About

Born in Iowa, grown in Missouri, and sprouting throughout the Midwest, Joel Gordon is a saxophonist and educator on a journey to cultivate relationship with music and people. As a musician and teacher, Joel strives to balance life on “both sides of the fence,” working in concert classical and jazz contemporary styles.

Joel became a bandleader and performing musician at the age of nineteen. With a group of high school and college friends from Kansas City, Joel formed 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 the 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 trio consisting of two saxophones and piano.  In 2021, {trés} 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 oldest running bands 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).

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 educational clinics for hundreds of public school students. As well, Joel leads his own “chordless” quartet, the Happy Habitat. The group has featured some of the top young saxophonists in the country including Adam Larson. Joel has also performed with with many other jazz and modern groups including the Patrick Lentz Band, KC FLO, Vine Street Rumble, Atchison Jazz Express, Moon City Big Band, and Saint Joe Big Band. Joel studied jazz improvisation with Tim AuBuchon and Matt Otto; additional instructors include Bob Long and Neil Ostercamp. As well, Joel was admitted and attend the week-long residential David Liebman Saxophone Masterclass.

Joel is passionate about advancing music through one-on-one coaching. As a private studio instructor, Joel’s saxophone students have earned numerous “superior” ratings at solo contest and several accolades both in the Missouri All-State Band and Jazz Band. 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 currently serves as instructor of saxophone at MidAmerica Nazarene University and teaches middle/high school lessons through their Community Arts Academy.  

As a teacher and arts administrator, Joel has worked to establish educational programs that provide opportunities for students to learn and make new connections. Most recently, Joel has formed and directed the Northland Symphony Youth Saxophone Ensemble. NYSE draws high school students from all over the KC Metro and was selected to perform at the 2024 North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference. As well, NYSE hosts an annual “Saxophone Christmas” event which draws over 100 saxophone players from surrounding areas. Joel has also taught at and help coordinate programs including Kansas City Area Youth Jazz, Northland Student Jam Session, the Charlie Parker Celebration Bebop Bootcamp, and Kansas City Jazz Academy at the American Jazz Museum.  

As a public school teacher, Joel served as 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. He also worked as a teaching assistant at Kirksville High School with the band program for two years, working with primarily the marching and jazz bands. Joel has had the opportunity to judge auditions for secondary school band programs at the local, district, and state level and serve as a jazz and saxophone clinician in various classroom and festival settings. With this wide range of experiences, Joel was selected and shared a presentation on saxophone articulations at the 2022 International Conference for Saxophone Pedagogy and Performance.

Joel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music (2015) and a Master of Arts in Education of Music (2016) from Truman State University. Professional affiliations have included the Missouri Association for Jazz Education, Missouri State Teachers Association, Missouri Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, National Eagle Scout Association, Jazz Education Network, Burnett Music Foundation Advisory Council, Kappa Delta Pi, 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