Vocal Articulation and Rhythmic Energy

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Horn players spend a great deal of time thinking about articulation—how each note begins, ends, connects, and sits in the rhythm. Singers can benefit from doing the same. In this class, we’ll learn to think like a horn player, exploring how focused movements of the lips and tongue, subtle attacks and releases, and small bursts of energy can give a vocal line greater rhythmic definition, momentum, and groove. Rather than focusing on diction or simply pronouncing words clearly, we’ll use articulation as a musical tool to energize the tone, shape the phrase, and make the rhythm come alive. Alexis Cole is an internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist, pianist, educator, and producer. Her discography spans an impressive range of settings and styles—and her latest release, Taking My Seat: A Musical Inheritance, with her longtime trio, marking her debut as a pianist. She served for six years in the U.S. Army as the featured vocalist with the West Point Band's Jazz Knights Big Band. Cole has appeared as a featured soloist with the Boston Pops and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and has headlined clubs, concert halls, and festivals throughout the world. An internationally respected educator, Cole teaches graduate jazz voice at Manhattan School of Music. She previously directed the vocal jazz programs at SUNY Purchase and William Paterson University, where she mentored numerous emerging artists, including Grammy Award winner Samara Joy and acclaimed vocalist Anaïs Reno. She is the founder and director of JazzVoice.com, an international online community for jazz singers, and co-founder and co-director of the Virginia Beach Vocal Jazz Summit, the premier annual in person gathering of jazz vocalists.