rohrer (piano)
Felix Moseholm (bass)
Evan Sherman (drums)
Samara Joy, (vocals)