Alex McArthur is a dynamic jazz vocalist on the rise who uses her passion for creativity, storytelling, & authentic expression as her musical compass.  Utilizing her naturally warm, soulful tone that spans multiple octaves, Alex performs an ever-growing, genre-crossing repertoire that is filled with unique and colorful depictions. Residing in Buffalo, NY, she regularly works with composers & musicians from many backgrounds, bringing stories to life & vocally painting pictures as truthfully as she is able.  She is a firm believer that the voice is an instrument, and can be utilized to tell a story in the same way as a horn or string instrument; she is unafraid to take chances.

​

Growing up in a musically diverse home, Ms. McArthur  was regularly exposed to music, harmony, & storytelling of all sorts, fascinated by it all; from classical, jazz, & prog-rock, to soul, funk, pop, & plenty of movie-musicals, many forms of musical expression aided in the formulation of her artistic voice that touches audiences in many musical capacities. She is a firm believer that the voice is an instrument, and can be utilized to tell a story in the same way as a horn or string instrument; she is unafraid to take chances.

 

Alex's desire to vocally portray stories of many backgrounds lead her to study musical theatre, classical voice, and jazz while attending University at Buffalo, and is always deepening her understanding of the many ways in which music moves her. She has her studies, mentors, and support system to thank for the development and connection to her voice that she continues to foster and share.

​

Some of most recent achievements include giving a performance with the John Toomey Trio & giving a vocal jazz masterclass through the Virginia Arts Festival; singing with the Eastman School of Music’s orchestra & big bands under the direction of Jeff Campbell in a concert celebrating the music of Marty Paich; and portraying Billie Holiday in a production of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill at Musicalfare Theatre with pianist & friend George Caldwell (Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill Review, The Buffalo News).

​

Regularly including her own interpretations of the songs and stories of the Great American Songbook in her performances, some of her favorite tribute concerts she has been a part of have included the likes of George & Ira Gershwin, Billie Holiday & Lester Young, Cole Porter, Nancy Wilson & Cannonball Adderly, Esperanza Spalding, & Stevie Wonder, to name a few. She enjoys taking well known songs from other genres as well that speak to her, & giving refreshing yet respectful interpretations that keep her audiences eager for what she'll sing next. 

​

Four-time winner in the JazzBuffalo Poll for Female Vocalist of the Year (2018,  2021, 2022, 2023), Ms. McArthur lives and performs at many venues and festivals in the Western New York Region, including PAUSA Art House, Burchfield Penney Art Center, Artpark, Buffalo AKG Art Gallery, Sportsmen's Tavern, West Falls Center For the Arts, Larkin Square, Flying Bison Brewery, The Terrace at Delaware Park, The Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo, Queen City Jazz Festival, and the Lewiston Jazz Festival.

​

When not performing under her own name, she keeps busy writing her own music of various styles (coming soon!), and working alongside musicians and colleagues on various projects (George Caldwell, John Bacon, Grace Lougen, "The Hang" with John Aaron Troy) - she is often times invited as a guest for a variety of performances in the Buffalo area. Still fostering a love for many art forms, she stays active within the music education, theatre and choral communities in the greater Niagara region (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Education Programming, Vocalis Chamber Choir, Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Musicalfare Theatre, Starring Buffalo).