An Evening with Samara Joy
In a remarkably short time, this extraordinary young vocalist has leapt from newcomer to bona fide star status, conquering the GRAMMY Awards three years in a row, with a perfect score of five wins for five nominations. Among her other conquests are the critics, who lavish praise upon Joy's creamy voice, pitch-perfect tone and engaging, intuitive way with lyrics - hailing her as a reincarnation of Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holliday, with a special something of her own.
She comes by those talents naturally, coming from a deeply musical family her grandparents, who helmed the Philadelphia gospel group the Savettes, and her father, the musicians and songwriter Antionio McLendon, who has produced, composed, and arranged his own astounding original work.
Perhaps Joy's greatest conquest, for the future of the great American art form of jazz, is her multi-generational, cross-genre fan base. A hit with old-school jazz fans, she's also converting a new generation to the art form; NPR calls her a "classic jazz singer from a new generation."
A word to the wise: Samara Joy's Ensemble Arts Philly performances have sold out two years in a row. Act now to avoid missing out!
Jazz Series Packages
This show is part of our 2025-26 Jazz Series. Save when you choose two or more shows from our exciting jazz season.
Learn More
