We went live on May 16, 2020! Today we're 4!
Do you guys know the origin story of JazzVoice? I was alone in my cabin during Covid, and I had made a few educational videos, and somehow that led me to thinking about how cool it would be if there was a website where students could connect with teachers for jazz voice lessons.
At the same time, my high school, the New World School of the Arts in Miami, was offering an Innovation Grant to alumni artists who were pivoting. I sat on the idea for a few days thinking who I could share it with that would want to do this cool thing, and then, plagued night and day by the idea, I decided it must be me!
Luckily that grant had a deadline, and I'm a person who loves a deadline. I was up day and night for two months learning how to build a website and doing the other things that we needed to start the site.
I worked with Ossining Innovates, an entrepreneurship incubator group in NY where I lived, and they helped me come to the subscription model and group classes that made JazzVoice successful.
I didn't win the grant, but it still really helped me!
And here we are 4 years later with a robust membership and many wonderful new teachers joining us to present every week!
In 2021 we began the VA Beach Vocal Jazz Summit, the in person meeting of JazzVoice, which has so greatly enriched our community.
As I've toured around the world the last 4 years, I've met many of you at my shows or your shows! And I've stayed with members and shared many great times with you all.
In 2023 I stepped down from my teaching at SUNY Purchase and William Paterson University, to focus more on my own performing career and on JazzVoice, the Vocal Jazz Summit, and now MusicAuditions.com
I'm so proud of what we created together and what we continue to cultivate here on JazzVoice and in the world as we support each other in our music and our lives.
Alexis Cole