Joe Semple

Joe Semple is a clarinetist, saxophonist, and composer, based in Treaty Six Territory in Canada. Dubbed "The Young Reedman," by the late Rodger Levesque, Joe has been an active performer in the Edmonton music scene since 2013, playing a variety of genres including jazz and classical music.   

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Joe cut his teeth as a player and arranger while a member of the Royal Canadian Artillery Band, Canada's oldest professional military ensemble. With the RCA band, Joe has travelled across Canada, to Belgium, France, and in 2017, 2018, and 2021, participated in the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace in London. He has played alongside greats such as Eric Marienthal, and Jens Lindemann, and has performed for heads of state and royalty including King Charles III and Queen Elizabeth II.

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As a civilian, Joe spends his time playing around with various ensembles and genres, from bebop, to videogame music, to afrofusion, and everything in-between. He has performed with Craig Brenan's Autonomic Robots, The Fusionauts, the Yardbird Suite Jazz Orchestra, Experience Points, Hey Listen!, Nice Boi, The Way Back Whens, and many other staples of the Edmonton music community.

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Joe is an avid composer and arranger, and has studied under prominent composers, Dr. Alan Gilliland and Kent Sangster. He has written a variety of music for large and small ensembles and in 2020 his piece, Victoria Per Scientia, was selected as the official march of the Canadian Army Doctrine Training Center (CADTC). 

 

Joe's first feature length album Licorice Tango, is scheduled for release Summer 2023.  

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