Linger Awhile is the second studio album by American jazz singer Samara Joy. The title track is the perennial jazz and pop tune from 1923 by Vincent Rose and Harry Owens. The album was released on September 16, 2022, through Verve Records. It was produced by Matt Pierson. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album and was responsible for Joy also winning Best New Artist at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.

Following Joy's wins, the album reached number 158 on the US Billboard 200 and reached number one on the Jazz Albums chart with 8,500 album-equivalent units.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All About Jazz
Jazzwise

Peter Moore of Jazzwise called Linger Awhile a "staggeringly fine album", noting "Guess Who I Saw Today" as a standout, and remarked on the "outstanding support from guitarist Pasquale Grasso, pianist Ben Paterson, bassist David Wong and drummer Kenny Washington" on the title track. Moore also called Joy's version of "'Round Midnight" a "wondrous take" and praised the "incredibly beautiful timbre" of her voice on "Someone to Watch Over Me". Veronica Johnson of JazzTimes found "much to be admired" and a "musical maturation" on the album, writing that it is a "nostalgic stroll through well-known and obscure standards" with a "mixing of swing and sweet tunes", complimenting "the romantic feel [Joy] infuses into songs".

Angelo Leonardi of All About Jazz commended Joy's partnership with guitarist Pasquale Grasso, opining that it is "inspiring" and "stands out" on "Someone to Watch Over Me", and felt that Joy "confirms all the good things that have been said about her: unusual interpretative maturity for her age, fresh chromatic variety, creative flair, [and] intense feeling", naming Linger Awhile album of the week.

Track listing

Linger Awhile track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Can't Get Out of This Mood"Frank LoesserJimmy McHugh3:42
2."Guess Who I Saw Today"Elisse BoydMurray Grand4:09
3."Nostalgia (The Day I Knew)"Fats NavarroSamara Joy3:30
4."Sweet Pumpkin" (featuring Pasquale Grasso)Ronnell Bright3:54
5."Misty"Erroll GarnerJohnny Burke4:54
6."Social Call"Gigi GryceJon Hendricks4:30
7."I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)"Al NeiburgDoc DaughertyEllis Reynolds5:04
8."Linger Awhile" (featuring Pasquale Grasso)Harry OwensVincent Rose1:47
9."'Round Midnight"Thelonious MonkBernard HanighenCootie Williams5:42
10."Someone to Watch Over Me" (featuring Pasquale Grasso)George GershwinIra Gershwin4:02
Total length:41:14

Personnel

Charts

Chart performance for Linger Awhile
Chart (2023)Peak position
Australian Jazz & Blues Albums (ARIA)4
French Albums (SNEP)180
French Jazz Albums (SNEP)2
Japanese Digital Albums (Oricon)26
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)38
Scottish Albums (OCC)78
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)37
UK Album Downloads (OCC)14
UK Jazz & Blues Albums (OCC)1
US Billboard 200158
US Jazz Albums (Billboard)1

Release history

Release history and formats for Linger Awhile
RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
United StatesSeptember 16, 2022CDvinyl LPVerve Records
WorldwideCDdigital downloadstreaming