Sky Blossom: Songs From My Tour of Duty - Alexis Cole

Sky Blossom: Songs from My Tour of Duty is vocalist Alexis Cole's album released in 2021, drawing on her experience performing for American troops overseas through Armed Forces Entertainment. Cole, a jazz vocalist and educator who has served as a cultural ambassador through military performance tours, curates a program of ten tracks that mixes jazz standards with popular songs, including Miles Davis's "All Blues," Clifford Brown's "Joy Spring," Gershwin's "Love Is Here to Stay," Jobim's "Triste," Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind," and "Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka. The album features several different ensembles across its tracks, with saxophonists Bob Sheppard, Derrick James, and Nathan King, trumpeters Jeff Jarvis and John Castleman, and pianists Scott Arcangel and Alex Flavell appearing in various combinations. This rotating personnel reflects the reality of performing with different military band musicians at each stop on a tour. Cole's voice is clear and swinging, with a warmth suited to the album's mix of uptempo swingers and ballads. The album's title refers to the call sign of a female combat veteran, and the project connects Cole's jazz artistry with her commitment to performing for service members.