Linger Awhile - Samara Joy

Linger Awhile is vocalist Samara Joy's major-label debut, released on Verve Records on September 16, 2022. Produced by Matt Pierson, the album features two different ensembles: a group with guitarist Pasquale Grasso, bassist David Wong, and drummer Kenny Washington, and another with trumpeter Terell Stafford, pianist Ben Paterson, bassist Marvin Sewell, and drummer Will Terrill. The thirteen-track program mixes standards like "'Round Midnight," "Linger Awhile," and "Social Call" with Joy's original compositions, including "Sweet Pumpkin" and "Can't Get Out of This Mood." Joy's voice — a warm, resonant contralto with precise intonation and natural swing feel — drew immediate comparisons to Sarah Vaughan, though her phrasing also reflects the influence of Betty Carter and Carmen McRae. The album's success was extraordinary for a jazz vocal record: it won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album, and Joy won Best New Artist at the 2023 Grammy Awards, making her only the second jazz artist to win that category. Grasso's bebop-rooted guitar and Stafford's lyrical trumpet provide contrasting accompaniment textures across the album's two ensemble configurations. At twenty-two years old, Joy's combination of vocal maturity and interpretive depth positioned her as a generational talent in jazz.