JMM started with a dream to honor a living composer. 5 years ago at a benefit concert honoring multiple Grammy/Oscar/Tony winner Alan Menken, Joel had the opportunity to be one of the warm-up acts. It was there that Joel decided to do a Jazzical arrangement of Under The Sea. Alan remarked backstage “I did not know my music could sound like that” to which Joel replied, “Well, maybe there will be a Jazzical project in the future to expound on this new dynamic.” Almost 4 years passed until a chance encounter at a vocal competition in Savannah changed everything. In 2012 Joel was running as Artistic Director the American Traditions Competition for Singers. He asked on Facebook Liz Callaway and Amanda McBroom to be one of the 4 judges and to play for the Judges’ Concert, which Joel played for. The success of that concert brought the following question from Liz and Amanda: “Joel, you do jazz and classical, we do Broadway and musical theater. What could we do together?” Joel replied, “You know, I have this idea for a project to honor Alan Menken. Interested?” Their agreement put into a play a series of events wherein 65+ musicians, 110 Kickstarter supporters, 6 recording studios, 8 engineers, 14 songs, 2 world premieres and $50K over a 17 month span to bring Jazzical Meets Menken to life. JOEL has had a very busy life creating larger-than- life artistic creations. From his earlier days writing for solo piano, duo and trio, his artistic output has expanded to writing for choruses, string orchestras, jazz bands, and even Dualing Orchestras featuring his own Jazzical Symphony Orchestra with a full orchestra. His innovative arts -in-education residency at Enloe High School in Raleigh NC resulted in the creation of a mammoth classical work: Requiem for Peace for piano, string orchestra, concert band and chorus featuring Dr. Maya Angelou’s poem “Caged Bird.” In addition to creating works for famed opera singers Jessye Norman and Kathleen Battle, Jazzical Meets Menken is the first large scale project featuring Joel A. Martin in all the things he does best – playing, writing, arranging, recording, and producing. Plans in 2014 include a world tour for JMM as well as producing a high definition television special for PBS on JMM.