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Check out this preview of Jazz Mafia's "The Emperor Norton Suite" here:

After making their debut with the highly acclaimed Brass, Bows, & Beats, the Jazz Mafia Symphony return with symphony #2, The Emperor Norton Suite. Fresh off performing in front of 10,000 people at Summer Stage in Central Park with Roy Ayers, and a hometown show at the Stern Grove festival, The Jazz Mafia Symphony are gearing up to release their first studio album with The Emperor Norton Suite, the follow up to 2010's live Brass Bows & Beats album.  

In 2010 the Jazz Mafia celebrated their 10 year anniversary, and completed their break-through summer tour where they performed "Brass, Bows & Beats" in front of tens of thousands at major festivals nationwide including the Montreal Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl, and the Monterey Jazz Festival. The group's bold and interactive creativity and stage presence captivated audiences across the continent. Now, in 2011, they are captivating audiences across the country with "The Emperor Norton Suite".

"The Emperor Norton Suite" is a fully collaborative symphony written by 12 of the core singers, emcees, and composers in the Jazz Mafia, where as "Brass, Bows & Beats" was composed by the band leader, Adam Theis. With "The Emperor Norton Suite", the Jazz Mafia continue their tradition of creating genre-defying, multi-thematic, and community-oriented work while pushing the envelope of jazz. Theis states, "Some of the most exciting things about the piece from the audience perspective is the way that the audience is engaged by the orchestra. Traditionally, orchestras sit, they are very reserved. In 'Brass, Bows & Beats' we started to break out of that, but in The 'Emperor Norton Suite' we decided to turn all of the traditional orchestra stereotypes and preconceptions on their side."

Lauren Valenti of Vogue Vibes, wrote that "The Emperor Norton Suite" was "a show unlike anything I have seen before."

Visit Jazz Mafia's Website for More Music and Photos

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