New York Jazz Workshop Podcast with CJ Shearn #3: Thana Alexa
Vocalist Thana Alexa’s debut album Ode To Heroes (Harmonia Mundi/Jazz Village 2015) has her referred to as “a rising star on the jazz vocal scene”. The album showcases a talent as adept in a traditional vocal setting as she is using her voice to trade solos with horns,plus she is a gifted composer. She won the 2011 Jazzon Alpe- Andria International Competition for the title track, and her piece “Siena” was runner up for the best jazz composition award by PORIN, the Croatian music academy, which is that country’s Grammy award. I spoke with the singer about her new album, the musicians on it, and jazz education. I would like to thank Thana Alexa for donating her time during a very busy schedule. Enjoy and keep swinging!
I have been the staff writer for the New York Jazz Workshop School of Music blog in midtown Manhattan since 2014, and that has broadened my freelance writing skills considerably. In addition to writing artist bios, and articles of interest that pertain to the mission of the school, I have interviewed (in print on the site) legendary guitarist and NEA Jazz Master Pat Metheny, trumpeter Cuong Vu, and in 2015 embarked on producing a podcast for the school where I have achieved my dream and interviewed jazz giants such as Dave Liebman, Lenny White, rising talents like Thana Alexa, Logan Richardson, guitarist and bassist Brian Kastan, among others. I also work on SEO optimization for the blog. In 2015 I started my blog Jazz Views with CJ Shearn, and have written liner notes for 5 time Grammy winner and Oscar and Golden Globe nominee, Antonio Sanchez (for his latest recording “Channels of Energy”) and guitarist Gene Ess for his latest recording, scheduled to be released in November 2018.
My passion for jazz music is what drives me, which is an interest I’ve had since I can remember. I initially began writing about jazz at the age of 13 for my high school newspaper, and in my late teens contributed occasionally to jazzreview.com. In college I was member of the Harpur Jazz Project which brought jazz acts to campus. I’ve also contributed in the past to AllAboutJazz where I was mentored by John Kelman. I decided to focus on my passion for jazz music journalism after a job in the social services field as a caseworker went south, and as a person with a physical disability I work on going against the odds, living independently and having accomplished things people had said I’d never do.