CD review: Samara Joy – Linger Awhile – 2023: Video, CD cover

Samara Joy has announced the upcoming release of Linger Awhile (Deluxe Edition), an expanded version of her Grammy-winning Verve album Linger Awhile featuring never-before-heard tracks and alternate arrangements, and Linger Awhile Longer, a D2C Exclusive LP with bonus material.

Both editions include brand new music plus fan favorites like “Guess Who I Saw Today” and “Can’t Get Out Of This Mood,” which Joy performed at the Grammy Premiere Ceremony earlier this year before taking home awards for Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album. The singer has also released a new single, titled “I Miss You So,”.

While reinvigorating beloved songs and standards for a fresh audience with her timeless sound, the 23-year-old is quickly making the case to join the ranks of great singers who have recorded for Verve Records. Since Joy’s Grammy wins, Linger Awhile has reached #1 on Amazon Best Sellers, Billboard Jazz, Pandora Trendsetters, iTunes and Amazon’s digital music and CD sales. She has garnered more than 2 billion views on TikTok, and her tour dates all over the world are selling out, including headline shows at New York’s Village Vanguard.

Recorded at Sear Sound in New York by Chris Allen and produced by Matt Pierson, Linger Awhile features Pasquale Grasso (guitar), Ben Paterson (piano), David Wong (bass) and Kenny Washington (drums). The track list consists of treasured songs by George Gershwin (“Someone To Watch Over Me”) and Thelonious Monk (“Round Midnight”), and also includes Joy’s original lyrics on Fats Navarro’s “Nostalgia (The Day I Knew).”

Samara Joy has been a breath of fresh air for jazz, with her youthful glow and classic sound captivating generations of music lovers. The GRAMMY-winning singer’s album Linger Awhile — which features songs like “Guess Who I Saw Today” — has a lot to do with that. Now that album is being expanded with an upcoming deluxe edition featuring eight new songs. Samara is giving us a listen to the expansion with the new song “I Miss You So.”

Like many of Linger Awhile’s tracks, “I Miss You So” is a standard that has endured for several decades since it was originated by singing group Cats And The Fiddle in the 1930s. Samara’s take is decidedly more jazzy in its approach, naturally. Her vocal is joined by guitar, piano and bass as she wrings out the song’s longing feeling with her velvety tone and deft approach. In other words, it’s another stellar outing for the songstress.

“I Miss You So” is one of the eight new additions on the Linger Awhile (Deluxe Edition) tracklist, which will also include new versions of “Sweet Pumpkin,” “Guess Who I Saw Today” and “Can’t Get Out Of This Mood” and new songs “Sometimes Today Seems Like Yesterday” and “I’m Gonna Lock My Heart (And Throw Away The Key).” That set will arrive in stores on May 19th. In addition to the deluxe edition, the eight added tracks will also be available on their own on an exclusive vinyl LP titled Linger Awhile Longer, which will be available on June 16th.

It looks like Samara Joy will be lingering for quite some time to come. You can check out the tracklists and artwork for both Linger Awhile (Deluxe Edition) and Linger Awhile Longer after you press play to listen to “I Miss You So” below.