Born: July 4, 1975 Primary Instrument: Saxophone
Joel Bowers is a 35-year-old native of San Jose, California. Joel is a 1997 graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies. In May of 2002 he completed his Masters of Music Jazz Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Colorado at Boulder. While at CU Boulder, Joel was the jazz departments teacher assistant. His duties included coaching a jazz ensemble, assisting the jazz faculty and teaching private students through the Universities continuing education program.
Joel, who has been playing saxophone since age nine, is unique among young saxophonists in that he has a very strong interest in older styles of jazz. His influences include such legendary saxophonists as Lester Young, Stan Getz, Stanley Turrentine, Hank Mobley and Dexter Gordon. He has learned to play in the idiom of those players and has done so quite convincingly. Joel has personally studied under such recognized names as: Jimmy Giuffre, Plas Johnson, George Garzone, John McNeil, Joe Maneri and Jerry Bergonzi. Joel has received numerous Music Scholarship Awards, Special Music Recognition Awards and Teaching Fellowships.
Joel has played many varied venues across the nation both as a leader and as a sideman. He has performed or recorded with many established touring bands and legends of the music world including: Alicia Keys, Big Daddy Kane, Too $hort, Slick Rick, De La Soul, Black Sheep, Biz Markie, Pharoahe Monch, Little Brother, Nice & Smooth, Bun B, Marley Marl, Juice Crew, Apl.De.Ap, Anthony Hamilton, Jennifer Hudson, Lupe Fiasco, Estelle, Fred Wesley, Eddie Bo, Melvin Sparks, Ms. Spanky Wilson, Pete Escovedo, Leon Spencer, Clyde Stubblefield, Masta Ace, Mister Cee, Nappy Roots, Craig G, Ohmega Watts, Aloe Blacc, Nikka Costa, Money Mark, Stanton Moore, Quantic and the Quantic Soul Orchestra, Ron Miles, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Garage a Trois, Robert Walter's 20th Congress, Motherlode, The Motet, L.A. Carnival. He has supported such artists as Al Green, Maceo Parker, The Roots, Naughty By Nature, De La Soul, Whodini, Gil Scott Heron, Ozomatli, The Aggrolites, Mayer Hawthorne, The Greyboy Allstars, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Leftover Salmon, Particle, Stanton Moore, Robert Walter's 20th Congress, Zion I, Project Logic, Crown City Rockers, Heavy D, Doug E. Fresh, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Sam Kininger Band, Wild Magnolias, Rebirth Brass Band, DJ Z-TRIP, JRocc & Cut Chemist among others.
In 2002 Joel moved to Los Angeles and has since established himself as a sought after recording artist and session musician. Joel has recorded for numerous movie soundtracks including: Our Family Wedding, Good Hair, Sex and the City, Cheaper By The Dozen 2, Sex Drive, Deck The Halls, Bonneville & Barnyard. He has also recorded for several television shows and t.v. commercials including: Take Home Chef, Coca-Cola, Joey, Miss Rap Supreme, The Shot & Comedy Central's “100 Greatest Stand Up's”. When not recording or performing, Joel teaches privately and leads two of L.A.'s funkiest bands, the all-star funky music machine, The Greasy Beats and the soul-jazz Hammond organ sextet JB and The Rebellion. Joel is also a busy sideman in several L.A. bands including Connie Price & The Keystones, Orgone & The Lions.
In August of 2006 Joel joined the teaching faculty at St. Bernard High School in Playa Del Rey, CA and currently instructs the Instrumental Music classes and directs the super funky Viking Band. Joel has previously taught at both Crossroads Elemantary School & New Roads High School in Santa Monica, CA and has been a frequent faculty member at the Stanford Jazz Workshop in Palo Alto, CA. Joel is proud member of the American Federation of Musicians Local 47 and the International Association of Jazz Educators.
“JB and the Rebellion is an alumni reunion of jazz-funk's perennial players. Organized by tenor saxophonist Joel Bowers, the disc boasts spots from scene heavyweights like organist Robert Walter, bassist Chris Stillwell, percussionist Chuck Prada and DJ Mister Rourke, among others. Recruiting a rock solid backing of Hammond organist Keith Ladinsky, guitarist Rodney “B.R.” Millon and drummer Aaron Redfield, Bowers also lays a firm foundation for his album before layering the disc with talented friends and neighbors. Staples in some of the groove community's strongest live acts, Bowers' recruits have helped set jazz-funk within its current schooled-yet-slinky, context.” -Jambands.com
“Joel Bowers has assembled a group of ringers... Robert Walter, Chuck Prada, Chris Stillwell and others throw down for a jazz-funk fusion celebration of the groove, and the room is bumping.” - Crazewire.com
“JB and The Rebellion's exhilarating sax/organ sound pays homage to the soul-jazz, blues and funk of the late 1960's and early 1970s while pushing jazz and groove music forward into the future.” - JamBase.com
THE GREASY BEATS - Lowdown Express EP
Independent Release - 2006
www.cdbaby.com/thegreasybeat s
JB & THE REBELLION - JB & The Rebellion
Independent Release - 2003
www.cdbaby.com/jbther ebellion
AS A SIDE MUSICIAN:
JENNIFER HUDSON - Jennifer Hudson
Arista - 2008
www.jrecords.com
THE POINT OF IT ALL - Anthony Hamilton
La Face - 2008
www.zombalabelgroup.com
SOL-ANGLE & THE HADLEY ST. DREAMS - Solange Knowles
Geffen Records - 2008
New Line Records - 2008
www.aliciakeys.com
JUNGLE STRUTTIN' - The Lions
Ubiquity Records - 2008
www.ubiquityrecords.c om
TELL ME SOMETHING - Connie Price & The Keystones
Ubiquity Records - 2008
www.ubiquityrec ords.com
KILLION FLOOR - Orgone
Ubiquity Records - 2007
www.ubiquityrecords. com
I GET LIFTED b/w IT'S WHAT YOU DO 12" - Orgone
Ubiquity Records - 2007
www.ubiquityrecords.com< br>
CHOICES: VOL.1 - Various Artists
Ubiquity Records - 2007
www.ubiquityrecords.c om/ur212
BRAND NEW BY TOMORROW - Money Mark
Brushfire Records - 2007
www.brushfirerecor ds.com/ moneymark
I'M THANKFUL - Spanky Wilson & The Quantic Soul Orchestra
Ubiquity Records - 2006
www.ubiquityrecords.c om/ur203
BIG DADDY KANE & PERCEE P vs. CONNIE PRICE & THE KEYSTONES - Connie Price & The Keystones
Scion - 2006
www.scion.c om/culture/av/ bigdaddy
NO DELAY 12" - Ohmega Watts
Ubiquity Records - 2006
www.ubiquityrecords.c om/ur200
ARTFUL TIME REDUCTION - Channel Two
Kajmere Sound - 2006
www.ksdmusic.com
EXODUS INTO UNHEARD RHYTHM - Oh No
Stones Throw - 2006
www.stonesthrow.com/ohno
LET THE GROOVE MOVE YOU : 20 Modern Funk Anthems - Various Artist
Freestyle (UK) - 2006
www.dustygroove.com
STICKS & STONES EP - Connie Price & The Keystones
Stones Throw (Now Again) - 2006
www.stonesthrow.com/nowagain/records/NA5020
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM, JOIN 'EM - DJ Format
Genuine - 2005
www.djformat.com
ORASIO GARCIA AND YOUNG MUSICIANS AWARE - Quantic
TruThoughts - 2005
www.tru- thoughts.co.uk/artists/ quantic
WEIGHT OF THE WORLD - Self Scientific
Angeles Records - 2005
www.angelesre cords.com/ change
SANDS OF TIME - Kombo
Angeles Records - 2005
www.upabove.st ores.yahoo.net/ sandsoftime
SERVENTS OF A LESSER GOD - Michael Sanders & One Tribe Nation
Esoterica Records - 2005
www.cdbaby.com/cd/s andersmichael
EARTHBOUND - The LP's
The LP's - 2005
www.cdbaby.com/cd/thelps
HIGH ON THE BAYOU - Keith Hollis & The Po' Boyz
Lad In Sky Music - 2005
www.cdbaby.com/cd/keithh ollis
PLAY - The Motet
Independent Release - 2001
www.cdbaby.com/cd/themotet
JIVE - Jive
Independent Release - 2001
www.homegrownmusic.net
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Primary Instrument:
Saxophone
Location:
Culver City, CA
Willing to teach:
Beginners
Credentials/Background:
Joel enjoys sharing his love of music and the craft of jazz with aspiring
musicians, both recreational and
professional. He currently directs the Instrumental Music department at St.
Bernard High School in
Playa Del Rey, CA and has previously taught at Crossroads Elementary School
and New Roads High
School in Santa Monica. Joel has also been a frequent clinician at the Stanford
Jazz Workshop in
Stanford, CA.
To learn more about Joel's credentials as a musician please visit joelbowers.com
Private Lessons
Joel teaches lessons out of his studio in West Los Angeles and in special
cases can travel to your home.
He works with intermediate-advanced students on all instruments, who have
an interest in some or all
of the following:
- composing & improvizing melodies
- fluency in the many idioms of jazz, funk & blues
- understanding music theory and putting it to use
- playing by ear
- expressing emotions powerfully through music
- for saxophonists: saxophone technique, including sound production, articulation, altissimo, inflections & effects
EDUCATION:
University of Colorado Boulder, CO
Master of Music in Jazz Performance and Pedagogy, May 2002
New England Conservatory of Music Boston, MA
Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance, May 1997
PRINCIPLE TEACHERS:
Plas Johnson, George Garzone, John McNeil, Jimmy Guiffre, Joe Maneri
OTHER COACHES:
Jerry Bergonzi, Bob Moses Ralph Moore, Allan Chase, Bevan Manson,
Dominique Eade
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
St. Bernard High School, 2006-present
Crossroads Elementary School, 2005
New Roads High School, 2004
Stanford Jazz Workshop, 2002-2004
University of Colorado at Boulder, 1999-2002
QUOTES:
“Joel possesses the musicianship, talent and maturity to rise above the
norm. He plays jazz, blues,
funk and more. He can do it all, and do it well. "
-Dr. John Davis, Director of Jazz Studies University of Colorado
Boulder
“Joel Bowers is a very gifted musician.”
-John McNeil, Professor of Jazz Trumpet New England
Conservatory
“Joel is an outstanding young musician who has a strong future in music.”
-Bevan Manson, Director of Jazz Ensembles UC at Berkeley
“Joel is it!”
-George Garzone, Professor of Saxophone New England Conservatory
Clinic/Workshop Information:
Joel is available as a clinician for all levels and styles. Has taught/lectured at
numerous schools/workshops in California and Colorado. Subjects covered
include:
• BEGINNING-ADVANCED JAZZ IMPROVISATION
• JAZZ THEORY
• HISTORY OF JAZZ
• JAZZ BIG BAND COACHING
• JAZZ ENSEMBLE/COMBO COACHING
• JAZZ EAR TRAINING
• SAXOPHONE TECHNIQUES
• PRACTICAL SKILLS FOR WORKING MUSICIANS
Private or ensemble lessons are also available. For more information please visit joelbowers.com or email joel@joelbowers.com
Selmer Mark VI Baritone Saxophone circa 1954
Selmer Mark VI Soprano Saxophone circa 1969
