Saxophonist, composer, and arranger Jackiem Joyner plays contemporary jazz influenced by his upbringing in the gospel church and love of contemporary R&B. Born in 1980 in Norfolk, Virginia, Joyner was first introduced to music by his bassist father, and later played drums backing the gospel choir in his church. In his teens, Joyner relocated with his family to Syracuse, New York, where he studied saxophone and played in a band. While in high school, Joyner competed in the NAACP's Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (or ACT-SO), taking top honors thre...