Django Jazz Vocalist Series: Samara Joy

Personnel:
Samara Joy - Vocals
Emmet Cohen - Piano
Russell Hall - Bass
Kyle Poole - Drums

With a voice as smooth as velvet, Samara Joy’s star only seems to rise with each performance. At only 21 years old, McLendon has already performed in many of the great jazz venues in NYC, including Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, The Blue Note, and Mezzrow, in addition to working with jazz greats such as Christian McBride, Pasquale Grasso, Kirk Lightsey, Cyrus Chestnut, and NEA Jazz Master Dr. Barry Harris. Following her winning the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, she has recorded her debut album, set to release in July of 2021 and will be performing at the famed Newport Jazz Festival this year.