WHO IS JOEL PESKIN?

Joel started playing the clarinet at the age of nine in Brooklyn, N.Y. At the age of 12 years old he was playing Benny Goodman songs in school talent shows and was soon working in the famed Catskill Mountains and at the local community center, where he picked up his first tenor sax.

He is a graduate of the High School of the Performing Arts, made famous in the movie "Fame." He studied Saxophone and Bass Clarinet with teacher Joseph Allard of the Julliard School of Music and was a protégé and very close friend of saxophonists Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Frank Strozier. He co-lead his own jazz quintet the "New York Jazz Ensemble" with Trumpeter Donald Hahn and Drummer Randy Kaye.

He played free-jazz around New York for several years, with players like Ornette Coleman, Dave Izenson, Pharaoh Sanders and Randy Brecker, Bob Moses and Enrico Rava.

In late 1968 Joel moved to Los Angeles and joined the Beach Boys touring with them for five years, leading their horn section, and as featured soloist. When not touring, he played many Blues gigs on the West Coast with artists like Albert Collins with whom he played with for a year and cites as a major influence on his musical conception, Charlie Musselwhite, Robben Ford, and the Johnny and Shuggie Otis Band, Etta James and his own group "Rockhouse" co-led by drummer Mike Kowalski featuring blues vocalist "Margie Evans". In the late 70's Joel toured with singer Shawn Phillips, Jerry LaCroix and White Trash. Joel was also a member of Doc Severinson's group "Xebron" playing concerts around the country. Joel is featured on the release, Did You Feel That?, by Joe Sample and the Soul Committee, the latest Manhattan Transfer album. Other artists with whom Joel has recorded include: Barbra Streisand Bill Clinton Fund Raiser Judd Miller, Barbra, Joel

Natalie Cole, Stevie Wonder

Frank Zappa

Waka Jawaka Hot Rats

Teddy Pendergrass, Rick Springfield (Hard to Hold), Dr. John's (Accentuate the Positive), Marvin Gaye ("Midnite Love"), Smokey Robinson ("Being with You," #1), Beach Boys ("Kokomo," #1), Taylor Dayne ("Every Beat of My Heart," #2). Joel also can be heard soloing on the Academy Award-winning single, "Beauty and the Beast" (featuring Peabo Bryson and Celine Dion), Dolly Parton's "Straight Talk," Linda Ronstadt's Frenesi album, and Michael Bolton's album, "Timeless." and a sax solo with singer "Steve Perry" on the "We are the World" album which is one of the biggest selling records in history, Lowell George, Pat Benatar, Harry Nilson, Van Morrison, and many others.