about cassie kollman

Cassie Kollman is a contemporary vocalist, teaching artist, songwriter, and bandleader whose work spans a wide range of genres rooted in Black American musical traditions—including jazz, R&B, blues, rock, pop, and folk. Her specialization is embodied vocal improvisation across contemporary genres.

Cassie’s debut album, Lady in Shoes (2021), is an eclectic mix of groove-based, richly textured original compositions and collaborations. Her songwriting is introspective and emotionally nuanced, blending lyrical depth with harmonic complexity and vocal ambition to create a distinctive jazz-pop sound. Her upcoming sophomore album of original jazz compositions, Mixed Messages — produced by Brian Charles (Moby, Dispatch, Weakened Friends), is slated for release in 2025.

A versatile and collaborative performer, Cassie appears regularly as a soloist and leads multiple ensembles throughout the Boston area. Her projects reflect a cross-genre sensibility, integrating diverse instrumentation and stylistic approaches while staying grounded in the shared languages of improvisation and blues. Cassie reimagines lyrical improvisation by weaving together text from multiple sources, creating original narratives that bring new life to familiar works from the American popular music canon.

Cassie holds a Master of Music in Jazz and Contemporary Music from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She is certified in Somatic Voicework™ (The Lovetri Method, Levels I & II) and currently serves on the voice faculty at Bunker Hill Community College, as well as Director of Music at Hillside Community Church. Her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Linguistics, along with her professional background in community mental health, special education, and Buddhist studies, inform her student-centered and adaptive teaching style. Cassie offers a somatic, inquiry-based approach that helps students cultivate technically proficient, stylistically fluent, and emotionally expressive vocal artistry, with particular attention to improvisation. She specializes in working with students with diverse cognitive and emotional profiles

As an artist, educator, and community member, Cassie is passionate about arts accessibility, music education, public education, and live community events.

As an artist, teacher, and community member, Cassie is passionate about arts accessibility, music education, public education, and live community events.