this is me.
my Bio.
Lexi Hamner, vocalist, trombonist, occasional multi-instrumentalist, composer/producer/arranger hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, where she began her music studies at the School for Creative and Performing Arts. Lexi, also known as Lexicocoa, has 18 years of experience playing soulful trombone and has been singing since the age of 4. She has written and composed music since the age of 12. Her musical abilities led her to study with the likes of Peter Norton, former trombonist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and the illustrious director of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis. Throughout her middle/high school career, Lexi performed and competed nationally and internationally at the ‘Verona International Choral Competition 2014’ in Italy, ’Festival Disney 2015’, and the ‘Disney Music in the Parks 2016’. She has also participated in masterclasses with Branford Marsalis, Chick Corea, Evelyn Glennie, Todd Stoll, and Steve Turre, among other established artists. During the summer, Lexi participated in the ‘Summer Jazz Academy’ (2014-2016) curated by Wynton Marsalis & the Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Lexi
graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music as a Presidential Scholar and Sarah Vaughn scholarship recipient with a B.A. in Songwriting. During her studies at Berklee, she was instructed by Tia Fuller, the world-renowned jazz saxophonist & composer, who taught her to step outside of her comfort zone & stand in her own power. One of Lexi's most significant experiences was stepping into the world of flamenco during her sophomore year in Berklee's study abroad program in Valencia, Spain. Since graduating, Lexi was chosen as one of the inaugural Next Jazz Legacy awardees in 2022 with New Music USA, where she was mentored by Terri Lynne Carrington, Bobby McFerrin, and Tia Fuller. As part of the grant program, Lexi was given the opportunity to participate in Tia Fuller’s 2022/2023 "Intersections" Tour. Her
most notable work has been with the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s “Black , Brown, & Beige" mentorship program, the “Future of Jazz” Orchestra, and the “Essentially Ellington” Competition. In 2024, Lexi was nominated by the Kingdom Image Awards for “Instrumentalist of the Year.” When Lexi is in her home state, she holds the second chair trombonist position in the Springfield Symphony Jazz Orchestra, a position she has held since 2021. She has also taught as an adjunct educator in conjunction with Cincinnati Public Schools for ‘Black Music of America,’ which is an educational program for 4th-6th graders. Lexi has also instructed jazz trombone at the Cincinnati Jazz Academy since 2021. Lexi toured with Janelle Monáe as the lead trombonist in her national U.S. Tour, “The Age of Pleasure,” in the fall of 2023, and also for
COLDPLAY’s “Music of the Spheres, ” 2024 World Tour. Some of the notable shows have been the Newport Jazz Festival, Montreax Jazz Fest, etc. Lexi is now studying at Michigan State University in the Master’s Degree program for Jazz Studies under the tutelage of Michael Dease & Rodney Whitaker. She was awarded Michigan State University’s Distinguished Fellowship which has provided a tuition-waiver and a 2-year financial aid package as part of the Graduate Assistantship. Amongst all her mentorship, performances, and studies, Lexi continues to collaborate with gospel artists as a brass arranger and composer. As Lexicocoa continues to grow in her artistry, she hopes to be so genuine that she inspires people to explore beyond the mundane traditions of music through her sound.
"Jazz & Gospel were the perfect genres for me to express my life experiences. I found much joy in creating songs that articulated my interpretation of the world and my place in it. Each note, dissonant chord, & lyric meant true liberation to me. With gospel, I wrote about my spiritual journey, my battle with self-doubt & finding my purpose in life. But with jazz, I added the theory of chord changes & instrumental improvisation. Through exploring both realms of music, I found my own distinctive sound. The culmination of playing Frank Ticheli & Pat Metheny in the classroom, singing "Pie Jesu" the requiem in the choir, and praising God through the Clark Sisters & Walter Hawkins songs in church, and hearing Take Six & Mint Condition at home made me that curious musician I was and still am today." - Lexicocoa
