Joe Trio is not your average piano trio. They don't want to be neatly categorized, but instead strive for diversity, versatility, and more than a little humour and unpredictability. Their repertoire consists of the classics – from Papa Haydn to Uncle Shostakovich, new works by contemporary composers, and their own arrangements of popular, jazz and rock tunes. And they're not afraid to mix together so many styles of music into a single piece it makes your head spin. More than virtuosi, the Trio's members are fantastic performers who engage the audience in a way few classical musicians can. Amply witty, charming, and tremendously musical, Joe Trio leaves audiences with a new appreciation for classical music.
Since Joe Trio was formed in 1989, this classically trained violin-cello-piano threesome has presented hundreds of concerts throughout Canada and the United States – ten provinces, one territory, and thirty-six states so far. They've played everywhere from Whitehorse to Corpus Christi, and from Sacramento to St. John's, and even in Ely, Nevada. Joe has been heard on National Public Radio in the United States, RTE Lyric FM in Ireland, and on many CBC Radio shows including the old Morningside show, Disc Drive, The Music Room, West Coast Performance, and Quirks and Quarks. As well as giving concerts, the Trio enjoys offering their services for education outreach programs, and has played many school shows for children of all ages.
They recorded their first CD, "A Cup of Joe" in 1997, and their second album, recorded with CBC and entitled "Set 'em up, Joe" (2001), was nominated for Best Classical Performance at the West Coast Music Awards. In 2003, they joined forces with Canadian broadcaster and writer Stuart McLean when Joe fiddler Cameron Wilson set the music to McLean's "A History of Canada", and have since collaborated with Stuart on a number of concerts including a broadcast on The Vinyl Cafè. In 2005, Joe recorded a commissioned piece called "Rooster Bob Boogie" for Ireland's RTE Lyric FM radio. In 2008, the trio toured the British Columbia Gulf Islands and the US Midwest and debuted their symphony show with the Victoria Symphony. In 2009 they toured the Canadian Maritimes and in 2010 performed their symphony show with the Prince George Symphony. In 2011 Joe recorded their third CD, "Cold Cuts". That same year, violinist Cameron Wilson premiered his film noir operetta "Supernatural Noir" co-written with librettist Kico Gonzalez Risso which included Joe Trio as the house band for the production. 2011 was also the year Joe travelled to Smithers BC to premiere another work by Cameron Wilson, "Fragile Magic" (the Salmon Symphony) which involved the trio coaching and performing in a weekend of workshops and classes with local string instrumentalists, choirs and first nations drummers. In October 2014, the trio joined forces with Stuart McLean again this time on a Vinyl CafÈ tour of BC and Alberta. In 2017 the trio played a symphony pops show with the Vancouver Island Symphony in Nanaimo BC. Most recently Joe has performed in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Washington State, Utah and California.
Highlights of concerts in 2019 were performances for the CBC Vancouver Nooners concert series, the Ottawa Chamberfest Chamberfringe Series, the Music Niagara Festival and the Stratford Summer Music Festival.
Joe Trio is not your average piano trio. They don't want to be neatly categorized, but instead strive for diversity, versatility, and more than a little humour and unpredictability. Their repertoire consists of the classics – from Papa Haydn to Uncle Shostakovich, new works by contemporary composers, and their own arrangements of popular, jazz and rock tunes. And they're not afraid to mix together so many styles of music into a single piece it makes your head spin. More than virtuosi, the Trio's members are fantastic performers who engage the audience in a way few classical musicians can. Amply witty, charming, and tremendously musical, Joe Trio leaves audiences with a new appreciation for classical music.
