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

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. She soon expressed a preference for the violin, and began taking lessons. Although she began to sing during this period, she believed the violin to be her primary instrument and considered pursuing it vocationally. After elementary school, Alexa's family moved back to Croatia. She began singing songs in English as a way of maintaining her connection to her mother tongue and her childhood in the United States. In

Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...

, Alexa took voice lessons at the Rock Academy. Musician and club owner Boško Petrović mentored her – she began attending regional jazz workshops and performing professionally, including at Croatian festivals. Alexa studied psychology at

Northeastern University Northeastern University (NU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston. Established in 1898, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs on its main campus as well as satellite campuses in ...

before transferring to the

New School The New School is a private research university in New York City. It was founded in 1919 as The New School for Social Research with an original mission dedicated to academic freedom and intellectual inquiry and a home for progressive thinkers. ...

in New York City; she completed her psychology degree and received a fine arts degree in jazz performance. She cites drummer

Bernard Purdie Bernard Lee "Pretty" Purdie (born June 11, 1939) is an American drummer, and an influential R&B, soul and funk musician. He is known for his precise musical time keeping and his signature use of triplets against a half-time backbeat: the "Purdie ...

as a mentor during this time.

Music career

Her first album as a leader, ''Ode to Heroes'', was released by Jazz Village. She appears on guitarist

Gene Ess Gene Ess is a Japanese-American jazz guitarist. He was a member of the Rashied Ali Quintet, working with Ravi Coltrane, Archie Shepp, Lonnie Plaxico, and Reggie Workman. Career Ess was born Gene Shimosato in Tokyo, Japan, and raised in Okinawa ...

's album ''Absurdist Theatre''. Alexa has also collaborated with vibraphonist Christos Rafalides. Her 2020 album ''ONA'' went on to gain two

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

nominations, including Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Improvised Jazz Solo for Regina Carter.

Awards and honors

Thana Alexa and husband/ collaborator

Antonio Sanchez Anthony Sanchez, Antonio Sanchez or Tony Sanchez may refer to: Sports * Antón (footballer) (1914–2005), Spanish footballer born ''Antonio Sánchez Valdés'' * Antonio Sánchez (boxer) (1905–?), Spanish boxer * Antonio Sánchez (footballer, ...

shared the cover of ''

DownBeat ' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chi ...

'' Magazine in the May 2020 issue. For four consecutive years, Alexa has also appeared in the ''

'' magazine Critics' Poll for Rising Female Vocalist. She was runner-up in the 2014 Made in New York Jazz Competition.

Discography

As leader

* ''Ode to Heroes'' (Jazz Village, 2015) * ''ONA'' (Self Release, 2020)

As guest

With

* ''New Life'' (

CAM Jazz CAM Jazz is an Italian jazz record label founded in 2000. It is part of group that also manages the labels CAM Jazz Presents, Black Saint/Soul Note, and DDQ (Dischi Della Quercia). The label's musicians have received several Grammy Award nominatio ...

, 2013) * ''

The Meridian Suite ''The Meridian Suite'' is an album by jazz drummer Antonio Sánchez which was released by CAM Jazz in 2015. Reception The ''PopMatters'' review by John Garrett stated "Sánchez doesn't use the ''Meridian Suite'' to show off much fancy stickwork. ...

'' (CAM Jazz, 2015) * ''Lines in the Sand'' (CAM Jazz, 2018) With

* ''Fractal Attraction'' (SIMP, 2013) * ''Eternal Monolith'' (SIMP, 2015) * ''Absurdist Theatre'' (SIMP, 2016) * ''Apotheosis'' (SIMP, 2018) With others * Matija Dedic, ''Friends'' (

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

, 2010)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Alexa, Thana 1987 births Living people American women jazz singers American jazz singers American people of Croatian descent Croatian jazz musicians Women jazz musicians 21st-century Croatian women singers 21st-century American women singers 21st-century American singers