Joel P West is a composer, songwriter and performer known for his bands The Tree Ring and Flood Coats, and his scores for SHANG-CHI, SHORT TERM 12, and CHEF’S TABLE. His music has been described as “showing great emotional nuance” and "warm, richly textured, and pastoral".
Joel loves discovering new ways to think about music, and his creative process is rooted in finding conceptual anchors that aren’t tied to genre traditions. This has resulted in a versatile musical voice that’s distinctly his own, but not limited to one style or instrumentation. From the cyclical jazz riffs of JUST MERCY, to the blend of synthesizers and regional instruments in STREET FOOD, to the original Appalachian folk song "Summer Storm" in THE GLASS CASTLE, Joel strives to develop a unique musical ethos for each film that becomes essential to the storytelling.
Between score projects, Joel remains an active songwriter and performer. In 2019 he released two solo albums titled Smaller and False Klamath, and will release two more in 2024. He has also written, produced, and performed original songs for films produced by Disney, Netflix, and Lionsgate.