Joseph Patrick Moore's skill on the bass is fluid and versatile, allowing his talent to shine whether he's playing on his own jazz CDs or freelancing on other musicians' releases, performing in an ensemble setting, or backing the musical theater performances of Carol Channing or Jerry Lewis. His desire to play an instrument showed itself early, and Moore started on the alto sax as a youngster in the fourth grade. He continued on the instrument until his sophomore year of high school, when he joined the marching band and picked up the drums. Within a few years, he took up the electric bass and became a music student of Rusty Holloway, who had worked with Woody Herman. Moore also started playing out in the evenings in a band called Sage, on the stages of various local nightspots. From 1989 through 1991, the bassist was enrolled in the University of Tennessee on a full scholarship. There, in addition to studying with Holloway, he became a student of Donald Brown and Jerry Coker. While at the university, Moore performed in the band Salsa Blue, and also at one time played with Judy Collins and the Knoxville Symphony, as well as Gil Scott.