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Here’s a killin’ video clip featuring Realistic Orchestra with special guest Dublin on vocals during their recent live album recording session last Tuesday night March 4, 2008. As usual, the Jazz Mafia crew was lighting up Bruno’s just like they always do, so make sure to head down there on Tuesday nights for a good time, and definitely keep an eye on their website for updated info about when their new live album will be released.
On Tuesday, June 5th Realistic Orchestra presented it’s Second Annual Prince Birthday Tribute at Bruno’s. The orchestra was in full effect and guest vocalists like Joe Bagale, Chris McGee and Emily Schmidt ripped it up with the band as the night progressed. DJ Daymitreeus was also in the house spinning crates of rare Prince related records all night long, not to mention busting some sick Prince-themed freestyles with the band. The good news is Adam and the guys gave me permission to post my entire audio source, but the bad news is I ended up leaving before the end of the second set. Oh well, there’s still twelve tracks of Realistic goodness available for your listening pleasure! So please enjoy this eclectic mix of original compositions and unique arrangements of some classic Prince by everyone’s favorite big band. And although I didn’t bring my own camera, thankfully someone else did.
Adam Theis recently organized an early night of jazz music at Bruno’s in tribute to Miles Davis’s birthday. It was an ambitious undertaking that included some painstaking efforts in the charting department. With only a single rehearsal under their belt, a chunk of the Jazz Mafia crew, along with other talented local musicians (complete lineup below), took on the awe-inspiring 1950’s era Birth of the Cool album in full Nonet form.
The group played Boplicity, Budo, Rouge, Moon Dreams, Move, Venus de Milo, God Child, Israel, and Deception to an attentive and enthusiastic packed house. The only tracks not played from the original album were Jeru, Rocker, and Darn That Dream. You can learn more about the original groundbreaking album at Wikipedia, and please enjoy the MP3 audio and MP4 video samples of Move below.
Joe Cohen, Alto Sax
Charlie Gurke, Bari Sax
Eric Jeckabson, Trumpet & Flugelhorn
Jeff Marrs, Drums
Mike Olmos, Trumpet & Flugelhorn
Mike Rinta, Tuba
Marcus Shelby, Bass
Adam Shulman, Piano
Adam Theis, Trombone
Here’s a short post with a bunch of photos I shot from the Realistic Orchestra’s recent performance last Wednesday night as part of the Northbeach Jazz Festival. Sorry to say I didn’t record audio that night, but trust me, these guys rocked the house as usual and are not to be missed when they assemble in big band form like this. You simply must see these guys live sometime.
A few months back, I stumbled onto a collective of bands dubbed the Jazz Mafia through some other artists I’ve been recording lately — a few degrees of separation if you will. After attending my first show of the Realistic Orchestra playing at 12 Galaxies in early April, I was instantly hooked. I mean seriously, where else can you see an 18+ piece brass band these days? Trust me, if you haven’t seen these guys yet, you’re missing out in a BIG WAY. For those who don’t know, the Realistic Orchestra includes some of the Bay Area’s finest musicians playing in the classic ensemble format known as the “Big Band” with more modern elements provided by DJ Aspect and MC-Battle Champion Dublin. These elements combined with electronic influenced grooves, epic arrangements, and cutting-edge jazz improvisation create a distinct and unmistakable sound not to be missed. So, take a moment to watch this eight-minute video I recorded of their epic “Mountain Man,” a track they often lovingly refer to as their theme song.
A few months back, I stumbled onto a collective of bands dubbed the 