Joel Bowers is a 32-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, Joel completed his Masters of Music Jazz Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Colorado at Boulder. While attending CU Boulder, Joel was the jazz department's teacher assistant. His duties included assisting the jazz faculty, coaching jazz ensembles and teaching private students through the Universities continuing education program.

Joel, who has been playing the 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 world, both as a leader and as a sideman. He has performed and or recorded with many established bands and legends of the music world including: Alicia Keys, Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, Too $hort, Apl.De.Ap, The Mary Jane Girls, Pharoahe Monch, Little Brother, Cee-Lo, Jennifer Hudson, Estelle, Kool Keith, Yo Yo, MC Search, Black Sheep, Nice & Smooth, Fred Wesley, Clyde Stubblefield, Money Mark,
Stanton Moore, Quantic, Ms. Spanky Wilson, Oh No, Percee P, Ohmega Watts, Soup, Roc'C', Garage a Trois, Melvin Sparks, Eddie Bo, Leon Spencer, Robert Walter's 20th Congress,
Connie Price and The Keystones, Orgone, Nikka Costa, Pete Escovedo, Rhythm Roots Allstars, Fully-Loaded, Motherlode, L.A. Carnival, The Motet, Ron Miles, DJ Format,
Wolfgramm Sisters, Hilary McRae, Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Rebirth Brass Band. Joel has supported such artists and bands as: Maceo Parker, De La Soul, Big Daddy Kane, Little Brother, DJ Z-Trip, Leftover Salmon, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Stanton Moore, Robert Walter's 20th Congress, Particle, Zion I, Project Logic, Crown City Rockers, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Heavy D, Doug E. Fresh, The Sam Kininger Band, Wild Magnolias, Rebirth Brass Band, J Rocc, Aloe Blacc & Cut Chemist.

In 2002 Joel moved to Los Angeles and has since established himself as a sought after recording artist and session musician. 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 B-3 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 Catholic High School in Playa Del Rey, CA and currently instructs the Instrumental Music classes and directs the super funky St. Bernard Viking Band. Joel has previously taught at both Crossroads Elemantary School and at 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.