Joe was born and raised in Southern California. He began playing the xylophone by ear at an early age. His parents found him a piano teacher quickly and Joe continued to take piano lessons for several years. While in college, he discovered jazz and changed his major to computer science to music. Joe was inspired by Kenny Barron’s teaching style as a jazz pianist at Rutgers University, New Jersey. He enrolled in the graduate program and completed his Masters degree. Barron taught Joe for two years. After serving two years as a Russian linguist in Germany in the Army for a few years, Joe returned to California and has been an integral part of the Los Angeles jazz scene ever since. After meeting Larry Goldings, an organist in New York, Joe began playing the Hammond B-3. Joe, who arrived in Los Angeles in 1997, has recorded and played with many jazz musicians, including Madeleine Peyroux and Larry Goldings. He has also played extensively in Europe, France, Turkey, Dubai, and the States (Yoshi’s, Oakland, Birdland, New York), The Moore Theater, Seattle, The Alladin Theater, Portland, Richard’s (Vancouver). from www.lajazzcollective.com
