Joel Purnell
BA
Born in Bolton in 1975, Joel Purnell started his musical career at the age of 16 performing regularly in the thriving jazz clubs and bars of Manchester alongside musicians such as saxophonist Alan Barnes and guitarist Mike Walker.
In 1992 Joel won the Most Outstanding Soloist award in the Boosey & Hawkes National Concert Band Festival before moving to Leeds in 1993 to study Jazz at Leeds College of Music.
After completing his degree Joel went 'on the road' for 3 years, touring the UK and Europe with the West End show The Official Tribute To The Blues Brothers. Joel returned to Leeds in 2000 to concentrate on his passion for jazz education and to further assert his presence on the UK and European jazz scenes.
Joel has held lecturer posts on the faculty at Leeds College of Music since 2000; lecturing in Performance Studies and Jazz Language as well as leading performance, improvisation and saxophone workshops throughout the UK. With an ever growing discography, Purnell has toured and recorded with many highly reputable bands and musicians from a wide range of genres.
In 2007, Purnell composed and arranged ten original compositions specifically for his long standing Quartet and released his debut solo album Red Shift (GLP Records 2008) by The Joel Purnell Quartet.
Joel's debut album is available in all major digital music stores, including iTunes, Napster, Amazon, CD Baby, Rhapsody andEmusic.
A complete biography is available at www.joelpurnell.com