Before joining the faculty, he enjoyed a career as an in-demand lead and free lance trumpet player. Joey was the lead player for Maynard Ferguson, touring the United States, Australia, Asia, and Europe, and can be heard on the recording “These Cats Can Swing.” He also played lead for the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, including a State Department tour of Egypt; the U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors, including a State Department tour of India and appearances at the Montreux and North Sea Jazz Festivals; and the Glenn Miller Orchestra.