Meet Casen Alesi

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Casen Alesi. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Casen, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

I get it from my family in general, both blood and non-related family.

From my parents, I learned what true perseverance and genuine hospitality look like. My mom has always been the type of person who leads with strength and honestly doesn’t really give a damn about excuses (if they’re not important). Watching her handle challenges with not only grace but also sometimes just chugging through whatever is presented, taught me that resilience doesn’t always have to be loud or aggressive — sometimes it’s about patience, empathy, and the willingness to keep going even when no one’s watching. She showed me that you can face hardship without losing your heart, and that kindness itself can be a powerful form of strength.

My dad, on the other hand, gave me the mindset of persistence and drive. He’s always been the one to remind me that growth often comes from discomfort, and that setbacks are not failures but lessons in disguise. From him, I learned the discipline to stay focused on my goals, the humility to start over when necessary, and the courage to take responsibility when things go wrong. That combination of accountability and determination is something I carry with me in everything I do.

But I can’t talk about resilience without mentioning my non-blood family, the close friends, mentors, and loved ones who’ve become an extension of my home. These are the people who’ve stood by me through difficult times, believed in my vision, and reminded me of my worth when I couldn’t see it myself. They’ve shown me that resilience isn’t just an individual trait — it’s something that grows through connection. Their support has taught me that true strength also means knowing when to lean on others, when to ask for help, and when to trust that you’re not alone in your fight.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am a composer, band leader, percussionist, and general music man. I am currently one of the few jazz vibraphonist in the Atlanta area, and I am very active throughout the area playing in a variety of settings from fine dining establishments to jazz clubs, concert halls, country clubs, or wherever I am called.

I am a man with one dedication to music: to show the healing power and connectivity of music to everyone. Whether one interaction with me that just seeing me and talking to me, or someone who’s been a fan of mine for a while, or whatever the case may be. I want to show them they are loved.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

First is self-awareness. I’ve had to do a lot of reflection, especially after realizing how my actions between September and December of 2024 affected others, as I was using my mental health to not act in the best way for people or even myself. That period forced me to confront who I was becoming and the kind of person I truly wanted to be. It wasn’t easy. In fact, from December on until more or less the spring, I cried myself to sleep and honestly had thoughts about killing myself. Weirdly, that honesty with myself became the foundation for real growth. I learned to take true accountability, to own my mistakes, and to rebuild trust through consistency and genuine effort, not words alone.

The second is empathy. I’ve always believed music connects people, but I didn’t fully understand how deep that connection could be until I saw how much hurt I had caused. Understanding others. Their emotions, their pain, and their perspective became essential not only in my relationships but in my art. I’ve come to see empathy as both a personal value and a creative tool that helps me use music to reach others where words can’t.

And the third is purpose. For me, music isn’t just performance or a job anymore; it’s healing. It’s a way to give back, to create moments of understanding and peace in a world that’s divided more than ever. My mission now is to make my music a reflection of that healing process to use what I’ve learned about pain, forgiveness, and growth to help others through their own journeys.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Interesting, this question is asked, as funny enough, this question kind of goes with the motto of my project, The Bebop Lounge.

For those who don’t know, The Bebop Lounge is a jazz collective I direct, and what we do is travel to various conventions globally, and we provide live jazz fusion music to conventions.

At the time of making this, our most recent convention was Megaplex in Orlando, which is a furry convention. Now, no one in the group is a furry; however, my good friend Mark Vickers recently pointed this out. He told me jazz was made by those who didn’t have a voice, society calling them outcasts. Furries are usually looked upon as being awkward by societal standards. But we brought people together. For a lot of people, this was their first time seeing real jazz musicians. In addition, honestly, the people were so kind, and it was a genuinely amazing experience.

So, I’m looking to collaborate with people who value inclusivity, creativity, and purpose, whether that’s through live performance, recording, multimedia projects, or community events. I love working with those who see music not just as entertainment, but as a tool for healing, unity, and positive change.

If anyone reading this feels that same passion or wants to explore new ways of blending styles and communities through music, I’d love to connect. You can reach out through my given socials.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://calesiofficial.wixsite.com/alesi-and-co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/casenalesiofficial/