MP3 Joseph Akins - Masterpeace

Instrumental music reminiscent of piano solo recordings from artists such as David Lanz, George Winston and Jim Brickman.

9 MP3 Songs
NEW AGE: Solo Instrumental, CLASSICAL: Piano solo



Details:
Joseph Akins is an accomplished recording artist, pianist, keyboardist, composer, producer and educator.

His most recent CD, Masterpeace (2007), is a collection of acoustic piano solos comparable to music from artists such as Jim Brickman, George Winston and David Lanz. Recorded on a beautiful 9-foot concert grand, Masterpeace is the first solo album from Joseph in ten years. âThis intimate music came from years of composing melodies and harmonies that elevate the spirit and comfort the soul,â says Joseph.

As a young teenager, Joseph played keyboards and saxophone in his fatherâs country-rock band that regularly performed in Tennessee. Joseph says âI remember standing on the stage when I was about twelve years old knowing that music would always be a part of my lifeâ. Joseph went on to record and tour with local rock bands and eventually recorded his first solo record of new wave rock at age 20 called All Your Dreams (1985).

About this time, Joseph gained an interest in academia and attended college from ages 19 until 27 earning two Bachelor degrees and a Masterâs degree in music. During these years, his involvement in rock bands was replaced by a new passion for jazz. He committed to practicing piano no less than four hours a day and performed with many notary jazz musicians such as Jerry Coker. During these years, Joseph acquired another new interest; teaching in higher education. âI found I enjoyed the campus environment and helping others to achieve their musical goals,â says Joseph.

After those college years, life brought a sudden change. Almost simultaneously, his father was diagnosed with Alzheimerâs disease and Joseph was stricken with a health problem that challenged his ongoing music career. These events changed Josephâs perspective on life and music. âMore than everâ, Joseph says, âI wanted to help people.â

Joseph was quickly able to return to his creative passion and released a CD of original music dedicated to the life of his father, titled Keys to the Heart (1997). Featuring Joseph on piano and keyboards, a fresh new sound emerged that was an eclectic blend of spirited music that could only have come from the heart.

Following Keys to the Heart, Joseph worked with Herb Ernst (Dreamflight Trilogy) to co-produce Through the Veils (1998) featuring Unita, a singer-songwriter who had became Josephâs life partner.

In 2000, Joseph turned to teaching higher education full-time with an invitation from the prestigious Department of Recording Industry at Middle Tennessee State University, the largest recording program in the world. Subsequently, Joseph composed for short film and video, and achieved a doctorate in education. Today, Joseph is an award winning educator teaching musicianship and electronic music at MTSU and is promoting his most recent acoustic solo piano CD of original compositions, Masterpeace.