State Theatre presents Samara Joy & Her Septet on October 4th

Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 09/07/2026

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents six-time Grammy® Award winner Samara Joy & Her Septet on Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 7:00pm. Samara Joy has emerged as one of the most captivating new voices in jazz, bringing a fresh perspective to a beloved tradition. With a sound that feels both rooted in history and uniquely her own, she has quickly drawn the attention of audiences and critics alike.

A native of the Bronx, Samara Joy became entranced by classic R&B as a child and cut her teeth as a singer in her church's gospel choir. And while her family history is deeply musical—her grandparents helmed the Philadelphia gospel group the Savettes, and her father, the musician and songwriter Antonio McLendon, has produced, composed, and arranged his own astounding original work—she didn't delve into the jazz tradition until college at SUNY Purchase. During her studies there, she won the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, which introduced her to the larger jazz scene as a rising star to watch. She was heard by audiences and critics alike as a masterful interpreter of jazz standards and a rightful heiress of the sound, technique, and charisma that defined her jazz heroines—including Vaughan, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, and Carmen McRae.

Joy released her self-titled debut on the Whirlwind label in 2021, followed a year later by Linger Awhile, her breakout Verve debut, of which Down Beat said, "With this beautiful recording, a silky-voiced star is born." The album earned her a Grammy® for Best Jazz Vocal Album in addition to a headline-making win for Best New Artist. A deluxe edition of the album was released, as well as the EP A Joyful Holiday, which took home Grammy® for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance in 2025.

Her latest Verve album, Portrait, which Joy co-produced with the veteran trumpeter/bandleader and multi-Grammy® winner Brian Lynch, showcases the intimate, soulful chemistry she's developed with her touring band, earning her an NAACP Image Award in 2025 for Outstanding Jazz Album and the Grammy® for Best Vocal Jazz Album in 2026. Portrait also spotlights her burgeoning gifts as a lyricist, in ingenious arrangements that meld her thoughtful words with music by Charles Mingus, Sun Ra, and her late mentor Barry Harris.

Tickets start at $58 and are available for purchase online or by calling State Theatre Guest Services at 732-246-SHOW (7469). State Theatre Guest Services, located at 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick NJ, is open by phone and email only, Tuesday through Friday from 11:00am to 5:00pm. For in-person purchases, Guest Services is open Tuesday through Friday from 12:00pm to 4:30pm. Additional ticket and transaction fees may apply.

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State Theatre New Jersey, a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, celebrated its 100th Anniversary after major renovations in December 2021. Originally built as a silent film and vaudeville palace, State Theatre's historic significance was honored when PBS chose the theater as the first performing arts organization to be featured in its documentary series, Treasures of New Jersey. Having played a significant role in revitalizing New Brunswick—crowned "Jersey's Best Destination of the Year" for 2025 by Jersey's Best magazine—State Theatre resides in the heart of the city's arts district.

Today, State Theatre is the largest performing arts center in Central New Jersey and has welcomed more than six and a half million people through its doors since reopening as a nonprofit performing arts center in 1988. State Theatre New Jersey is a cornerstone of the cultural vitality of Middlesex County and averages a total economic impact on New Brunswick and the surrounding area of more than $18 million a year. The mainstage programs have included high-caliber artists such as Diana Ross, Tom Jones, Kevin Hart, Ringo Starr, Melissa Etheridge, John Leguizamo, Harry Connick, Jr., Peter Frampton, and Leanne Morgan. Program offerings include Broadway, orchestra, family, dance, comedy, rock/pop, jazz, Performances for Schools, and Sensory-Friendly Performances.

State Theatre New Jersey's programs are made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. For information on events, go to MiddlesexCountyCulture.com.