Cal Performances presents Samara Joy
Zellerbach Hall Auditorium
U.C. Berkeley, Bancroft Way at Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94305 USA
7:30 PM, Wednesday, February 5, 2025

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[7:37 PM] {lights down; house announcements; applause for the band}

1. [7:38 PM] (unidentified theme as walk on music)
   [7:39 PM] {the crowd goes bonkers as SJ enters}
2. [7:39 PM] Reincarnation of a Love Bird (words: SJ; music: Charles Mingus)
   [7:46 PM] {Greetings from SJ while CR vamps}
3. [7:47 PM] You Stepped Out of a Dream (words: Gus Kahn; music: Nacio Herb Brown)
   [7:53 PM] {SJ lauds JC & CR‚ then introduces the next tune}
4. [7:54 PM] U.M.M.G. (Upper Manhattan Medical Group) (words: SJ; music: Billy Strayhorn)
   [7:58 PM] {SJ lauds JC & DM‚ then talks about being mentored by Barry Harris}
5. [8:00 PM] Now and Then (In Remembrance of…) (SJ)
   [8:07 PM] {SJ lauds KM for his arrangement and introduces the next tune as Betty Carter's advice on love while ES vamps}
6. [8:08 PM] Beware My Heart (Sam Coslow)
   [8:15 PM] {SJ lauds JC & DM; thanks; long yack about her upbringing & songwriting}
7. [8:18 PM] Peace Of Mind (SJ) »
8. [8:22 PM] Dreams Come True (Sun Ra)
   [8:25 PM] {SJ talks about Monk}
9. [8:27 PM] San Francisco Holiday (Worry Later) (words: Margo Guryan; music: Thelonious Monk) »
10. [8:31 PM] Ugly Beauty
    [8:39 PM] {SJ lauds GM‚ CR‚ PS‚ ES; introduces the next as a Carmen McRae cover}
11. [8:40 PM] The Little Things That Mean So Much (words: Harold Adamson; music: Theodore Wilson)
    [8:45 PM] {SJ lauds KM &ES; warns us that there are only two songs left tonight; introduction of the next tune}
12. [8:46 PM] Left Alone (Billie Holiday)
    [8:55 PM] {SJ lauds DA for his arrangement}
13. [8:55 PM] No More Blues (words: Vinicius De Moraes; music: Antonio Carlos Jobim)
    [9:05 PM] {applause & encore break}
    
    Encore
14. [9:06 PM] Buzz Me (words: Dave Dexter‚ Jr.; music: Dave Dexter‚ Jr. & Fleecie Moore)
    [9:10 PM] {burst of applause as SJ exits}
15. [9:10 PM] (unidentified theme as walk off music)
    [9:12 PM] {final applause; show ends}

• Donavan Austin: trombone;
• Jason Charos: trumpet;
• Samara Joy: vox;
• David Mason: alto saxophone, flute;
• Kendric McCallister: tenor saxophone;
• Connor Rohrer: piano;
• Evan Sherman: drums.
• Paul Sikivie: contrabass;

After missing her 2023 debut at SFJAZZ and her 2024 follow-up run, I was really looking forward to hearing Samara Joy in person. As expected, the show leaned hard on her latest release, Portrait, but surprisingly, new arrangements of classic tunes comprised the majority of the thirteen tunes on the setlist. It was kind of funny: at various points during the show I'd be thinking, “ehh, this isn't quite working for me”, but when it was time for the encore, my main thought was “oooh, I hope they do more than one – the show has gone by too fast!”

My favorite tune of the night was the bluesy encore, Buzz Me: I'm guessing that if Samara's still singing that one in twenty years, it will swing with a lot more gravitas. For now, like many of the other tunes, it felt to me as if Samara was trying on the style to see how it felt and how she could bring to life. I appreciate that: it's way more interesting hearing performers who seek new sounds while reinterpreting the classics than those who merely offer retreads of tired old tropes.

Andrew Gilbert posted a review of the show to SFCV.

Program Notes or program notes

Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2025 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2025 event list! ☸ On to the next event!