Samara Joy @ Ronnie Scott's - Nov. 8

Samara Joy (vocals); Pasquale Grasso (guitar); Mathias Allamane (double bass); Alberto Chiozzi (drums)

Samara Joy first came to the attention of your reviewer thanks to Emmet Cohen streaming weekly concerts from his New York apartment. Week to week pianist Cohen continues to invite one or two guests to join his trio in what is always a high quality session: the quality of the audio-visual presentation is of professional standard, the music sublime. On one such occasion, the then Purchase College undergraduate Samara Joy sang some songs - and how!  Fast forward to November, Monday of this week to be precise, Ms Joy, who celebrates her twenty second birthday this week, made her bow at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club. 

Samara Joy is currently on a first European tour and Frith Street, London, was on the itinerary. Supported by a world class trio - the peerless Pasquale Grasso, guitar, bassist Mathias Allamane and drummer Alberto Chiozzi - Ms Joy took to the stage to be greeted by a rapturous reception from a sell out crowd. From the opening lyrics to If You Never Fall in Love with Me (Sam Jones' Del Sasser), all present realised they were in the presence of the finest singer of her generation. Correction, the finest singer out there. The comparison, wholly justified, has been made with Sarah Vaughan. Ms Joy is a twenty first century Sassy! Think Ella, Billie, Carmen McRae, today's birthday girl is following in their footsteps. Poise, range, pitching, phrasing, Samara Joy has got it all. 

Stardust didn't frighten Ms Joy, songs recorded by Nat Cole - (It's Easy to See) The Trouble with You is Me and Nothing Ever Changes My Love for You - were given impeccable readings, Everything Happens to Me, sublime. This was some performance. Ms Joy spoke about Jon Faddis' guidance during her time at SUNY Purchase which led to our vocalist penning lyrics to Tadd Dameron's Nostalgia. Here at Ronnie's we heard Samara Joy 'singing' Fats Navarro's solo from 1958's Nostalgia album. Amazing, astounding, it begs the question: How can a twenty two year old sing like that?! Who knows? What is certain, Samara Joy is as good as they come. As her set drew to a close, Ms Joy was greeted with tumultuous applause. An encore demanded, an encore won, Samara Joy left us - she had a plane to catch! - with Come Rain or Come Shine. It had been a privilege.
Russell                                

Set list included: If You Never Fall in Love with Me; Stardust; (It's Easy to See) The Trouble with Me is You; Nostalgia; Nothing Ever Changes My Love for You; Be My Love; Let's Dream in the Moonlight; Jim; Everything Happens to Me; Come Rain or Come Shine.