Joel Bracken is a new, unique voice on the saxophone in the Toronto music scene. His style is lyrical and playful but also fiery and spontaneous. As a composer, Joel strikes a balance between singable melodies and colourful harmony that provide a setting for an ensemble to explore and improvise together.

Joel was born and raised in Toronto and hails from a musical family. The eclectic mix of music he heard during his upbringing has given him an open mind and heart to different musical perspectives. At a young age, Joel began exploring jazz clubs around the city, and as he started to focus on the saxophone, he found himself inspired by the rich music community in Toronto. 

At Humber’s Community Music School and later at Humber College, Joel had the opportunity to study with some of Canada’s finest musicians, such as Lorne Lofsky, Kirk MacDonald, David French, and Mike Downes. These experiences helped inform Joel’s direction as a player early on. 

Joel has started to make his name as a performer around the city at many venues including, Jazz Bistro, The Rex, The Emmet Ray, Drom Taberna, and Koerner Hall. Joel has had the opportunity at Humber College and on the scene to perform with brilliant musicians like Davide Virelles, Ingrid Jensen, Lorne Lofsky, and Mike Downes. In July 2024, Joel released a short EP of his original compositions in a quartet with Sam Dickinson, Mike Downes, and Mateo Mancuso, and plans on releasing more music soon!

Joel is a passionate educator and is on staff as a woodwind and piano instructor at Bloor West Music Studios and Stay At Home Music. Joel also teaches private lessons out of his studio.