Biography
A multi-instrumentalist equally at home on keys and saxophone, Joey Dosik accumulated studio credits across jazz, funk, indie rock, techno, and alt-R&B circles before issuing his own recordings in the middle of the 2010s. His debut full-length, Inside Voice, arrived in 2018 on Secretly Canadian and leaned into the plush, melodic contours of 1970s soul while nodding to Carole King and Marvin Gaye; the album suited the singer’s warm, even-tempered delivery. He has also maintained an ongoing partnership with the instrumental R&B/funk collective Vulfpeck.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Dosik performed as part of the Henry Grimes Group in 2003 and 2004 while still attending high school, sharing bills with Nels Cline, Alex Cline, and Vinny Golia. He subsequently enrolled at the University of Michigan to study Jazz and Contemplative Studies. In Ann Arbor he contributed saxophone to Build an Ark’s 2007 album Dawn and joined the Afro-beat ensemble NOMO for their 2008 release Ghost Rock. Around the same period he became the keyboardist for the local electro-pop/funk outfit My Dear Disco, later renamed Ella Riot; that group’s 2008 Dancethink LP featured a version of Stevie Wonder’s “All I Do.” Fellow members included Dosik’s roommate, multi-instrumentalist Theo Katzman, and bassist Joe Dart. Dosik earned his B.F.A. in 2008. The following year he returned to Los Angeles; Katzman and Dart would soon form Vulfpeck with fellow Michigan students Jack Stratton and Woody Goss.
Dosik’s first solo outing, the 2012 EP Where Do They Come From?, presented a broad set of singer-songwriter material. That year he also guested on Vulfpeck’s Vollmilch EP and played piano and keyboards on LP’s live album Into the Wild: Live at Eastwest Studios. In 2013 he wrote and performed on a track for Vulfpeck’s My First Car EP; the next year he appeared on LP’s studio album Forever for Now. He rejoined Vulfpeck for their 2015 debut LP Thrill of the Arts and added vocals, piano, and co-writing to Mocky’s Key Change. While recuperating from ACL surgery that same year, Dosik began home-recording sessions that yielded the love-and-basketball-themed Game Winner EP, self-released in 2016 with contributions from Mocky and several Vulfpeck members. Later in 2016 he supplied another song and saxophone part to Vulfpeck’s The Beautiful Game and joined Stratton on the production team for Jack Garratt’s debut Phase.
Dosik’s collaboration with Vulfpeck continued on their third album, Mr. Finish Line, released in 2017; the record contained a new version of his earlier composition “Running Away,” this time supported by guitarist David T. Walker and drummer James Gadson. He opened shows and sat in with the band on tour. In February 2018 he made his network-television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, performing “Running Away” alongside Katzman and Dart. Secretly Canadian signed Dosik and issued an expanded edition of Game Winner in June 2018, followed two months later by the full-length Inside Voice, which retained the same warm, retro-soul palette and featured Katzman, Mocky, and Moses Sumney among its guests.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Dosik performed as part of the Henry Grimes Group in 2003 and 2004 while still attending high school, sharing bills with Nels Cline, Alex Cline, and Vinny Golia. He subsequently enrolled at the University of Michigan to study Jazz and Contemplative Studies. In Ann Arbor he contributed saxophone to Build an Ark’s 2007 album Dawn and joined the Afro-beat ensemble NOMO for their 2008 release Ghost Rock. Around the same period he became the keyboardist for the local electro-pop/funk outfit My Dear Disco, later renamed Ella Riot; that group’s 2008 Dancethink LP featured a version of Stevie Wonder’s “All I Do.” Fellow members included Dosik’s roommate, multi-instrumentalist Theo Katzman, and bassist Joe Dart. Dosik earned his B.F.A. in 2008. The following year he returned to Los Angeles; Katzman and Dart would soon form Vulfpeck with fellow Michigan students Jack Stratton and Woody Goss.
Dosik’s first solo outing, the 2012 EP Where Do They Come From?, presented a broad set of singer-songwriter material. That year he also guested on Vulfpeck’s Vollmilch EP and played piano and keyboards on LP’s live album Into the Wild: Live at Eastwest Studios. In 2013 he wrote and performed on a track for Vulfpeck’s My First Car EP; the next year he appeared on LP’s studio album Forever for Now. He rejoined Vulfpeck for their 2015 debut LP Thrill of the Arts and added vocals, piano, and co-writing to Mocky’s Key Change. While recuperating from ACL surgery that same year, Dosik began home-recording sessions that yielded the love-and-basketball-themed Game Winner EP, self-released in 2016 with contributions from Mocky and several Vulfpeck members. Later in 2016 he supplied another song and saxophone part to Vulfpeck’s The Beautiful Game and joined Stratton on the production team for Jack Garratt’s debut Phase.
Dosik’s collaboration with Vulfpeck continued on their third album, Mr. Finish Line, released in 2017; the record contained a new version of his earlier composition “Running Away,” this time supported by guitarist David T. Walker and drummer James Gadson. He opened shows and sat in with the band on tour. In February 2018 he made his network-television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, performing “Running Away” alongside Katzman and Dart. Secretly Canadian signed Dosik and issued an expanded edition of Game Winner in June 2018, followed two months later by the full-length Inside Voice, which retained the same warm, retro-soul palette and featured Katzman, Mocky, and Moses Sumney among its guests.
Albums
Singles
It's You I Like
2022
23 Teardrops
2020
Lakers Town (feat. Michael McBolton)
2019
Take Mine
2018
Don’t Want It to Be Over (ft. Coco O.)
2018
Inside Voice
2018
Live
