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Alexis Cole

Called "one of the great voices of today," by Jonathan Schwartz, Alexis Cole has been compared to classic jazz singers such as Sarah Vaughan and Anita O'Day. She's performed with the Boston Pops and New York Philharmonic on stage at venues from Avery Fisher Hall to the Kennedy Center. She records for Motéma Music, NY, Chesky Records, NY and Venus Records, Japan. Her nine recordings, which feature musical luminaries such as Fred Hersch, Eric Alexander, Matt Wilson, Harry Pickens, Don Braden and Pat LaBarbara, have received high praise in the jazz press and are spun on radio world-wide. In addition to her many performances on great stages, Alexis can be seen at top jazz venues like Dizzy's Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, The Jazz Standard, Blues Alley, and Billboard Live, Tokyo. Cole is the recipient of a Swing Journal Gold Disk award, and was a winner of the NY Jazzmobile and Montreux Jazz Festival vocal competitions, and a finalist of the Sarah Vaughan Competition. Alexis studied voice and piano at the University of Miami and William Paterson University, and holds a Masters of Music from Queens College. She has also trained in Indian Classical singing at the Jazz India Vocal Institute in Mumbai. She heads the Jazz Voice Program at SUNY Purchase. She performs and conducts master classes around the world.

Awards

Awards & Grants 2007 New York City Jazzmobile Vocal Competition 1st Place Winner 2004 Montreux Jazz Festival Shure Vocal Competition, 3rd Prize Winner 2003& 2005 Montreux Jazz Festival Shure Vocal Competition finalist 2004 Council for Arts and Humanities on Staten Island Emerging Artist Grant 1998National Endowment for the Arts Charles Cinnamon Grant 1994 National Endowment for the Arts A.R.T.S. Scholarship


Tags

25
Album Review

Alexis Cole: Sky Blossom/Songs from My Tour of Duty

Read "Sky Blossom/Songs from My Tour of Duty" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Alexis Cole is an excellent singer, an opinion endorsed by recent high-profile gigs at Carnegie Hall, Birdland, Jazz at Lincoln Center and with the Boston Pops and Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Even so, she is nearly upstaged on Sky Blossom by Scott Arcangel's superlative arrangements (plus one each by Chris Walden and Mike Reifenberg) and the marvelous big band(s) lending their support. The Tour of Duty earmarked in the album's title refers to Cole's seven- year assignment (2009-15) as vocalist with ...

5
Album Review

Alexis Cole with One For All: You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

Read "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Vocalist Alexis Cole hasn't found a setting or theme that doesn't suit her. Since arriving on the scene near the turn of the century she's covered a tremendous amount of ground and delivered a good number of well-conceived and beautifully executed albums. Cole teamed up with dozens of A-listers for a charitably-driven Christmas outing, explored the sultry side of the jazz canon, gave voice to the music of baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, put her own spin on Paul Simon's work, ...

3
Catching Up With

The Dazzling Alexis Cole

Read "The Dazzling Alexis Cole" reviewed by Suzanne Lorge


Jazz singer Alexis Cole's career has been anything but conventional. She's done residencies in far-flung places like Ecuador, India, and Japan. She fronted the Army's big band for several years as a soldier herself. And now she's a faculty member in the jazz program at SUNY Purchase. With a dozen critically acclaimed albums under her belt, some big awards on her shelf, and more good stuff to come, Alexis distinguishes herself a leader in the ever-evolving world of vocal jazz. ...

4
Extended Analysis

I Carry Your Heart: Alexis Cole Sings Pepper Adams

Read "I Carry Your Heart: Alexis Cole Sings Pepper Adams" reviewed by Larry Taylor


Alexis ColeI Carry Your Heart; Alexis Cole Sings Pepper AdamsMotema Music2012I Carry Your Heart; Alexis Cole Sings Pepper Adams is a stunning piece of work. The lyrics, pure poetry; the music, cerebral and swinging. This creation is even more amazing when seen as part of a five-volume production covering all of baritone sax legend Pepper Adams' work. Producer Gary Carner got the idea for a digital box set, Joy ...

368
Album Review

Alexis Cole: Someday My Prince Will Come

Read "Someday My Prince Will Come" reviewed by Ernest Barteldes


Music from Disney films and cartoons has often drifted into jazz thanks to its rich harmonies and evergreen quality, but it is not every day that a vocalist makes an entire CD with personal renditions of these popular tunes.

Such is the case of Alexis Cole's Someday My Prince Will Come, which features a collection of Disney tunes reread into a jazz format. Cole cleverly did not choose songs that might be too obvious, focusing mostly on more ...

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Live Review

Alexis Cole at St. Peter's Church

Read "Alexis Cole at St. Peter's Church" reviewed by Ernest Barteldes


Alexis Cole St. Peter's Church New York, NY December 04, 2009

Backed by a seven-piece band, vocalist Alexis Cole took the stage for the New York release concert of her latest CD, The Greatest Gift (Motema Music, 2009), with an inspired version of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas." She gave lots of space for the group (Mark Tonelli, guitar; Brandon Nelson, bass; Scott Drewes, drums; Xavier Perez, sax; Vito ...

592
Album Review

Alexis Cole: The Greatest Gift

Read "The Greatest Gift" reviewed by Bridget A. Arnwine


Award-winning vocalist Alexis Cole is getting ready for Christmas with The Greatest Gift. The disc features 14 tracks, including original songs and some Christmas favorites such as “Joy to the World," “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," “Away in a Manger," and “Silent Night." The titles may be familiar, but Cole's unique interpretation turns the songs into jazz, blues and classical music--all highlighting her warm and rich vocals, so emotive they register in the keys ...

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Event

2021 Songbird Vocal Jazz Fest

2021 Songbird Vocal Jazz Fest

Source: Terri Jo Jenkins

The SongBird Vocal Jazz Fest is an all-day event in Colorado, focusing on vocal jazz performance and jazz singing education. This event includes workshops, a showcase concert for festival participants, and both a daytime master class plus an evening concert presented by our featured jazz vocalist and clinician. The SongBird Vocal Jazz Fest workshops are designed for experienced singers age 16 & over who wish to further their knowledge in vocal jazz performance technique and communication of this art form. ...

Performance / Tour

A magical afternoon of jazz

A magical afternoon of jazz

Source: Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes

Singer Alexis Cole wound up a three-stop Florida mini-tour on Sunday, March 25, treating the Firehouse Cultural Center audience in Ruskin to a rather unusual source of material for a jazz band. Quite simply, it was all about what she called “The Magic of Disney Love Songs." She mined the Disney songbooks extensively to find these heart-felt ballads from Disney-produced films, including Aladdin, The Aristocats, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, The Great Mouse Detective, Jungle Book, Lady and the Tramp, ...

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Event

Alexis Cole's Star in the East Christmas Benefit at Sweet Rhythm Dec 11

Alexis Cole's Star in the East Christmas Benefit at Sweet Rhythm Dec 11

Source: All About Jazz

Who: Alexis Cole-voice, Donny McCaslin-sax, Ike Sturm-bass, Jay Frederick-drums, Jon Cowherd-piano, Also Featuring: Mark Finkin-piano, voice, Elizabeth Dotson-Westphalen-tb,voice, Sachel Vasandani-voice, Dave DeVoe-voice, Deadra Hart-voice What: Star in the East, Canopy Jazz Christmas Celebration to benefit World Bicycle Relief When: Tuesday Dec 11, 2007 Sets at 8 & 9:30 pm Where: Sweet Rhythm 88 Seventh Ave S. (at Bleeker St) Contact: 212-255-3626 Fees: $15 cover, $10 minimum

Join Canopy ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazzmobile Winner Alexis Cole at Sweet Rhythm July 31st

Jazzmobile Winner Alexis Cole at Sweet Rhythm July 31st

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

Who: ALEXIS COLE - JAZZ VOCALIST What: AWARD CONCERT When: July 31, 2007 8 & 9:30pm Where: Sweet Rhythm, 88 7th Ave S. NYC Jazzmobile and Sweet Rhythm present Alexis Cole - Winner of the 2007 Jazzmobile Vocal Competition in New York City July 31, 2007 at 8:00 p.m. Join Alexis for a celebration of her victory. Jazzmobile and Sweet Rhythm NYC present the Winner of the Jazzmobile Vocal Competition. This is her last ...

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Award / Grant

Vocalist Alexis Cole Takes Top Prize at the 2007 Jazzmobile Vocal Competition in New York City

Vocalist Alexis Cole Takes Top Prize at the 2007 Jazzmobile Vocal Competition in New York City

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

Who: ALEXIS COLE - JAZZ VOCALIST What: PRIZEWINNER NYC JAZZMOBILE COMPETITION NEW CD RELEASE When: July 9, 2007 Where: Zinc Bar, NYC Alexis Cole was awarded top prize at the 2007 Jazzmobile Vocal Competition in New York City. At Sweet Rhythm Jazz Club, on Monday, June 25th, latecomers peered in past a packed house. The judges, among the most distinguished in jazz, included Dr. Billy Taylor, T.S. Monk, Grady Tate and Cat Russell. Each ...

101

Event

Jazz Vocalist Alexis Cole in Concert "Zingaro" CD Release Tour

Jazz Vocalist Alexis Cole in Concert "Zingaro" CD Release Tour

Source: All About Jazz

'I've been waiting for another Carmen Lundy, Nancy Wilson etc. to come along and finally...Alexis!' New York City Jazz Vocalist Alexis Cole stops in Syracuse as part of her CD release tour for her new recording 'Zingaro.' Alexis is a finalist in the New York Jazz mobile Vocal Competition and a winner of the Montreux Jazz Vocal Competition! Come hear this award winning vocalist supported by her band from Zingaro including NY veteran guitarrist Ron Affif and virtuoso bassist Jeff ...

232

Performance / Tour

Alexis Cole CD ReleaseThursday November 17th at Cornelia St. Cafe

Alexis Cole CD ReleaseThursday November 17th at Cornelia St. Cafe

Source: All About Jazz

November 15, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Thursday November 17th (Jo Lawrey 8:30-9:30, Alexis from 9:30-11) Gnu Vox Series at Cornelia St. Cafe 29 Cornelia St. New York, NY 10014 212-989-9319 http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com $10 Cover Great Food and Drinks Available Ben Stivers -piano Anthony Pinciotti - drums Andy McKee - bass Alexis Cole”s new CD Nearer the Sun on Canopy Jazz- in tune with the past and distinctively modern. “An impressive early effort by ...

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Performance / Tour

Johnny Colon Jazz Trio; with Alexis Cole

Johnny Colon Jazz Trio; with Alexis Cole

Source: All About Jazz


Here’s what critics are saying about Alexis and her latest release: 
You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To

Here is the supreme stylist at the height of her powers….The search for the next great jazz singer is over. This album is the proof. —Kevin Jones - Fine Music (AUS) May 2018

“ …a beguiling voice and charming, unassuming stage manner” 
—Ralph Miriello, Notes on Jazz Blog, March 2018

“Cole…displays an exuberant personality, outstanding diction, flawless pitch and inspired scat technique, all qualities that should place her in the highest echelon of contemporary jazz singers… (She can)…communicate an intimate mood with great passion.” —Thomas Cunniffe - Jazz History Online March 2018

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Primary Instrument

Vocals

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

Focus on vocal technique and tone, jazz phrasing and feel, developing an authentic interpretation. As head of the jazz vocal program at SUNY Purchase College, vocalist Alexis Cole is always finding new ways to help students find their voice. With her unrelenting focus on tone and technique, and a driving passion for honesty and communication, Alexis is a demanding and compelling teacher for the singer who truly wishes to connect with their audience. She comes to the task with over ten years of technical training in western classical and also Indian classical vocal techniques, and a full understanding of jazz style and swing interpretation as well as theater training and years of performing. "Professor Cole is tough, in the best way," is a comment that encapsulates her work ethic. She is an in demand performer, clinician and recording artist. The New York Times called her voice "exquisite." For Alexis, teaching is part of the creative process. "Just like I would write a song or sing a line, working with my students to create their own authentic interpretations, is making art."

Clinic/Workshop Information

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Photos

Concerts

Jun 22 Sat
Jun 22 Sat

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

In the Morning Light

Self Produced
2021

buy

Lost in You

Self Produced
2020

buy

You'd Be So Nice To...

Venus Records
2017

buy

I Carry Your Heart:...

Motéma Music
2012

buy

And Was It Just luck?

From: In the Morning Light
By Alexis Cole

And Was It Just luck?

From: In the Morning Light
By Alexis Cole

Lost in You

From: Lost in You
By Alexis Cole

Every Time I Look At You

From: Every Time I Look At You
By Alexis Cole

Videos

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