Podcast: focus on Samara Joy as Linger Awhile is released the emphasis is on a superlative Misty

In the podcast today we are concentrating on Bronx singer Samara Joy and Linger Awhile (Verve, just released 5-stars) which catapults Joy into a new league of her own having made a splash last year - on which read 'Sensational Samara.' We see her …

Published: 19 Sep 2022. Updated: 18 months.

In the podcast today we are concentrating on Bronx singer Samara Joy and Linger Awhile (Verve, just released 5-stars) which catapults Joy into a new league of her own having made a splash last year - on which read 'Sensational Samara.'

We see her as the first highly retro singer of the classic calibre of Cécile McLorin Salvant and Jazzmeia Horn to come along in a while emerging from the US scene to connect with international audiences. In terms of style think a Dianne Reeves with a hearty dash of Sarah Vaughan within the recipe of Joyousness recalibrated for the 2020s.

Linger Awhile has 10 songs and these were recorded at Sear Sound in New York City produced by Matt Pierson (Wish, Moodswing). In the band are guitarist Pasquale Grasso, pianist Ben Paterson, double bassist David Wong and drummer Kenny Washington.

The Gershwins' 'Someone To Watch Over Me' and Thelonious Monk's 'Round Midnight' are among the selections as is the inclusion of a version of the Elisse Boyd and Murray Grand song 'Guess Who I Saw Today' à-la-Nancy Wilson on Something Wonderful (Capitol, 1960). All in all, a winning blend.

You won't hear a better version by a singer of Erroll Garner classic 'Misty' with the Johnny Burke lyrics - and it's covered a whole lot by many fine singers - in more than 60 years oh since 1959's Sarah Vaughan ultimate treatment the more I think about it. The best male version we know is an easy listening pop hit version again in 1959 from Heavenly by the great Johnny Mathis and again the Joy stands tall in such august company. SG

Samara Joy, photo: detail from the Linger Awhile cover

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Gigs - pick for 19-25 September

Brigitte Beraha The Yard Manchester Monday Daniela Soledade and Nate Najar St Ives Jazz Club St Ives Tuesday Bossa in store direct from the source here coming to St Ives. The easy listening charms of title track 'Pretty World' are certainly …

Published: 18 Sep 2022. Updated: 18 months.

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Brigitte Beraha The Yard Manchester Monday

Daniela Soledade and Nate Najar St Ives Jazz Club St Ives Tuesday

Bossa in store direct from the source here coming to St Ives. The easy listening charms of title track 'Pretty World' are certainly manifold from the new Daniela Soledade album of the same name. Recorded in Rio Pretty World also includes a Soledade collaboration with the great composer Roberto Menescal on 'Como É Gostoso Sonhar (It’s So Good To Dream)' and a version of Michael Franks classic 'Down in Brazil' (the last track of Side 2 of 1977's Warner Bros album Sleeping Gypsy). The Rio-born singer is blessed with a voice that can melt the permafrost of even the coldest of rooms.

Guido Spannocchi quartet Vortex London Wednesday

Saxist Spannocchi's Perihelion impressed last year - an album that featured pianist Robert Mitchell and trumpeter Jay Phelps, the London-based Austrian at the tiller is Ornette and Wayne Shorter-inspired and heard last year downstairs in the Vortex was comfortable on such numbers as Wayne's 'Tom Thumb' and more unusually Lester Bowie's 'Zero.'

Madeleine Peyroux Sage Gateshead Wednesday

Jason Rebello trio 606 London Thursday

Joy Ellis trio Peggy's Skylight Nottingham Thursday

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Courtney Pine feat. Zoe Rahman The Tung Liverpool Friday

Building towards the release of Spirituality - Courtney Pine's first album in 5 years - the 1980s saxophone and bass clarinet legend is touring throughout the autumn with the 2021 Ivors Impact winner pianist Zoe Rahman and a string quartet. A London born UK icon of Jamaican lineage Pine's last album was Black Notes From The Deep in 2017. Courtney, 58, broke the mould to establish a renaissance for UK jazz at the time of Journey to the Urge Within which cracked the pop charts in 1986 something that in that synth pop-dominated era hitherto was fairly unthinkable and somehow introduced a new generation of UK black jazz musicians to the wider public mostly for the first time. Many musicians on Urge Within have long since become icons of the UK scene including BBC Radio Three presenter pianist and composer Julian Joseph, vibes luminary and jazz industry power Orphy Robinson, Tomorrow's Warriors legend Gary Crosby and the great jazz singer Cleveland Watkiss. Pine was the Shabaka Hutchings of his day and yet surely Birmingham star Hutchings would admit that he stands on the shoulders of the giant as do so many. Blessed with a monstrously accomplished playing technique drawing on circular breathing methods and more Pine emerged from a reggae background as a very young man playing with such seminal acts as Clint Eastwood and General Saint. Spirituality picks up the thread established on the earlier Song (The Ballad Book) from 2015.

Hans Koller big band Vortex London Saturday Part of Feed the Soul

The Tommy Halferty quartet Arthur's Dublin Sunday

Guido Spannocchi, photo: marlbank