Educator

 A dozen albums into her career, vocalist Alexis Cole is hitting her stride.  As a sought after international performer, she’s appeared with her trio, with whom she both plays piano and sings, and is a frequent guest with big bands and pops orchestras including the Boston Pops and the Detroit Symphony.

She heads the Jazz Vocal program at two prestigious conservatories, SUNY Purchase College, and William Paterson University, where her students have been winners of the Sarah Vaughan Competition, the Ella Fitzgerald Competition and Downbeat Student Awards, among others. In 2020 she founded the online educational community JazzVoice.com, and cofounded the annual Vocal Jazz Summit in Virginia Beach.  Alexis’ 2021 Zoho release “Sky Blossom” features big band arrangements written for her during her six years serving in the Army as the vocalist for the West Point Band’s Jazz Knights Big Band. Alexis received her B.M. from William Paterson University, and her M.M. from Queens College, and studied Indian Classical Singing in Mumbai at the Jazz India Vocal Institute.

Read about Alexis' teaching in a feature by Roseanna Vitro in JazzTimes!

 

Student Gallery

Samara Joy

Winner of the 2019 Sarah Vaughan Competition

Just months after graduation from SUNY Purchase, her new self titled album is rising on the Jazz Charts!  She's appearing all over the US and internationally.  

Lucy Wijnands

Winner of the 2021 Ella Fitzgerald Competition & 2020 Downbeat Student Award

A graduate of the class of '20 from SUNY Purchase, Lucy is performing and creating visual art. 

Rebecca DuMaine

Professional Vocalist and Educator

Her new album Someday, Someday was just released on Summit Records.

Anaïs Reno

Winner of Mabel Mercer Foundation Competition, & Great American Songbook Academy Competition

At 18 years old, recently graduated from LaGuardia HS, Anaïs is a freshman at SUNY Purchase.  Her debut recording - a collection of Ellington/Strayhorn songs was released late 2021. 

Maria Alejandra Quintanilla

Winner of the Thayer Fellowship, Finalist in the International Song Writing Competition

Maria holds her Masters of Music from SUNY Purchase.  She's released two CD's and teaches voice at a program for international students in New York 

Susan Mack

MAC Award Nominee

After a successful career in finance Susan began her studies in earnest and has presented multiple cabaret performances at Birdland. 

Educational Videos