Joseph Frederick Brent (born April 6, 1976) is an American composer, mandolinist, multi-instrumentalist,"BWW Reviews: Rising Star Maxine Linehan Again Displays Her Beautiful Voice Through Beautiful Songs at the Metropolitan Room". Broadway World Reviews, October 11, 2014 by Stephen Hanks. and teacher. He is known for his performances and arrangements of rock and indie songs, as well as his original compositions with the ensemble 9 Horses.Review: San Francisco Symphony performs Beethoven rarities - San Jose Mercury NewsThe Bluegrass Special: Artists On The Verge 2012 He taught classical mandolin at Mannes College and currently teaches at Bard College.
Brent attended the Berklee College of Music, and studied the mandolin under Carlo Aonzo in Savona, Italy.Artist to Artist: 10 Minutes with Carlo Aonzo - Mandolin Cafe He also received instruction from Barry MitterhoffArtist to Artist: 10 Minutes with Barry Mitterhoff - Mandolin Cafe and Adam Steffey.Artist to Artist: 10 Minutes with Carlo AonzoJoseph Brent Interview - Mandolin Cafe
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Brent is active as a sideman in several rock, jazz, bluegrass,The Bluegrass Special interview with Joseph Brent and folk ensembles, most notably with Regina Spektor,"Us | Regina Spektor". uploaded by Carlos Vilaró Nadal Jewel, Kishi Bashi,"Kishi Bashi String Quartet - Bright Whites" Gary Smulyan,"Gary Smulyan/Dominic Chianese: Bella Napoli". All About Jazz. by DAN BILAWSKY. 10, 2015 and various artists centered on the Brooklyn folk music scene.
Brent also recordsGary Smulyan and Dominic Chianese – Bella Napoli (2013)SFist Reviews: Beethoven Recordings and Writings: SFist and has performed with symphony orchestras such as the Seattle Symphony, San Francisco Symphony,"SF Symphony review: 'Beethoven Project' begins". SF Gate By Joshua Kosman May 3, 2013 Chicago Symphony,"Riccardo Muti opens CSO season at Symphony Center". Chicago Tribune, By John von Rhein International Contemporary Ensemble, nunc, and the New World Symphony."MTT, New World present different sides of Beethoven’s genius". South Florida Classical Review, By Lawrence Budmen
On October 16, 2015, Brent's improvising ensemble 9 Horses, featuring violinist Sara Caswell and bassist Shawn Conley released their debut album Perfectest Herald on Sunnyside Records,Sunnyside Cafe . 9 Horses: Perfectest Herald and in 2016 were the winners of the 21CM LAUNCH: Emerging Artists Competition.21CM . 21CM: LAUNCH Competition Winners
In 2021 Brent founded Adhyâropa Records. In addition to releasing Omegah and subsequent material by 9 Horses and its associated members, Adhyâropa has also released albums by Sam Sadigursky, Darol Anger, Lenny Pickett, and many others.SADIGURSKY The Solomon Diaries - ADHYÂROPA RECORDS Music Web.
Brent has published two books of mandolin pedagogy, Scales and Arpeggios for Mandolin and Orchestral and Chamber Excerpts for Mandolin, and his book of transcriptions of the lute music of John Dowland for two mandolins, conceived with Alon Sariel, was published in 2015 by paladino music.An Englishman In New York Paladino Sheet Music.
Customized instruments In 2008, Brent collaborated with Nova Scotia-based luthier Brian Dean to design a grand concert mandolin he named 'Pähkinä', which is Finnish for 'nut', a reference to the walnut top of the instrument. Among the instrument's many distinctive features are the walnut/maple/spruce wood combination, a zero fret, a semi-lute construction with minimal bracing, a built-in tone guard with a sound pressure relief hole cut into the back, and ornate f-holes which reach around the sides of the instrument."Joseph Brent Interview". Mandolin Cafe November 20, 2011 Dean has since built a 10-string version of this model nicknamed 'Kumí', which is currently Brent's primary acoustic instrument.Grand Concert - Brian Dean. Brian N Dean, luthier In 2016, Vermont-based luthier Adam Buchwald built him a 5-string, fanned fret electric mandolin."Joe Brent"
Discography
Solo Point of Departure (2007)"Joseph Brent - Point of Departure CD Review" Mandolin Magazine. Nocturnes and Caprices by David Loeb (Vienna Modern Masters) (2011) solo. EP (2011) An Englishman In New York (2013) with Alon Sariel
With 9 Horses Joe Brent & Sara Caswell EP (2013) Perfectest Herald (2015) Blood From A Stone EP (2019) Omegah (2021) Strum (2024) Strumming Music EP (2024)
With others
Year Artist Album Description 1997 Rob Giles Straight Down a Crooked Road violin, string arrangements"Joseph Brent|Credits|AllMusic" AllMusic. 2002 Tom Jones & Harvey Schmidt Roadside (original cast recording) mandolin, violin, guitar, banjo 2003 Eric Stuart Band BombShellShocked violin 2006 Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris 2006 off-Broadway revival cast recording mandolin, violin 2008 Lindsay Katt Picking Out Boxes violin 2010 Regina Spektor Live In London violin Joseph Stein & Stan Daniels Enter Laughing (Original Cast Recording) violin 2012 Bryan Dunn Sweetheart of the Music Hall mandolin, vocals Miller & Tysen Fugitive Songs mandolin, violin 2013 Kishi Bashi 7" Box Set violin Erin McKeown MANIFESTRA violin, piano, string arrangements Kelli Rae Powell Live at Jalopy mandolin, violin Gary Smulyan Bella Napoli mandolin, violin 2014 Lauren Kinhan Circle in a Square violin 2015 Maxine Linehan Beautiful Songs mandolin, percussion, violin Andi Rae Healy If You Want To Be My Man mandolin King Radio King Radio mandolin, violin Kishi Bashi String Quartet Live! mandolin, violin Lina Orfanos Mauthausen mandolin 2016 Kishi Bashi The Fourth Phase (Original Soundtrack) violin 2018 Various Artists I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats: All Hail West Texas electric mandolin, string arrangements with Erin McKeown on 'Jenny' 2019 Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein Oklahoma! (2019 Revival) mandolin, guitar 2022 Lara Downes Reflections: Scott Joplin Reconsidered mandolin, vihuela 2023 James Moore Desolation Pops vocals 2024 Christopher Zuar Exuberance mandolin
Books Scales and Arpeggios for Mandolin. Lulu Publishing. 2007. Orchestral and Chamber Excerpts for Mandolin. Lulu Publishing. 2007. An Englishman in New York: Famous Lute Pieces Arranged for Two Mandolins. paladino media gmbh. 2015.paladino media gmbh
References
External links
Official home page 9 Horses