Joe Clarke Big Band

Joe Clarke is a Charleston native. He attended Addlestone Hebrew Academy, James Island High School and went on to graduate from the Citadel with a BA in Psychology. He began his musical journey at Leonard's School of Music at the age of 10 in percussion. In his High School Junior year, he discovered and self taught himself the trumpet and began playing in the marching and concert bands at James Island High School. After auditioning and winning a 2nd trumpet spot, he continued playing in the Citadel Regimental Band until he suffered a collapsed lung his senior year. Since a child, Joe has had an affinity for Big Band music and the vocalists Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Tony Bennett. He was mostly influenced by bands like Count Basie, Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey. After college he was determined to sing in front of a Big Band. He auditioned for several bands in the region. When it became obvious that no one would hire him, he realized it was time to learn a new instrument. This is where the journey begins that lead to the career as a pianist/vocalist. Then, in a chance meeting with Terry O'Connel in 1992, he began working as an adjunct faculty member at the College of Charleston. Originally, he was in charge of a small band that played for basketball games. But he used this opportunity to form a student big band. He searched through every Freshman application to hunt down musicians. The combination of young musicians and several professional musicians lending their talent to the process proved to be potent. This is where he met many musicians like, Chris Williams, Kevin Hamilton, and Quentin Baxter who were just getting started on what would become very successful music careers. The band formed and rehearsed for their first concert to a packed audience on the Albert Simmons Center stage. That was Nov 28, 1994. Since then, Joe was determined to continue leading the big band. After 6 years of performances in special events and concerts led to the desire to settle into a day gig teaching Jazz Piano at the Charleston County School of the Arts. Originally there were 20 students in the entire Piano Department. It has grown to 89 students. Joe has been teaching Jazz piano at Charleston County School of the Arts for 18 years. He developed his own series of workbooks to aid in developing young jazz pianists repertoire of jazz standards, blues and improvisational skills. SOA Jazz students learn 20 Jazz Standards each year, as well as Blues and even some Rock and Pop repertoire. Every other year, the Piano Department performs a tribute to the music of Billy Joel and Elton John.

While pursuing the big band dreams and playing gigs, starting in 2001, Joe Clarke served as musical director for several shows; "Swingtime Canteen," "Behind the Rainbow-The Harold Arlen Story" (He played Harold Arlen in this production.) "Stardust Man - The Hoagy Carmichael Story," "The Wild One" the life and times of Louis Prima. Keely Enright, Producer and director of these shows has given Joe his first taste of the stage. Joe played in "Splish, Splash" another production at The Village Playhouse. This was a review of the music and life of Bobby Darin. Joe sang all the greatest hits that Bobby Darin made famous: Splish Splash, More, Mack the Knife, and Beyond the Sea.
As of August 1, 2019, along with his wife Rosie, he opened Charleston's newest Live Jazz Venue, Forte Jazz Lounge. The mission is to give Jazz musicians an outlet to develop shows around themes such as composers, genres, artists as well as their own original compositions. The ultimate goal is to become a center for anyone who loves jazz music to be immersed in the best jazz performances Charleston has to offer.