Thana Alexa

Thana Alexa (born Thana Alexa Pavelić; born March 19, 1987) is a Croatian American jazz vocalist, composer, arranger and producer.

Thana Alexa
Background information
Born (1987-03-19) March 19, 1987
New York City, New York
GenresJazz, jazz fusion, contemporary soul, Ethno jazz
Occupation(s)Vocalist, Composer, Arranger, Producer
InstrumentsVoice, violin
Associated actsAntonio Sanchez, Gene Ess, Christos Rafalides, Matija Dedić, Michael Olatuja, Nicole Zuraitis
Websitewww.thanalexa.com

Biography

Early life

Alexa's interest in music began at age three when she disappeared from a birthday party and was discovered in the basement playing melodies to simple songs on a toy piano.[1] She soon expressed a preference for the violin, and began taking lessons.[1] Although she began to sing during this period, she believed the violin to be her primary instrument and considered pursuing it vocationally.[1]

After elementary school, Alexa's family moved back to Croatia.[1] She began singing songs in English as a way of maintaining her connection to her mother tongue and her childhood in the United States.[1] In Zagreb, Alexa took voice lessons at the Rock Academy.[2] Musician and club owner Boško Petrović mentored her – she began attending regional jazz workshops and performing professionally, including at Croatian festivals.[1]

Alexa studied psychology at Northeastern University before transferring to the New School in New York City; she completed her psychology degree and received a fine arts degree in jazz performance.[2] She cites drummer Bernard Purdie as a mentor during this time.[1]

Musical career

Her first album as a leader, Ode to Heroes, was released by Jazz Village.[1][2] She appears on guitarist Gene Ess's album Absurdist Theatre.[3] Alexa has also collaborated with vibraphonist Christos Rafalides.[1]

Awards and honors

Thana Alexa and husband/ collaborator Antonio Sanchez shared the cover of DownBeat Magazine in the May 2020 issue. For four consecutive years, Alexa has also appeared in the DownBeat magazine Critics' Poll for Rising Female Vocalist.[4] She was runner-up in the 2014 Made in New York Jazz Competition.[5]

Discography

As leader
  • Ode to Heroes (Jazz Village, 2015)[2][6]
  • ONA (Self Release, 2020)

As guest

With Antonio Sanchez

With Gene Ess

  • Fractal Attraction (SIMP, 2013)[9]
  • Eternal Monolith (SIMP, 2015)
  • Absurdist Theatre (SIMP, 2016)[3]
  • Apotheosis (SIMP, 2018)

With others

  • Matija Dedic, Friends (Dallas, 2010)
gollark: Finite set of programs doesn't mean non-TC, does it?
gollark: Just enumerate all possible strings in order, silly.
gollark: Or "possibly TC but you can't know unless you throw ridiculously insane amounts of computing power at it".
gollark: Hmm, perhaps if you make it use the most recent likely-true-but-hard-to-prove maths problem somehow...
gollark: The twin prime conjecture, say?

References
  1. Deluke, R.J. "Thana Alexa: Singer and Instrument". All About Jazz. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
  2. Staudter, Thomas. "Thana Alexa: Strategic Planner" (PDF). Downbeat Magazine. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  3. Garutch, Sylvannia (September 16, 2016). "Gene Ess: Absurdist Theatre". Elmore Magazine. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  4. "Annual 65th Critics' Poll Complete Results" (PDF). Downbeat. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  5. "New York Events". CBS New York. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  6. Carol, Weber. "No ordinary singer: Thana Alexa illuminates her place in 'Ode to' jazz heroes". AXS. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  7. Chinen, Nate (June 8, 2015). "Review: Antonio Sánchez With 2 Albums, 'The Meridian Suite' and 'Three Times Three'". The New York Times. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  8. "Antonio Sanchez and Migration, Lines in the Sand, CAM Jazz". CAM Jazz. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  9. "Gene Ess Fractal Attraction". Allmusic. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
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