Samara Joy has enamored the globe with her out-of-this-world talent and conviction to breathe new life into jazz. The GRAMMY Award-winner thrilled with her recent album Linger Awhile and its subsequent deluxe edition Linger Awhile Longer. Now, she’s set to enchant us all over again with her upcoming album Portrait this fall. To give us a sweet taste of what’s to come, Samara has released the set’s lead single “You Stepped Out Of A Dream.”
The song finds Samara once again mining the rich history of the American songbook. This time, she picks an eight-decade-old gem that’s produced well-known versions by the likes of Nat King Cole, Shirley Horn, Johnny Mathis and many more. She makes it her own, however, thanks to an inspired arrangement that gives it a bit more swing than previous covers.
That swing is courtesy of her collaborators — horn player (and the song’s arranger) Jason Charos, saxophonists David Mason and Kendrick McCallister, trombonist Donavan Austin, bass player Felix Moseholm, drummer Evan Sherman and pianist Connor Rohrer. The band gives Samara’s voice the runway to fly. And fly she does as her voice takes us from velvety lows to crystalline highs with seeming effortlessness. It’s a feeling as lovely as the picture the lyrics paint of a love that’s seemed to materialize from fantasy into real life.
“You Stepped Out Of A Dream” is one of eight tracks that will be available on Portrait when it arrives on Friday, October 11th via Verve Records. You can get a peek at the album’s gorgeous painted cover and tracklist below. But first, take a listen to the latest from Samara Joy and get a look at the song’s video — which shows the recording process for the song — right here.
Samara Joy Portrait tracklist:
1. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
2. Reincarnation Of A Lovebird
3. Autumn Nocturne
4. Peace of Mind / Dreams Come True
5. A Fool In Love (Is Called A Clown)
6. No More Blues
7. Now And Then (In Remembrance Of…)
8. Day By Day
