Jazz Mafia Presents: Realistic Orchestra

October 07, 2009

Part of the monthly series of Jazz Mafia Wednesdays.

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Realistic Orchestra is composed of many of the San Francisco Bay Area’s finest musicians. Collectively, their studio and live credits read everywhere from Ratdog and Santana to Zion:I and Lyrics Born. The band has performed live at many of the Bay’s top music venues and festivals such as; Elbo Room, The Independent, Jazz at Pearl’s, The Mystic Theater, SF Jazz Festival, San Jose Jazz Festival, Fillmore Jazz Festival and North Beach Jazz Festival.

The instrumentation of Realistic Orchestra is based on a century old classic ensemble known as the “Big Band” or “Jazz Orchestra” which includes 13 horns and a rhythm section of drums, upright bass and keyboards. adding to this foundation is guitar, electric bass, electonics, guest DJs, guest vocalists and the one and only Dublin (The shotgun Wedding Quintet) who’s collaborations with the band are unlike any other Hip:Hop on the planet. These elements, combined with modern electronic influenced grooves, epic arrangements and cutting:edge jazz improvisation, create the distinct and unmistakeable sound of the Realistic Orchestra.
Realistic has also received wide recognition for it’s 6 year run on the first Tuesday of every month at “Jazz Mafia Tuesdays” at Bruno’s in San Francisco’s Mission District including winning SF Weekly’s “Best of the Bay” award for Jazz Band in 2004. In 2005 Realistic started presenting various tribute shows which occur many times a year around the birthdays of musical legends, past and present, which have grown to be sold out shows as well as being awarded Best of the Bay for “Best Live music Weekly night” in 2006 and 2007. Recent tributes have included the music of James Brown, Stevie Wonder and most recently Prince. Guest vocalists featured have included Joe Bagale, Kim Nalley, Chris McGee, Emily Schmidt, Sonya D, Seneca, Soulaati and Infinite.

Realistic Orchestra is led by Adam Theis who also co-leads The Shotgun Wedding Quintet and Hip-Hop Symphony, Brass Mafia and Supertaster. Adam is most notable for being the 2008 recipient for the prestigious Gerbode-Hewlett Grant for Jazz composition. With the comission Adam is arranging a 50 piece one hour long symphony combining elements form the 10 years of development he has been involved with in the San Francisco music scene. The work will premiere in April of 2009 at the Palace of Fine Arts as part of the SF Jazz Festival Spring Season.

Realistic Orchestra has released a full length album “Live at Bruno’s” to critical praise and will release it’s second album in Fall of 2008. Realistic Orchestra has released a full length album “Live at Bruno’s” to critical praise, and continues to perform regularly throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

The Band:

• Adam Theis: bandleader, 7 string bass, trombone
• Eric Garland: bandleader, drums
• Evan Francis: alto sax, flute
• Kasey Knudsen: alto sax, flute
• Matt Nelson: tenor sax
• Sheldon Brown: tenor sax, clarinet, bass clarinet
• Eric Crystal: tenor sax
• Doug Rowan: bari sax
• Joel Behrman: trombone, trumpet
• Jeanne Gieger : trombone
• Danny Grewen: trombone
• Marc Bolin: bass trombone
• Dave Scott: lead trumpet
• Mike Olmos: trumpet
• Erik Jekabson: trumpet
• Joel Ryan: trumpet
• Colin Hogan: keys
• Jon Monahan: guitar
• George Ban-Weiss: upright and electric bass
• Dublin: vocals
• Joe Bagale: vocals
• Chris McGee: vocals

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