Jackiem Joyner (born February 9, 1980) is a smooth jazz saxophonist and flutist from Norfolk, Virginia, US.

Biography

Son of Dianne Joyner Terry and Jackie Smith (local bass guitar player known as the raven). Raised by his mother in a single parent home. Family of six, three brothers and one sister. The family moved from Norfolk, Virginia, to Syracuse, New York, when Joyner was a teenager. He began playing saxophone while attending Fowler High School under the leadership of his music teacher and mentor Lou Adams. He competed in the

NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&nb ...

's youth achievement program "

ACT-SO The Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO), informally named the "Olympics of the Mind," is a youth program of the NAACP that is "designed to recruit, stimulate, improve and encourage high academic and cultural ac ...

" (geared towards African Americans demonstrating academic, artistic and scientific prowess and expertise) representing the city of Syracuse and won the state competition three years in a row in three different categories: instrumental contemporary, composition, and classical music. After high school, he moved back to Virginia, where Bishop Michael Patterson of the World Harvest Outreach Ministries in Newport News made him music director. Joyner played for audiences in Nigeria, Sudan, and Kenya on a missionary trip in 2002. When he was twenty-one, Joyner played saxophone for keyboardist Marcus Johnson from 2001 to 2004. He played the national anthem at a professional basketball game in Washington, D.C. At the Bermuda Jazz Festival, R&B singer

Angela Bofill Angela Tomasa Bofill (born May 2, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter of Cuban- Puerto Rican origins. A New York native, Bofill began her professional career in the mid-1970s. Bofill is most known for singles such as, "This Time I'll Be Sweete ...

invited him on tour with

Jean Carne Jean Carn, also spelled Jean Carne (born Sarah Jean Perkins; March 15, 1947) is an American jazz and pop singer. In mid career, she added a final ''e'' to her name. Carn is a vocalist credited with a five octave vocal range. Biography Carn was ...

and Ronnie Laws. He has been the opening act for

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George Duke George M. Duke (January 12, 1946 – August 5, 2013) was an American keyboardist, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer. He worked with numerous artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and as a pr ...

Najee Jerome Najee Rasheed (born November 4, 1957, New York City), known professionally as Najee, is an American Jazz-Smooth Jazz saxophonist and flautist. Early life Najee was born in the lower west side of Manhattan in New York City and lived his te ...

, and

Phil Perry Philip Eugene Perry (born January 12, 1952) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, musician and a former member of the soul group, The Montclairs, from 1971 to 1975. He was also known for performing the opening song to Disney’s sitcom, '' Goof ...

and has toured with

Keiko Matsui , is a Japanese keyboardist and composer, specializing in smooth jazz and New-age music. Biography Keiko Matsui was born in Tokyo, Japan. Her mother, Emiko, took her to her first piano lesson in the June following her fifth birthday. Japanese t ...

. He married his wife Lola in 2003 and moved to Los Angeles. Joyner independently released his debut album, ''This Time Around'' (2005), then signed with Artizen Music Group, which released his second album, ''Babysoul'' (2007). The single "Stay With Me tonight" featured guitarist Peter White and reached No. 17 on the ''Billboard'' magazine Contemporary Jazz Chart. He recorded for

Mack Avenue Mack Avenue Records is an independent record label in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. Background Mack Avenue was founded in 1999 by Gretchen Carhartt Valade, a jazz fan and chair of the American apparel company Carhartt. The company is a sponsor ...

after it bought Artizen. The single "I'm Waiting for You" was a No.1 hit on the ''Billboard'' Contemporary Jazz chart. It was nominated Song of the Year in 2010 at the American Smooth Jazz Awards. His single "Take Me There" was also a No. 1 hit on the same chart. In 2010, he was given Keys to the City by Mayor

Stephanie Miner Stephanie Ann Miner (born April 30, 1970) is an American attorney, politician, and former Mayor of Syracuse, New York. Miner served as Mayor of Syracuse from 2010 to 2018, and is the first woman to have held that office. Prior to her mayoralty, ...

of Syracuse for Outstanding Achievement in Music along with a proclamation of August 5, 2010 as Jackiem Joyner Day.

Awards and honors

* 2008 Debut Artist of the Year, Smooth Jazz News * 2009 Nomination, Song of the Year, American Smooth Jazz Awards * 2010 Keys to the city and Jackiem Joyner Day, by Mayor Stephanie Minor of Syracuse, New York

Discography

Studio albums

EP albums

As guest

References

External links

Official site

''Essence'' magazine article
{{DEFAULTSORT:Joyner, Jackiem Smooth jazz saxophonists Living people 1980 births 21st-century saxophonists Mack Avenue Records artists