After her success at the Grammys Feb. 2, jazz vocalist Samara Joy brought her rich, velvety vocals to a sold-out crowd at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley Feb. 5, from 7:30-9:00 p.m. The 25-year-old star showcased technical mastery and emotional depth in a setlist composed both of unrecorded songs and tracks from her newest album, Portrait.

Born in the Bronx, Joy was born into a musical family full of gospel and soul musicians. Her grandparents, Elder Goldwire and Ruth McLendon, were part of the well-renowned gospel group The Savettes.

“Music is an integral part of my family. It’s how we express ourselves and share love for each other,” Joy said in an interview on 60 Minutes.

After entering high school, Joy became entranced by the voices of Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Carmen McRae, leading her to study jazz at SUNY Purchase in New York. She later won the prestigious Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, garnering more attention from audiences and critics alike. 

Joy released her self-titled debut album in 2021, followed a year later by Linger Awhile, earning her a Grammy in 2023 for Best Jazz Vocal Album and more notably the all-genre Best New Artist award. She later released the EP, A Joyful Holiday, which, this past Sunday, earned her Grammy recognition once again, winning Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance. Her most recent album, Portrait, dropped in Oct. 2024, earning further critical praise.

Zellerbach Hall is an auditorium belonging to the University of California, Berkeley campus, and hosts a variety of different acts, including musical and theatrical performances. Zellerbach fit the style of Joy’s performance, as the expansive acoustics allowed her voice to be heard easily throughout the auditorium.

As the concert began, audience members were struck by her presence as she took the stage, immediately jumping into the music. Her warm, resonant tone reverberated throughout the concert hall as she performed a unique arrangement of Charles Mingus’s “Reincarnation of a Lovebird” featured in Portrait. Audience members murmured in awe at her voice’s sheer power and depth as it emitted throughout the hall.

The band was just as enthralling as Joy herself. During a performance of Carmen McRae’s “It’s The Little Things That Mean So Much,” drummer Evan Sherman and tenor saxophonist Kendric McCallister had a moment to shine on their own. McCallister delivered a fiery solo full of speed and complexity. Additionally, bassist Paul Sikivie and Sherman stayed in perfect sync, a remarkable feat considering the speed of the tune.

Joy also performed her first original song during the show, “Peace of Mind / Dreams Come True.” A medley combining a Sun Ra tune, the lyrics seemed to explore her past experiences navigating the music industry as a young artist. For instance, the line, “Sometimes you feel like giving up / but don’t ever lose hope,” resonates with her experience of almost abandoning music in favor of becoming an accountant. The band provided a fantastic accompaniment to Joy’s vocals during this section.

The ensemble’s final performance of the main set truly showed their synergy together, as they performed the jazz standard “No More Blues” by Antônio Carlos Jobim. Joy performed her only scat solo of the night during the set, showcasing her abilities not only as a singer but also as an improviser. Throughout the performance, the band demonstrated remarkable control of dynamics, effortlessly shifting from soft, intimate moments consisting solely of the rhythm section and Joy to explosive, energetic passages.

As the performance came to a close, the ensemble played an impromptu encore, blending elements from a variety of blues standards. Despite the spontaneity of the encore, Joy and the band managed to showcase their talent in different genres.

Samara Joy’s performance at Zellerbach Hall displayed her captivating talent as a once-in-a-generation star. With the support of a skilled band, the group showcased pure musical perfection, leaving the audience in awe of their talent. Joy’s performance earns an emphatic five out of five feathers.