About

Joel became a bandleader and performing musician at the age of nineteen.  With a group of friends in Kansas City, Joel formed and directed the Trouble Clefs: a big band that convened during summer and winter school breaks.  Over the course of three years and twenty-five concerts, the group evolved from entertaining at a backyard pool party to performing at the Kauffman Center in Kansas City, MO.  During their run, more than fifty different musicians performed with the Trouble Clefs.  Experiencing positive connections and community with band members and audiences, Joel was inspired to become a musician and teacher.

As a classical saxophonist, Joel has recorded and toured with {trés}, a chamber group consisting of two saxophones and piano.  Notably, in 2021, they released “Centennial” on Navona Records label in culmination of the 100 years of women’s suffrage and the 19th Amendment.  With the trio, Joel performed at the 40th Annual International Saxophone Symposium in Washington D.C. and the inaugural American Single Reed Summit.  He also regularly performs with the Cameron Municipal Band, one of the longest running concert ensembles West of the Mississippi River.  Joel studied classical saxophone primarily with Randall Smith and José Zayas Cabán; additional instructors include Tim Timmons and Neil Ostercamp.  As well, Joel was selected and performed in masterclasses with Dr. Kenneth Tse and SFC Matthew J. Carmichael (Pershing’s Own) and was twice named the category winner of Missouri Music Teachers Association collegiate competitions.

As a jazz musician, Joel recorded and released a full-length album with Kansas City-based jazz quintet, the Matt Cook Collective entitled “Along Those Lines.”  As a part of the Collective, Joel has traveled throughout the Midwest not only playing at regional venues, but also putting on free educational clinics for hundreds of public school students.  As well, Joel leads his own “chordless” quartet of two saxophones, bass, and drums: the Happy Habitat. The group has featured several top young saxophonists including Adam Larson.  Joel has performed with with many other jazz and modern groups around the KC Metro including the Drew Williams Big Band, Legerdemain, Lost Wax Band, Marcus Lewis Big Band (Brass and Boujee), Moon City Big Band, Patrick Lentz Band, St. Joe Big Band, and Vine Street Rumble.  Most recently, Joel has assembled the Northland Big Band, performing regularly “North of the River” in the KC Metro and featuring many professional musicians and educators from the area. Joel studied jazz improvisation with Tim AuBuchon and Matt Otto; additional instructors include Bob Long and Neil Ostercamp.  Additionally, Joel was admitted and attend the week-long residential David Liebman Saxophone Masterclass.

Joel is passionate about advancing music through individual coaching. As a private studio instructor, Joel’s saxophone students have earned numerous top ratings at solo contest and several accolades both in the Missouri All-State Concert Band and Missouri All-State Jazz Ensemble.  His private students have also been accepted into and attended nationally distinguished opportunities including the NAfME All-National Honor Concert Band, Interlochen Saxophone Institute, Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall, and NYU’s Broadway Winds Summer Program.  Joel also formerly served as instructor of saxophone at MidAmerica Nazarene University.  With this wide range of experiences, Joel was selected and shared a presentation at the 2022 International Conference for Saxophone Pedagogy and Performance.

As a director and arts administrator, Joel has worked to establish educational programs that provide opportunities for students to learn and make new connections.  Most recently, Joel started the Northland Symphony Youth Saxophone Ensemble (NYSE).  The unique ensemble draws high school students from in and around the KC Metro.  The group was selected and performed at the 2024 North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) conference and the 2025 Missouri Music Education Association (MMEA) conference, featuring prominent saxophone soloists including Chad Lilley, Michael Shults, and Zach Shemon.  The ensemble has also shared concerts with the UMKC and KU Saxophone Studios.  As well, NYSE hosts an annual “KC Saxophone Christmas” event which draws over 100 saxophone players from surrounding areas of all ages.  Joel has also taught at and helped coordinate programs including Kansas City Area Youth Jazz and the Kansas City Saxophone Workshop.  

As a public school teacher, Joel was the Director of Bands at Platte City Middle School and an assisting teacher with marching bands, concert ensembles, and jazz groups at Platte County High School for three years (2016-2019). During his time at PCHS, he developed a successful extracurricular jazz studies and combo program.  Of the students that participated in these programs, three went on to become the first students in the school’s history to earn a spot in the Missouri All-State Jazz Ensemble.  He also served on staff as a teaching assistant at Kirksville High School with the band program for two years, working with primarily the marching and jazz bands (2019-2021).  During his time at KHS, the Kirksville Marching Band won the Missouri Days Marching Festival for the first time.  Joel has had the opportunity to judge auditions for school band programs at the local, district, and state level and serve as a jazz and saxophone clinician in various classroom and festival settings.  Most recently, Joel was the guest artist and clinician at the 2025 Southwest Baptist University Jazz Festival. 

Joel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music (2015) and a Master of Arts in Education (2016) from Truman State University as well as a Master of Business Administration (2024) from Park University.  Professional affiliations have included the Burnett Music Foundation Advisory Council, Jazz Education Network, Kappa Delta Pi, Missouri Association for Jazz Education, Missouri Music Educators Association, Missouri State Teachers Association, National Association for Music Education, National Eagle Scout Association, North American Saxophone Alliance, Phi Kappa Lambda, and Phi Mu Alpha.

Currently, Joel lives in Kansas City, MO with his wonderful wife Megan and delightful daughters Ellie and Shiloh where the Gordons strive to spend as much time as they can together enjoying the outdoors and making music.

Joel Gordon – Audio Samples

Joel Gordon – E-Photo Gallery