At the age of 24, jazz singer Samara Joy already has three Grammy Awards to her credit; earlier this year, she nabbed the Grammy for Best Jazz Performance for her song “Tight.” Joy will close out the extended 2023-2024 McCallum Theatre season at 8 p.m., Saturday, June 15; tickets start at $63. For more information, visit www.mccallumtheatre.org.
What was the first concert you attended?
Aretha Franklin at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center!
What was the first album you owned?
George Benson, Give Me the Night.
What bands are you listening to right now?
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and the Brian Lynch Big Band.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?
Drake.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
Stevie Wonder live!
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?
Disney music.
What’s your favorite music venue?
SFJazz Center.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
“Now it seems the flame has gone away too soon. We will sing your song, though it’s not the same. Will a spark like yours ever burn again?” These are lyrics I wrote to Barry Harris’ “Now and Then.”
What band or artist changed your life? How?
Betty Carter taught me how to be fearless and creative musically.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?
I’d ask Duke Ellington what he thinks of the music scene as it relates to jazz today.
What song would you like played at your funeral?
“Chelsea Bridge.”
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
Dedication!, Duke Pearson.
What song should everyone listen to right now?
Leontyne Price, “Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore.”
