(Photography by Kathy Fallon Photography)
Trumpeter Joseph Boga is a member of the legendary group Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. He has performed in a diverse array of venues in the U.S. and abroad, with an impressive array of both established and emerging artists, and is equally comfortable performing in both classical and jazz genres.
In jazz, he leads his own small group and - in addition to his position with Giordano's Nighthawks - can often be heard and seen performing with a variety of ensembles such as David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, James Langton’s New York All-Star Big Band, The Kyle Athayde Dance Party, Ron Wasserman's NYJazzharmonic, and artists such as Wycliffe Gordon, Adrian Cunningham, and many others.
Classically he has performed with a variety of orchestras and small ensembles as a soloist and as an ensemble player, including The International Contemporary Ensemble, The New York Trumpet Ensemble, The Garden State Philharmonic, The Scranton Brass Orchestra, and The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, among others.
Joseph's musical versatility has led to performances in a wide array of musical genres, including with rock and pop artists such as Grammy award-winning producer and musician Mark Hudson, as well as avante-garde and experimental music groups.
Ensembles and artists Joseph has recorded with include Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks, James Langton's New York All-Star Big Band, The Kyle Athayde Dance Party, Loudon Wainwright III, Wycliffe Gordon, Jools Holland, and Ron Wasserman's NYJazzHarmonic Trad Jazz Sextet. His radio and film credits include recording and filming with Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks for the second season of the hit series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and an upcoming Scorcese film; WVIA Public Television's "Keystone Edition Arts: Generations in Jazz" special along with Dave Liebman and Nancy Reed with host Erika Funke; an interview and performance with Jools Holland at Louis Armstrong House for “On The Road with Jools Holland” on BBC radio; and recording with Wycliffe Gordon in the big band for the documentary "Mary Lou Williams, The Lady Who Swings The Band".
As a composer and arranger, Joseph has written for brass orchestra, big band, string orchestra, choir, and has written extensively for various sized jazz ensembles. He is experienced writing for all levels, from young players and ensembles to professionals.
Boga has also worked for Wynton Marsalis as a Music Administrator, where his responsibilities included editing and reformatting scores, cross -checking and compiling annotations from individual instrumental parts, proofreading musical notations, and musical transcription from recorded performances. He has also edited audio and video on a recent project for Nicola Benedetti’s foundation.
Committed to educational outreach, Joseph has offered masterclasses and clinics nationally and internationally at festivals and educational camps, including The Scranton Brass Seminar, The Juilliard Jazz Camp in Atlanta, Sitka Jazz Festival, COTA CampJazz, the Lafayette Summer Music Workshop, and Kindred Spirits, and has served as guest soloist and teaching artist at a number of schools and universities. While a student at Juilliard Joseph worked with Juilliard pre-college students by directing sectionals for the Juilliard Pre-college Orchestra. He recently served as the guest conductor for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association 2023 All State Jazz Band, and has maintained a small and select private trumpet studio.
Joseph's trumpet teachers have included Chris Gekker, Mark Gould, Chris Jaudes, Joe Magnarelli, and Wynton Marsalis. A 2014 graduate of The Juilliard School, Boga received a number of musical and academic awards and honors during his student days, including The Billy Strayhorn Scholarship at The Juilliard School, The Eastern Music Festival Orchestra, the position of principal trumpet for the 2009 MENC/NAfME All-Eastern Orchestra, The COTA Phil Woods Award, and the PMEA D9 William Gasbarro Award, among others. As a teenager, he had the privilege of appearing many times with The Wynton Marsalis Quartet.
Boga also plays bass, alto clarinet, piano, and sings.