Joakim Arenius

Joakim Arenius

Joakim Arenius is the former director of Joybells, Europe's oldest gospel choir, who wanted to combine his passion for exploring new musical territories with his desire to spread good news through music. As a result he founded Praise Unit in 2004 -a group of gifted singers and musicians from various backgrounds and different parts of Sweden.

Before Praise Unit Joakim was involved in many kinds of music, but the love for gospel music was always the main inspirational source. He was trombone player in the church brass band, tried a few years in a heavy metal band, then played the classical guitar until he became rapper and guitar player in a funk band. During a visit to Los Angeles in 1993, his life changed as he acknowledged God's calling to work with gospel music. He founded a teenage gospel choir, before he went on to direct Joybells in 1996.

During 2000-2001 he worked as a music minister in New York City and founded Salem Outreach Singers. Since 2003 he has been working with Creative Kirche from Germany who manages his work as workshop leader and choir coach in the german speaking countries. Besides northern Europe and the USA Joakim is continually networking with artists, composers and choirs all over the world.

What makes him stand out as a choir director is how he uses his own music to teach choirs to go beyond their usual sound and traditions. The songs he write for Praise Unit works as well with the heavy beats of any dancefloor, or together with a symphony orchestra. Read more and listen to samples on www.joakimarenius.com. Email info@bubblejam.se.

Sample of Joakim Arenius history:

- Director of Joybells between 1996-2004.

- Worked with, and/or shared the stage with Kirk Franklin,

Kurt Carr, Andrae Crouch, Edwin Hawkins, Walt Whitman, Rickey Grundy,

Hezekiah Walker, the Thompson Community singers and many others.

- Mass choir director at Gospel Kirchentag in Bochum 2004, Dusseldorf 2006

and Hannover 2008, directing a choir of more than 4000 singers.

- Directing and recording his song "All the time" with the young adult choir

at Gospel Music Workshop of America in Nashville, TN, USA, 2008.

- Nominated for "Nerikes Allehandas kulturpris" in 2009, an award that goes

to an artist for his or her cultural achievements.

- Choir director and instructor at Campamente Toral, the biggest gospel

music camp in Spain.

- Producer of four CD's with Joybells, where he arranged and produced music

for featured guests Jerry Williams, Björn Skifs, Robert Wells, Nanne

Grönvall, LaGaylia Frazier, Jessica Andersson, Magnus Bäcklund, Anna

Sahlene, Anders Ekborg, Anne-Lie Rydé and many others.

- Founder and director of Salem Outreach Singers from New York, NY, USA.

- Director of German Gospel Choir and composer of "Time to celebrate"

title track of the GGC CD.

- Instructor at many festivals, like Stockholm gospelchoir festival, Aarhus

gospel festival, Gospeltime Dusseldorf, Soul Children festival in Oslo,

Swinging Hannover, PoGo and others.

- Initiator and composer for the upcoming teenage musical performed by Oslo

Soul Teens.

- Several US tours with Praise Unit, Joybells and different german groups.

- Author of five musicals performed by students from Karolinska school of

performing arts, Örebro, Sweden.

- Composer of the songs from "My favorite Joybells songs" and "My favorite

gospel songs", two compilations released and published by Creative Kirche.

- Arranged 13 songs for gospel choir and orchestra that were performed by

Praise Unit and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and conducted by Joakim

Arenius.

Praise Unit

Media reviews on selected Joakim Arenius & Praise Unit products:

About "The Mission Field", CD released in September 2009:

Nerikes Allehanda (5 stars):

"It's impossible to sit still while listening!"

Crossnet.se (5 stars):

"They keep lining up excellent soul, funk, jazz, latin and gospel songs.

The groove is what keep the songs together!"

Dagen:

"You can not listen too many times to these tracks!"

Indrag.se:

"Lots of energy throughout the whole CD!"

Ikon1931:

"It's a pleasant listening experience!"

About "Whole", CD released in August 2006:

Smålandstidningen (5 stars):

"A masterpiece!"

Nerikes Allehanda (4 stars):

"This mixture of modern soul, funk and contemporary gospel is instantly

appealing!"

Sundsvalls tidning:

"This is the succesful combination of Joakim's past as funk musician and

gospel director!"

Trots allt:

"Melodies and a groove that never disappoint you!"

About "The Whole Tour", DVD released in June 2008, recorded live in

Minden, Germany:

Ikon1931:

"It's incredibly fresh!"

Dagen:

"Simple, yet efficient coreography which is very inspiring!"

About "Classical gospel", the collaboration between Joakim Arenius, Praise

Unit and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra:

Nerikes Allehanda (5 stars):

"The merge of genres reaches impressing qualities!"

About "Eleven offers", CD compilation with songs written by Joakim Arenius

and recorded by Joybells, Sarah Kelly, Praise Unit, German Gospel Choir

and others, released in May 2008:

Trons värld:

"You have to surrender to the capacity of Arenius' songwriting and admit

that this is the best gospel music of Sweden!"

Crossnet.se:

"There is only one problem. I want more!"