Samara Joy opening concert
– the new leading jazz voice of our time!
At the age of 25, she has already made a name for herself as one of the most important jazz vocalists of our time, and when the Kongsberg Jazz Festival opens its doors, it is Samara Joy who will have the honor of setting the tone for the festival week.
It's a rare occurrence when a young artist not only steps into jazz history – but does so with a naturalness that feels completely natural. Samara Joy is one such voice.
With five Grammy Awards in just a few years – including Best New Artist – she has achieved a position that few jazz artists reach today. She fills the great, legendary spaces in the world of jazz, from Carnegie Hall and Village Vanguard to the Newport and Monterey Jazz Festival. At the same time, she has reached a whole new and younger audience, including through social media, where her dissemination of classic American jazz songs and standards has aroused curiosity and excitement far beyond the traditional jazz community.
Musically, Samara Joy stands firmly in tradition, with a voice and presence that has drawn lines to legends such as Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln and Carmen McRae. Yet her expression never feels retrospective. On the contrary: this is jazz that lives, breathes and communicates directly – with warmth, precision and deep respect for the material.
Growing up in the Bronx, surrounded by gospel, R&B and a strong musical family tradition, have left a clear mark. Samara Joy's path into jazz gained international breakthrough through the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2019, and since then her development has been formidable. The albums LINGER AWHILE (2022) and PORTRAIT (2024) have established her as both an outstanding interpreter and an increasingly clear artistic voice – also as a lyricist and bandleader.
That Samara Joy is now opening the Kongsberg Jazz Festival, with her only concert in Norway, is something we are both proud of and genuinely excited about. This is an opening concert that encompasses both the history of jazz and its future – and a rare opportunity to experience an artist who is already writing his way into the grand narrative of jazz.
Concert starts: 18:00 PM / Doors open: 17:00 PM / No age limit / Seated concert
Availability: Dedicated HC seating, universally designed building, companion certificates accepted
Photo: AB+DM
