Bradley Joseph

Last updated

Bradley Joseph
Pic-bradleyjoseph.jpg
Background information
Born1965 (age 59–60)
Bird Island, Minnesota, United States
Origin Willmar, Minnesota, United States
Genres
Occupations
  • Composer
  • arranger
  • record producer
  • musician
Instrument
  • Keyboards
Years active1983–present
Labels
Website Official Website

Bradley Joseph (born 1965) is an American composer, arranger, and producer of contemporary instrumental music. His compositions include works for orchestras, quartets, and solo piano pieces. He has also played various instruments in rock bands throughout the Midwestern United States. [1]

Contents

Biography

Early years

Bradley Joseph was born in 1965 in Bird Island, Minnesota, and raised in Willmar, Minnesota. [2] Joseph began studying classical piano at the age of eight. [3] He attended Willmar Senior High School, where he played piano for the school's jazz band and choir, [4] graduating in 1983. [5]

Joseph attended Moorhead State University as a music major. [6] While attending, he played saxophone and guitar in local bands but left to focus on piano. [7] Later, he began performing with guitarist Dugan McNeill, whose group was signed to PolyGram. [3]

Yanni

In 1989, Joseph recorded his first demo tape and sent it to Greek composer Yanni, who was looking to replace keyboardist John Tesh. [8] Joseph composed, arranged, and performed alongside Yanni for over six years. [9] [10] In the band, Joseph played keyboard [7] and assisted in managing over 30 synthesizers on stage. [11] His first show was at the Starplex Amphitheatre in Dallas, where Yanni's band performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 1990.

Early concert tours included Reflections of Passion , Revolution in Sound , Dare to Dream , [12] and Yanni Live, The Symphony Concerts . Joseph also took part in a performance in Germany that was broadcast throughout Europe and seen by an estimated 30–40 million viewers. [5]

Joseph also appeared in the album and concert film, Live at the Acropolis , which has received platinum certifications in the United States. [13] [14]

Between tours, Joseph worked in recording studios with numerous artists from RCA, Epic, Warner Bros., and PolyGram Records. [15] He also performed in a national keyboard show tour with various musicians. [16] In 2003, he returned for Yanni's 60-city Ethnicity tour. [17]

Sheena Easton

Joseph performed with Sheena Easton for four years as her co-musical director and lead keyboardist. [18] Easton's tours took him to Japan, Indonesia, Puerto Rico, and the United States, [3] with regular appearances in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. [5] In March 1995, Joseph appeared with Easton on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno for the performance of her single "My Cherie". [19] [20]

Solo career

More Core Records

In 1994, Joseph released his debut album, Hear the Masses , a self-produced and self-published project under the More Core Records label, featuring 10 original compositions. [21]

Narada

Joseph signed a record deal with Narada Productions, [22] a subsidiary of Virgin Records. The result was Rapture , containing piano pieces, quartets, and full orchestral works. [3] It reached ZMR's Airwaves Top 30 at No. 15 in July 1997. [23] The album was recorded at studios, including Captain & Tennille's Studio and Pachyderm Studio. [7] [24] In addition to a core band including Charlie Adams on percussion, Charlie Bisharat on violin, and Steven Trochlil on clarinet, Joseph brought in a 50-piece orchestra. [7]

Robbins Island Music

Joseph started Robbins Island Music in 1998, where he began composing, producing, and distributing his own recordings.[ citation needed ] Solo Journey was released that same year and consists of eleven soft piano compositions. [25]

Later releases include Christmas Around the World, which reached ZMR's Top 100 Radio Playlist; [26] and One Deep Breath, which remained on ZMR's Top 100 Radio Chart for over six months. [27]

During Yanni's 2003 Ethnicity world tour, Joseph worked on his sixth album, The Journey Continues, a sequel to Solo Journey. [28]

Subsequent releases include, For the Love of It , Piano Love Songs , and Hymns and Spiritual Songs . On these albums, Joseph arranged piano, orchestral, and soft rhythmic elements to cover melodies such as "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" (Burt Bacharach), "Fields of Gold" (Sting), and "Ave Maria" (Schubert). He also produced CD and DVD projects designed for pets as part of the Music Pets Love series, [29] [30] and a four-CD set of Nature Sounds. His compositions are featured in the DVD Isle Royale Impressions, Volume II, which showcases video footage from Isle Royale National Park in Michigan [31] by Carl TerHaar.

In April 2013, Joseph released Paint the Sky, which debuted at No. 15 on ZMR's Top 100 Radio Chart. Joseph described the release as "piano instrumentals with a cinematic feel". [32]

Accolades and achievements

Joseph was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Minnesotans (TOYM) of 2004 by the Minnesota Jaycees. [33] [34] [35] In April 2008, he was presented with the WPS Foundation Arts and Academics Hallmarks of Pride award as an alumnus. [25]

Airlines such as Aeroméxico, AirTran, Frontier, and JetBlue feature his music in their in-flight music programs. The Weather Channel also regularly utilises his compositions during "Local on the 8s" segments, and the song "Friday's Child" was included on its 2008 compilation The Weather Channel Presents: Smooth Jazz II . [36]

Paint the Sky (2013) was nominated for Best Neo-Classical Album in the 10th Annual ZMR Music Awards. [37]

Artistry

On composing

In an interview with Indie Journal, Joseph said that when writing music, he prefers to concentrate on the melody first. [7]

Here, interviewer Anne Polta reports that he often references the past when naming his songs and that his music frequently reflects his rural Minnesota roots. [18] For example, "Wind Farmer" was inspired by childhood visits to a relative's farm near Olivia, and his company, Robbins Island Music, is named after a city park in Willmar. [18]

Joseph employs a variety of instruments to compose, including digital synthesizers. [7]

Musical style

Hear the Masses and Rapture feature full orchestrations that combine smooth jazz with contemporary instrumental themes. [28] A review of Rapture in New Age Voice stated that Joseph "paints romantic pictures in sound with voices and instruments that escalate from quiet, intimate passages to big, energetic movements". [38] In contrast, albums such as Solo Journey and The Journey Continues are described as "stripped back and basic". [28] For the 2002 album One Deep Breath, he combines "structured melodic pieces and free-form ambient compositions", [39] a style that marked a departure from his earlier works. [40]

Joseph has also produced CDs of cover arrangements for piano and orchestra. The 2009 release Suites & Sweets features compositions by Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, and other classical composers. [41]

Discography

Studio albums

Credits

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "Pianist Bradley Joseph - Bio". bradleyjoseph.com. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  2. ↑ Parsons, Kathy (May 2013). "Interview with Bradley Joseph, May 2013". mainlypiano.com. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Pianist Bradley Joseph - Bio". bradleyjoseph.com. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Pianist to present a Christmas concert" (fee required). The Daily Telegram (superiortelegram.com) (Superior, Wisconsin, U.S.). 2002. Retrieved January 18, 2008.[ dead link ]
  5. 1 2 3 Miller, Gary (March 21, 1995). "Heeeeeere's Bradley". West Central Tribune (wctrib.com) (Minnesota).
  6. ↑ "Interview with Bradley Joseph, May 2013". mainlypiano.com. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wheeler, Fred (2002). "Interview with Bradley Joseph". Indie Journal. Archived from the original on September 8, 2005. Retrieved December 21, 2006.
  8. ↑ Yanni; Rensin, David (2002). Yanni in Words. Miramax Books. pp.  123, 202. ISBN   978-1-4013-5194-6.
  9. ↑ Fredericksen, Jane (August 13, 2009). "White Bear Lake pianist delivers 'suite' release". St. Croix Valley Press (presspubs.com) (Minnesota). Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  10. ↑ "Bradley Joseph to play for Concerts in the Park". Brainerd Dispatch (brainderddispatch.com) (Brainerd, Minnesota). July 8, 1999. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2007.
  11. ↑ Buttars, Lori (June 27, 1993). "Yanni's New Age Compositions are at Home..." (fee required). Salt Lake Tribune (Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.). Retrieved January 18, 2008.[ dead link ]
  12. ↑ Bio from: Yanni Live, The Symphony Concerts 1993 - Official concert program. Yanni. 1993.
  13. ↑ ""American album certifications – Yanni – Live at the Acropolis"". RIAA. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
  14. ↑ ""American video certifications – Yanni – Live at the Acropolis"". RIAA. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
  15. ↑ Bio from: Yanni Live, The Symphony Concerts 1994 - Official concert program. Yanni. 1994.
  16. ↑ Bio from: Dare to Dream - Official concert program. Yanni. 1992.
  17. ↑ "Profile at Reflections". an Unofficial Yanni fan site (serve.com/gregl7/reflect.htm). 2003. Archived from the original on October 23, 2008.
  18. 1 2 3 Polta, Anne (February 8, 2007). "Continuing Journey: Bradley Joseph sustains music career with songwriting, recording". West Central Tribune (wctrib.com) (Minnesota). Retrieved February 18, 2007.[ dead link ]
  19. ↑ "For Your Eyes Only (Sheena Easton), by Bradley Joseph". Bradley Joseph. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  20. ↑ Miller, Gary (March 24, 1995). "Joseph, Tonight Show". West Central Tribune (wctrib.com) (Minnesota, U.S.).
  21. ↑ "Paint the sky by Bradley Joseph - Album Review". mainlypiano.com. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  22. ↑ "ShowGo". (countryroads.net). 2001. Archived from the original on September 25, 2006. Retrieved August 13, 2007.
  23. ↑ "Airwaves Top 30 — July 1997". New Age Voice, (currently zonemusicreporter.com). July 25, 1997.
  24. ↑ "Rapture at Pachyderm". Billboard Magazine (scanned version and retrieved from an archived page of bradleyjoseph.com). 1997. Archived from the original on May 30, 1997. Retrieved December 21, 2006.
  25. 1 2 Speech: "3rd Annual WPS Arts & Academics Gala". (willmar.k12.mn.us). Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
  26. ↑ New Age Voice, currently "Zone Music Reporter". Archived from the original on January 7, 2007. Retrieved December 21, 2006.
  27. ↑ "2002 New Age Voice Top 100 Radio Chart". New Age Reporter (archived page of newagevoice.com). Archived from the original on June 7, 2002. Retrieved December 21, 2006.
  28. 1 2 3 Debbage, Michael. "Review of The Journey Continues". Wind and Wire Magazine (windandwire.com). Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2006.
  29. ↑ Morgan, Mike (March 12, 2008). "WBL musician captivates four-legged audience". Press Publications. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  30. ↑ Bradley Joseph interview (Television production). Government Television Network. September 4, 2008. Archived from the original on June 26, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2008.
  31. ↑ "IRNHA catalog". Isle Royale Natural History Association (irnha.org). Archived from the original on May 9, 2007. Retrieved December 21, 2006.
  32. ↑ "Keyboardist/composer Bradley Joseph's first all original CD in 10 years: PAINT THE SKY" (Press release). PRLog.org. April 22, 2013. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
  33. ↑ "TOYM Award". Minnesota Jaycees (jaycees.willmar.com). September 11, 2004. Archived from the original on August 18, 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2006.
  34. ↑ Drey, Patricia (September 15, 2004). "WBL Composer Named Outstanding Young Minnesotan". Press Publications. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  35. ↑ "Metro People Bradley Joseph" (fee required). St. Paul Pioneer Press. September 15, 2004. Retrieved April 3, 2007.
  36. ↑ "The Weather Channel Strikes the Right Chord by Offering Musical Encore". (midasrecords.com). Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  37. ↑ "The 10th Annual ZMR Music Award Nominees". zonemusicreporter.com. Retrieved March 27, 2014.[ dead link ]
  38. ↑ "New Age Voice review of Rapture". New Age Voice, (currently newagereporter.com). July 25, 1997.
  39. ↑ Parsons, Kathy. "Review of One Deep Breath". Solo Piano Publications. Archived from the original on May 16, 2007. Retrieved December 21, 2006.
  40. ↑ Binkelman, Bill. "Review of One Deep Breath". Wind and Wire Magazine (windandwire.com). Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved December 21, 2006.
  41. ↑ "Suites & Sweets by Bradley Joseph - Album Review". mainlypiano.com. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
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