composition and piano
Joseph Sheehan is a composer, pianist, and educator whose work lies at the intersections of jazz, global folk, and classical traditions. His music and performances seek to express wisdom, openness, dancing rhythms, and joy.
At the heart of his work is the ensemble Kinetic, a music collective whose performances blend global folk traditions with modern jazz. The group recorded two albums (Dances of Lake Volta and Songs of Lake Volta) interweaving Ghanaian folk song with original music composed by Sheehan. The recordings draw “magnificent connecting threads from classical music and contemporary jazz to the music of West Africa… buoyed by soaring melodies and infectious rhythms” (Textura.org) and “make a fascinating, in-depth, approach to a creative universe… a real treasure” (Sonagrama Magazine). Informing this work were three trips to Ghana to study traditional music with local masters between 2008-2014.
Open to many paths of musical activity, Sheehan has collaborated with jazz masters, folk music experts, classical chamber ensembles, rappers, and pop/R&B musicians. His piano playing is rooted in Pittsburgh’s historic jazz scene, and his compositions are informed by field research of folk music in Ghana, Uganda, and China, as well as university studies in classical composition. Sheehan’s music and performances have been heard throughout the U.S., and in Canada, Ghana, Hong Kong, Italy, and Uganda; at festivals (Akron: Rubber City Jazz Festival; Italy: Clazz International Music Festival; Pittsburgh: Jazzlive International Festival, Three Rivers Arts Festival), music series (Pittsburgh: Chamber Music Simply Summer Series, Frick Museum Summer Music Series, Highland Park Reservoir of Jazz Series, Kelly Strayhorn Theater’s Suite Life; Vermont: Monadnock Music Emerging Artist Series); music venues (Akron: Blu+; Hong Kong: Chez Trente; Ghana: Jamestown Boutique; Maryland: Horowitz Center for Visual & Performing Arts; New York City: Fontana’s; Pittsburgh: Alphabet City, The Benedum Theater, Con Alma, Mr. Smalls; Toronto: Gallery345), music conferences (CMS, ITG), universities (Uganda: Kyambogo, Makerere; U.S.: Carnegie Mellon, Colorado State, Colorado Mesa, Duquesne, Slippery Rock, UNC-Pembroke, West Virginia), and museums (Pittsburgh: Andy Warhol, Carnegie Museum, Westmoreland Museum of Art).
Sheehan is an associate professor at Duquesne University, where he teaches classes in Musicianship, Songwriting, African Music, and collaborative music making.