Joseph Schmeltzer

A California native, Joseph Schmeltzer was born into a traditional family as the youngest of four children and the only boy. Joseph’s earliest musical influences were his sisters. After high-school, Joseph embraced the computer technology field and began advancing rapidly as he hit the ground running. At age 21, he purchased his first saxophone (an alto), and began studying privately. After four years, Joseph permanently and exclusively switched to tenor sax. While cultivating profound love for many kinds of music, saxophone studies naturally meant improvisation which led to an immersion in blues and jazz. In the long tradition of horn players seeking places to practice, Joseph played on the streets, in parking garages and tunnels, under bridges–anywhere possible even if only for a few minutes at a time. Years later, when it was too late and considered too loud for the horn at times, Joseph would turn to guitar and piano. Mostly self-taught on these instruments, he began to write and accompany himself singing. Over the past 10 years, he enjoyed playing saxophone behind many artists (recording and performing) and in support of many bands, and will continue to do so in the future. In the culmination of a long-term plan, Joseph sold his successful IT company and is now a full-time artist with his primary focus now in music as a soloist and bandleader, live and in studio, selecting specific musicians for collaboration and support. Joseph believes this will the best way to tell his story, on the mic singing original music and as a multi-instrumentalist.