About

Rissa Jones is a vocalist, songwriter, and producer whose artistry is rooted in jazz tradition and shaped by the cultural sounds of Black American music and the American South. Raised in Valdosta, Georgia, she grew up immersed in quartet gospel and Southern soul music. The conviction of church vocals, the layered harmonies of gospel choirs and groups, and the storytelling spirit of Southern soul formed her earliest school for music. Music was never simply performance it was testimony, discipline, and community.

As a teenager, Rissa stepped into the jazz world as the lead vocalist for the Valdosta High School Jazz Band. That experience marked a pivotal moment in her development. Performing with a live ensemble sharpened her musical instincts, deepened her understanding of phrasing and improvisation, and solidified her desire to sing jazz music. Standing in front of a band demanded confidence, musical precision, and emotional command skills that would become hallmarks of her artistry.

Around the same time, she discovered neo-soul on her own through Pandora and early YouTube sessions. The genre’s fusion of jazz harmony, R&B groove, and fearless individuality resonated deeply with her. It felt like a bridge between the gospel and soul she grew up with and the sophisticated harmonic world she was beginning to explore. That curiosity soon led her further into straight ahead jazz. Jazz music became more than a genre it became a calling. Immersing herself in its lineage, Rissa committed to studying the tradition with intention. 

She attended Valdosta State University in her hometown receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and later attended Manhattan School of Music for her masters degree in Jazz Studies. Through classical vocal training and a strong foundation in music theory, ear training, and sight reading, she cultivated both technical command and interpretive skills. For her, jazz is not an aesthetic, it is a culture she lives and honors. She aspires to stand among the greats of the craft not merely for recognition, but to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing evolution of the music. In 2024, She received the opportunity to become a part of the lineage of jazz vocalist, Betty Carter, a part of the 2024 Class of the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program led by Jason Moran.

As a vocalist, her sound carries the warmth of gospel, the intimacy of soul, and the elasticity of jazz phrasing. As a songwriter, she writes from lived experience, centering emotional honesty and spiritual grounding. As a producer, she bridges tradition and modernity building arrangements where improvisation, rich harmony, and contemporary textures coexist seamlessly. Her work resists confinement to a single genre because her influences refuse to be separated. Jazz is her foundation, but exploration is her instinct.

Looking ahead, Rissa Jones is committed to becoming an innovator in the evolving landscape of jazz music. She envisions expanding her catalog of original work, producing collaborative projects that blur stylistic lines, and helping reimagine how jazz and R&B coexist in contemporary spaces. Her trajectory is defined by honoring every influence that shaped her and allowing them to coexist freely in her sound.

For Rissa Jones, music is both inheritance and expansion. With jazz as her compass and curiosity as her guide, she is carving a path toward artistic excellence rooted in culture, driven by intention, and committed to pushing the music forward.