Dr Joel is a musician from India's top rhythm academy, specialised in "konnakol" vocal percussion. He teaches, composes music, writes lyrics and performs. He is co-authoring a textbook of rhythm with drum colossus Billy Cobham (ex-Miles Davis and Mahavishnu Orchestra). Other collaborations include Rivka Golani (classical viola star), Dr. Balamurali Krishna (the "Pavarotti of Asia"),  multiplatinum rock stars Kula Shaker and award-winning choir Bath Camerata.

Konnakol is a language of rhythm which enables anyone, from any style of music, whether young or old, amateur or professional, to enjoy and master Rhythm. Legendary guitarist John McLaughlin described it as "the most simple and yet most sophisticated system of rhythmic comprehension in the world.. If you can understand konnakol you can understand any rhythm from any country on the planet".  Konnakol is like the "Lego" of rhythm. It can be used to create simple patterns, or at advanced level, to create rhythmic cathedrals.

Dr Joel divides his time between India and Britain, where he leads participatory music workshops for:

children's centres (pre-school),
primary schools,
secondary schools,
choirs,
music academies,
festivals and more. 

Dr. Joel uses a structured approach which enables anyone to progress in easy steps, even if they have no prior musical knowledge or experience. Konnakol is a way to bring creative music-making within everyone's reach. Children and others can learn the language Music, just as they learn English: "speaking" (improvising), "writing" (composing), "reading" (singing or playing repertoire) without hesitation. This confident mastery prepares the way for them to perform as vocalists or instrumentalists, in groups or alone, in their preferred styles: classical or popular, traditional or innovative. 

Often a whole class collaborates on creating and performing their own original mini-musical or mini-opera based on a folk tale from anywhere in the world, using the creative tools offered by Dr Joel. The students take charge from start to finish, creating their own original music and soundtrack, planning and deciding all the details of the presentation from simple props and set design, assigning roles, rehearsing, etc. right through to performance. Maths, English, Science, Study Skills, Social Skills, etc. all get a boost in the process.

His konnakol students have included a wide range from toddlers and beginners to recording artists such as Sheila Chandra. He has led konnakol sessions at Sir Paul McCartney's LIPA (Liverpool Institute of the Performing Arts), the BRIT School (London), the Academy of Contemporary Music (Guildford), the WOMAD Summer School, Access to Music courses, and more. He teaches songwriting and creative writing, and was featured on Radio 4.

Dr Joel incorporates konnakol in popular songs and musical compositions. He is currently writing a concerto for the classical viola star Rivka Golani. Recently he completed a UK and Europe tour opening for the rock group Kula Shaker. Earlier Dr Joel taught and performed with all-time drum great Billy Cobham. He has also led the group JG Laya featuring his teachers, the Grammy winner Sri T. H. Vikku Vinayakram and "king of konnakol" Sri T. H. Subash Chandran. The kanjira star Sri V. Selvaganesh joined Dr Joel in a UK-wide tour, together with Mahesh and Umashankar. Dr Joel's "Gitanjali Suite" composition with lyrics from Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore featured the legendary Dr. Balamuralikrishna backed by a British choir, Bath Camerata.

"Killer songs"

"On a scale of one to ten, eleven!"
-The Daily, Bombay, India

"Flabbergasting!"
-Mike Bourne | Downbeat, USA