Biography

 
 

Biography

Joe Jenkins is a multi-instrumentalist performer and educator located in Houston, TX. Hailed as possessing “extraordinary passion, elegance, and humility”(The Clothesline Adelaide) and being “nuanced and powerful” (Kenneth Long). He is a member of The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, a position he has held since 2012, touring extensively nationally and internationally. Joe is the adjunct professor of woodwinds at Texas Southern University. He is also on staff at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory as the lead jazz and clarinet instructor and regularly works with the Stratford Playhouse.

Before relocating to Houston, TX, Joe was integral to the Atlanta music scene. Holding positions with the Carroll Symphony Orchestra, Carrollton Jazz Orchestra, Orquestra Nova Sound, Serenbe Playhouse, and Stage Door Players. Joe has been featured on recordings by Chris Stalcup and the Grange, Lefty Williams, and The District Attorneys.

Dedicated to performing across multiple genres, Joe toured with the international musical theatre production “In The Mood Live,” worked with the Joe Gransden Big Band, performed with Tito Puente Jr., given world premiers for chamber ensemble works, regularly performed with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra, and been under the batons of Maestros Guido Rumstadt, and Michael Palmer.

While being a dedicated performer, Joe has always held a passion for education. Joe has given jazz and classical music masterclasses throughout the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. While in Atlanta, he was a founding teacher for the Carroll Symphony Music Academy, the outreach and sound learning programs at Charles Drew Charter School, and taught woodwind method courses at Georgia State University. His students have attained top accolades and positions in the All-State Band, Governors Honor Program, and music scholarships at major universities.

Joe holds an MM in Orchestral Clarinet Performance from Georgia State University and a BM in Jazz Studies from the same institution. During his tenure at GSU, Joe was a featured soloist with the University’s Wind Orchestra, performing Stravinsky’s “Ebony Concerto.” He served as principal clarinet and alto saxophone in the university’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra and performed with the Big Band. His primary teachers include Richie Chiarluce, Dr. Andy Hudson, Dr. Robert Ambrose, and Mace Hibbard. Joe currently resides in Houston, TX, with his dog Dexter. Other passions include roasting coffee, cycling, and enjoying Houston’s fantastic food culture.

Equipment

  • Clarinet - Yamaha CSGII Bb & A - D’addario X10E or Charles Chedeville - D’addario Reserve Classic 3.5+

  • Bass Clarinet - Buffet Prestige - Clark Fobes 10K CF - D’addario Reserve - 3.5+

  • Alto Saxophone - Selmer Mark VI - Navarro Maestra 6 - D’addario Select Jazz 3S

  • Tenor Saxophone - Conn NWSII Gold Portrait - Hollywood Dukoff 6* - D’addario Select Jazz 3M

  • Baritone Saxophone - Selmer SBA - Berg Larsen 105/1M - D’addario Select Jazz 3S

  • Flute - Sankyo CF701- Sankyo RT Headjoint