Pronounced (Jol Vee-nah)

Hailing from a small village in southeastern Vermont, Joel 'Veena' Eisenkramer is one of the foremost exponents of the 20-stringed Indian slide guitar. His music defies categorization as he presents meditative classical ragas that blossom into blistering duets with tabla virtuosos in the same set as beat-driven original songs with live-looping and poetic lyrics. A study abroad trip to Delhi, India during his college days set him on a path of deep study in the oral tradition of Hindustani (North Indian) classical music, learning from and eventually performing alongside celebrated artists of the style. Recognized by the government of India in 2023 for his contribution to Indian music on the global stage, Joel's music seeks to heal and empower his audiences to "do the needful" in terms of facing the every day challenges of the modern world and the nourishment of our interior worlds.

Joel Veena is the only North American performer of the Indian slide guitar to tour regularly in India and his concert tours have brought him all across the country, headlining shows in most of the major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata, as well as tours in the USA and Europe. In 2019, he was a featured performer at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj India, the world's largest religious gathering, where he played for an audience of 12,000 people under the auspices of Shri Ashutoush Maharaj (SAM) Workshops. His album CARDINAL, released in 2025, was his 12th self-produced release, widely praised for its innovative and authentic blend of styles. His music has been featured on Radio New Zealand, Shemaroo Entertainment, and MyGov India. In 2023, Joel was featured in the government of India's publication 'Bhartasya Sangeet Vishwanubandh Yatra: Introduction of India’s Cultural Pride in Interrelationship with World Music Culture' where they wrote "[Joel's] unwavering dedication and enthusiasm have paved the way for a deeper appreciation of this art form. [His] commitment to preserving and promoting Indian classical music inspires us all." The same year, he was also awarded the Meenakshi Hariharasubramani Award for Excellence in Music by the TaalMagic Trust of Bengaluru. 

Joel's performances have been noted for their welcoming and explanatory quality; pieces are presented with their cultural and historical context so as to open the door for new audiences unfamiliar with Indian classical music. His original compositions, often inspired by the ragas he's studied, have been praised for their use of classical theory and aesthetic while creating toe-tapping, memorable melodies approachable by all. He has presented lecture-demonstrations at a number of schools and universities around the globe (including the California College of the Arts and Delhi Public School Sonepat).

CARDINAL (2025) is a sonic journey played on the Hindustani slide guitar, featuring percussion, electronic beats and poetry. It is crafted to be listened to from beginning to end, in a progression from original to traditional and back again. The album is a musical livication to the musical traditions of the world, especially Bharat India. The purpose of the recording is to provide encouragement and refuge and that the feelings of ease and wholeness seep outwards into our worlds around us. “Not designed to sell you an image. [Cardinal is] Joel sitting with the vast weight of human tradition and saying: here’s how I can carry a piece of it, here’s how I can share it," writes music blog Groover City.

Joel began his training in the oral tradition of Hindustani classical music with master Indian slide guitarist Dr. Ranjan Kumar of Delhi in 2007. He received training from sarod maestro Pt. Alok Lahiri of Kolkata from 2017 to 2023 and continues his lifelong study of north Indian music with sarod master Pt. Anirban Dasgupta of the Shahjahanpur Gharana. He is also a professional audio engineer, receiving his minor in Electronic Music from University of California Santa Cruz in 2009. Joel's independent record label, Root Cellar Sound, publishes and produces archival recordings of Hindustani music as well as the music of his community in southern Vermont and surrounds. He manages his father's solo music releases and his band, The Thunderballs, with Jamaican singer-songwriter NL Dennis. Joel currently serves as the director of the global music institute at Massachusetts non-profit Halcyon Arts New England, producing concerts and workshops of musicians and artists from all over the globe.

Joel currently resides most of the year in Vermont with his wife, writer and host of Vidhi's Bollywood Jukebox, Vidhi Salla. There he maintains a vegetable and flower garden and feeds the wild birds. He tours in India each year, teaches students over the web and produces local music events in his community.