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DJ Aspect - turntables, electronics (the Shotgun Wedding Quintet and Symphony, of 1942, Dead Rap Kids, Cannonball)
www.myspace.com/djaspect
DJ Centipede - turntables, electronics (Mophono, CB Records)
DJ Platurn - turntables (Oakland Faders) www.oaklandfaders.com
Joe Bagale; vocals, drums, bass, guitar, keyboards (Realistic Orchestra)
“Captain” George Ban-Weiss - upright and electric bass (Realistic Orchestra, the Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony, Low End Theory)
A native of Davis, CA, George has been playing upright and electric bass since he was around 15 years old. He is currently a regular member of many of the finest bay area jazz groups including Realistic Orchestra, Shotgun Wedding Hiphop Symphony, Mitch Marcus Quintet, Mitch Marcus Bigband, Stanley, Low End Theory, and often plays with the Contemporary Jazz Orchestra (Jazz at Pearls Bigband). He has performed everywhere from Yoshis, The Warfield Theatre, and the Great American Music Hall on the west coast, to the 55 Bar jazz club in Manhattan. He holds a bachelors and masters degree from UC Berkeley in Mechanical Engineering, and is currently working on his PhD, also at UCB. George’s favorite hobby is flying airplanes; he holds a private pilot license with an instrument rating.
Daniel Berkman; percussion, electric Kora, guitar, electronics (Mobile Holmes)
Daniel Berkman is a San Francisco based composer/multi-instrumentalist/loop artist who’s solo live performances feature him on Handsonic, analog synths, circuit bent speak n’ spell
and electrified kora. He also plays alongside Adam Theis in the dynamic loop duo
Mobile Holmes.Daniel has scored dozens of dance scores for choreographers since 2000, toured Africa with
Djali Kunda Kouyate in 2002, recently toured the UK with Artemis and as a solo artist under
the moniker “vessel” and is soon to release his debut electronic album called
“Inner Stratagem”.In 2005 Daniel released his third and most highly acclaimed cd of kora music called
“Calabashmoon” on Magnatune records (magnatunerecords.com).
Marc Bolin - bass trombone (Realistic Orchestra, Low End Theory)
As a performer, Marc has performed with such organizations as the Guy Lombardo Orchestra, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey Orchestras, Carla Bley, Pete Escovedo, Sheila E, the Virginia Beach Pops, and the Ink Spots. Marc can be heard
performing with the Oakland Opera, Realistic Orchestra, Marcus Shelby Orch, Avance, Paradigm Brass, Dream Kitchen, Joseph’s Bones, Low-End Theory and the Mitch Marcus Quintet +13. In addition to playing music, Marc is an experienced teacher and youth advocate who has worked with multicultural
youth from diverse backgrounds at the elementary and high school levels, in workshops and residencies stretchingfrom one day to 10 months. His work as an arts-educator has included appointments throughout the Bay Area. He is also co-founder of Toones Music Enrichment.
www.music-enrichment.org
Sheldon Brown - ten. Sax, clarinet, bass clarinet (Realistic Orchestra, the Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony)
Composer and woodwind multi-instrumentalist Sheldon Brown has been active in the Bay Area creative music scene for over twenty years. In addition to leading his own ensemble, Sheldon Brown Group (which features his original jazz compositions), Brown has recorded and toured internationally with Cuban pianist Omar Sosa and collaborates with many Bay Area creative musicians such as Ben Goldberg (Papa’s Midnight Hop), Beth Custer (Clarinet Thing) and Paul McCandless (Oregon). He is currently performing with Realistic Orchestra (led by Adam Theis), Mitch Marcus Quintet + 13, Hemispheres (Paul McCandless, Ian Dogle Frank Martin and Bill Douglass), Clarinet Thing, Edmond Welles (a bass clarinet quartet led by Cornelius Boots) Graham Connah and Oakland Opera Theatre. He has also performed with Fred Frith and Anthony Braxton. His compositions and playing have been featured in Clubfoot Orchestra’s scores to numerous silent films and the cartoon series “The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat”, which aired on CBS in 1995.
Joel “the Secret Weapon” Behrman - trombone, trumpet (Realistic Orchestra, Low End Theory)
CURRENTLY WORKING AS A FREELANCE MUSICIAN IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, WORKING REGULARLY WITH THE CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ORCHESTRA, REALISTIC ORCHESTRA, LIDIA PENCE AND COLD BLOOD, THE GLIDE CHANGE BAND, and
FORMER TOWER OF POWER LEAD SINGER – LENNY WILLIAMS. Hobbies include Lion-taming, base jumping, electric shock therapy, russian roulette, and golf.
Kenny Brooks; ten., sop. Saxes, oboe (Realistic Orchestra)
Kenny was inspired to play reed instruments from the age of 9. After graduating from El Cerrito H.S. in 1984 he went directly to the New England Conservatory at age 17. There he studied with master saxophonist George Garzone and other notable faculty including George Russell, Bob Moses and Ken Radnofsky. Brooks received his B.M. in ‘88 and returned to the Bay Area in ‘89. His work in the early 90’s included the Peck Allmond Group, the afro-pop group Kotoja and the start of his long-term association with legendary drummer Eddie Marshall. 1991 was the birth year of Brooks’ groundbreaking hip/hop-jazz band Alphabet Soup. Co-founded with pianist Dred Scott, Alphabet Soup remains one of San Francisco’s most popular bands. Alphabet Soup was the first hip/hop-jazz group at both the Monterey and San Francisco Jazz Festivals. In 1992 he recorded with his hero and teacher Joe Henderson on Kitty Margolis’ CD “Evolution”. In 1994 Kenny Brooks and Charlie Hunter began a run of almost 3 years playing duo and trio every Friday night at the SOMA nightspot the Up and Down Club. In 1996 Brooks joined the Charlie Hunter Quartet. They recorded the CD “Natty Dread” for Blue Note and toured extensively throughout the U. S., Canada and Europe. By 1995 Brooks was leading a trio under his own name with Eddie Marshall and top Bay Area bassist Jeff Chambers. Brooks played at the Monterey Jazz Festival in ‘83, ‘89, ‘90, ‘91, ‘92, ‘93, ‘94, ‘95 and ‘99. Other international festivals include the North Sea, Montreaux, Istanbul, What Is Jazz? (Knitting Factory), Copenhagen, Molde(Norway), Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and many others. Gigs have included venues like the House of Blues(New Orleans, L.A. , Cambridge, Anaheim, Las Vegas, Orlando, and Myrtle Beach), Yoshi’s, Knitting Factory, Red Rocks, L.A. Greek Theater, Berkeley Greek Theatre to name just a few. Brooks has toured to Japan, Canada, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, France, England, Germany, Turkey and Holland. Brooks has played and recorded with people like Mike Clark, Ohio Players, Steve Smith, Les Claypool, MMW, String Cheese Incident, Josh Roseman, etc..
Kenny Brooks is currently playing with Bob Weir’s (Grateful Dead) band Ratdog.
Check Kenny Brooks’ entire calendar and learn more about Kenny on the web at
www.kennybrooks.com
Alex Budman; saxes, clarinets, bass (Realistic Orchestra, the Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony)
Alex is an active musician and educator of more than 12 years with performing experience on all saxophones, clarinets, flutes, and electric and acoustic basses. He has shared the stage with international artists such as Rosemary Clooney, Liza Minelli, Michael Feinstein, Boz Scaggs and the Funk Brothers. A versatile performer, Alex has worked with SF Bay Area talents Kim Nalley, Jesus Diaz, Glide Memorial Church Band, San Francisco Mime Troupe and the San Jose Symphony. For five years he directed the Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, a 16-piece modern big band featuring original arrangements and weekly performances in San Francisco.
www.alexbudman.com
Mark Chung; violin (the Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony)
Jazz violinist Mark Chung draws from a variety of influences and styles, having studied classical, jazz, and North Indian classical music at California Institute of the Arts. He performed at the Sarajevo Jazz Festival in 1999 with the Japanese group Gypsy Swing Project, with whom he recorded “Ponnichi”. He also produced the first San Francisco String Improvisation Festival, a three day extravaganza of concerts, workshops, and exhibit featuring innovative stringed instrument players. Mark can be seen playing jazz, Afro-cuban, new music, and creative music in several groups around the San Francisco Bay Area,including regular shows with Strings ‘N Things, Charangon Nueve, and Shotgun Wedding Hip-hop Symphony.
Joe “The Butcher” Cohen; alto, ten, bari saxes, flute, clarinet, keyboards (the Shotgun Wedding Quintet and Hip-Hop Symphony, Realistic Orchestra, Realistic, Crossfire Crew, Jazz Mafia Brass Band)
Joe Cohen has been an active member of the San Francisco Bay Area music scene for the past 6 years.
Raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Joe is a graduate of the University of Miami Studio Music & Jazz program. He performs locally and abroad, works as a studio musician and teaches privately. In addition to playing the alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, Joe plays piano, flute, clarinet, and electronics. He has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with such notable performers as Bobby McFerrin, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Idris Muhammed, Lyrics Born, Michael Franti, Benevento Russo Duo, Galactic, Digital Underground, Abstract Rude, Soulive, Spencer Day, Eric Lindell, and Russell Batiste among others.
Joe does frequent studio session work and has appeared on recordings with Zion-I, Grippo “Circuits”, Spencer Day, Will Bernard’s Motherbug, The Disco Biscuits, VU, and Dj Zeph. Touring highlights include multiple domestic tours with Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus and a successful tour with blues artist E.C. Scott.
Joe is a founding member of the Bay Area’s Jazz Mafia, which includes The Realstic Orchestra, The Shotgun Wedding Quintet, Cannonball, The Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony, and Crossfire Crew. The Realistic Orchestra was nominated for Best Jazz Group in the Sf Weekly’s Best of the Bay in 2003 and won the award for Best Jazz Group in 2004. Joe also plays an important part in other Bay Area Bands such as Brass Monkey, Boostamonte, Will Bernard’s Motherbug, Phil Lorenz’s Soultet, Will Blades,and The Mitch Marcus Big Band.
www.joeyjazz.com
Bob Crawford; keyboards (Crossfire Crew)
Bob Crawford, piano and keys has recorded and toured extensively on three continents with Michael Franti and Spearhead. In addiition, he has played and recorded with a great variety of Bay Area artists, including the Afrobeat Band Albino, Rhiannon, Joyo Velarde(Lyrics Born), Joe Craven, Maria Marquez, and Rolando Morales. In addition, Bob has composed and recorded music for film and national T.V programs. He’s also played with Tre Anastasio (Phish) and Me’Shell NDedgeOcello, as well as members of Galactic and African Beats Fela Randome-Kuti and the Africa ‘70. Bob leads a Latin Jazz trio, and has been interested in Caribbean and South American music since his childhood days of listening to his father’s calypso records.
Eric Crystal; saxes (Realistic Orchestra)
Saxophonist and composer Eric Crystal has been a stalwart of the San Francisco Bay Area music scene for nearly two decades. An immensely innovative, versatile and melodic improviser, Crystal was recently named one of the top 10 Rising Star Soprano Saxophone players in the renowned Downbeat Annual Critics Poll.
Highly in demand as both a live and studio musician, Crystal has been featured on over 20 recordings and at festivals and clubs throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. Most recently, the saxophonist has toured and recorded with Boz Scaggs and is featured on the legendary singer’s latest collection of jazz standards. The album But Beautiful - Standards Volume 1 debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts.
As a leader, Crystal has also created his own critically-acclaimed projects. After co-founding the improvising collective FRAME, whose CD came out in 1996, he released his first solo album,
Dark Matter, on Red Giant Records in 1998. He has also worked with award-winning vocalist Kitty Margolis, Latin Grammy-nominated Cuban pianist Omar Sosa, drummer/composer Scott Amendola, and master drummer E.W. Wainwright. For over 10 years, Crystal was a musician and musical director for the Obie and Tony Award-winning San Francisco Mime Troupe. He attended Berklee College of Music.
www.ericcrystal.com
Colin Douglas; drums, percussion (Crossfire Crew)
Dublin; vocals, violin (the Shotgun Wedding Quintet and Hip-Hop Symphony, Realistic Orchestra, Cannonball)
Name: DUBLIN
Birthday: 03-23-80
Birth Place: Kentfield, California
Cities Lived In: Graton, Santa Rosa, Berkeley, San Francisco.
Home Town: Graton, California
Job in Shotgun: Vocalist, violinist, general wise ass, and token white guy.
Instruments Used: Electric violin, microphone.
Influences: Ice Cube, Ice-T, Freestyle Fellowship, Clancy Brothers, House
of Pain, Tom Waits.
Last 5 CDs/LP’s Bought: White Stripes (Get Behind Me Satan), Beatles (Sgt.
Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Band), C-Lo (C-Lo Green Is A Soul Machine),
Blackalicous (The Craft), Top-R (Legalize Murder).
Friend Shout Outs: James Richardson and the BPXpress crew (Richmond and
Oakland), Ben and Seabass, Whisky Two Guns, The Wilkinson Brothers, DJ
Centipede, Raphael Santos, The Beatcave Hermit, Woody, all the rappers that
I get to spit with and against at battles and in the streets, Harm-Bone and
Delana.
Page On MySpace: The Dublin page.
Who else are you playing with now: The Shotgun Wedding Quintet, Dead Rap
Kids, Realistic Orchestra, The Hip-Hop Symphony.
Who have you played with in the past: Cannonball, Inner Dialogue, The Moon
Men, RipRompAnonk.
If you weren’t playing music you’d be: running for chairman of the San
Francisco Sanitary Committee.
Okay man - Tell me a little more about yourself: I don’t know. I love this
life, running wild in the streets of the Bay getting hyphy. I drink Jameson
and New Castle. I love the british version of The Office (Ricky Gervais is
a genius). The best movie I saw this year was “Capote”. I’m reading “In
Cold Blood” right now. The book I read before that was “Don’t Take Me The
Long Way” by M.C. Mars. I love rap, I love the Bay, I love this band. Keep
it true.
www.myspace.com/dublin
Michael “MNO” Emenau; vibraphone, marimba, electronics (Realistic Orchestra, Realistic)
www.mnomusic.com
Evan Francis; alto, ten. Saxes, flute, clarinet, bongo (the Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony, Realistic Orchestra, Crossfire Crew)
Evan is a woodwind gangster who was born and raised in Venice, Ca. He lived and played in the LA area until he was 23 at which point he moved to San Francisco where he soon joined up with the Jazz em’effin Mafia through many late night musical excursions at Bruno’s and other spots around the city. These days he also plays with The Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra as well as his own band, Spaceheater. Highlights of his career include performing/recording music with Billy Higgins, Dr. Art Davis, John Clayton, Prince Buster, Stevie Wonder, Michael Buble (including a recent appearance on the Tonight Show), Sheila E., Christina Aguilera and Mike Keneally. He’ll enjoy a nice cold soda and gets a little too excited in a heated debate. Evan falls down at least once at every party.
www.myspace.com/spaceheater
Eric “Mountan Man” Garland; drums, electronics (Realistic Orchestra, Realistic, Low End Theory) Eric was born in the refined environs of Marin but when he was 7 years old the Garland family moved to the rougher climes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains into the little town of Arnold. It’s there that Eric discovered his love of rhythym and drumming and frankly, just bangin’ on things! Growing up mountain style was basically a simple existence of classic rock (favorite rock band: Led Zepplin of course!) and eating many bowls of cheerios with copious amounts of sugar…….mmmmm sugar. After almost going crazy from the lack of anyone to play music with in the sticks, Eric moved to San Francisco to attend the illustrious San Francisco State University, where he almost just almost did enough work to graduate…….it’s at SF State that Eric encountered jazz for the first time and he completely turned 360 degrees musically and focused solely on that style for several years, eventually making his way from jazz to soul jazz and fusion to reggae and world music to hip hop and electronica (long live the dead style of drum and bass!). Now Eric makes his living from playing with local bands and doing the occasional tour to hither and thither. He has played with a whole lotta groups, most of which you’ve never heard of and never will, but here’s a few past and present projects/bands/melodramas that he played/plays with: Neomythic, Neo Trio, Subnautic, Realistic, Realistic Orchestra, Will Bernard 4-tet, Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums, Low End Theory, The Shotgun Wedding Quintet and Hip Hop Symphony, Stara Nova, and most recently a tour with 60’s psychedelic luminary Donovan (yes, “Mellow Yellow” Donovan, really.). For musical clips of Eric’s songwriting please go to:
www.myspace.com/ericgarland or contact: eric@subnautic.net
Ryan “Fat Foot” Green ;vocals, graphic design Ryan has a quite lengthy bio at his website, check it out www.goldenshelltoes.com
Danny Grewen; trombone
Colin Hogan; keyboards, accordian (Realistic Orchestra, Low End Theory)
A gifted keyboardist and composer, has played with Con~panna, winner Bay Area Battle of the Bands, 2002, The Afro- Latin Hip-Hop of Omaya, the legendary Larry Graham band, The California All-State Jazz Ensemble, and has had the pleasure to share the stage with Jazz greats, Roy Hargrove, James Moody, Maria Schneider, Peter Erskine, and Bob Brookmeyer. Colin is an avid traveller and has performed on five continents. “Colin is a badass Juggler” Adam Theis
Henry Hung; trumpet (Realistic Orchestra)
Jessica Ivry; cello (the Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony)
Jess Ivry works as a freelance cellist and music teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area and is on faculty at BIMA SummerArts, an arts camp at Williams College. She is a member of Everyday Theatre () a storytelling and music ensemble for which she composed the music and performed in “The Bright River”, a hip-hop retelling of Dante’s Inferno. Jessica also plays and sings in the Real Vocal String Quartet () a world music quartet playing arrangements and original songs. Jessica has recorded for local and national acts including jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon, indie rockers Buelah and a capella vocal group, Copperwimmin. She holds degrees from Skidmore College and from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Derek James; trombone, bass trombone (Realistic Orchestra)
Erik Jekabson; trumpet (Realistic Orchestra)
Erik is a trumpet player and composer currently pursuing a master’s degree in composition from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he studies with Elinore Armer. Prior to living in San Francisco, Erik spent five years in New York, (1998-2003) playing and composing for various projects, including touring with Illinois Jacquet and composing for film and dance projects. His solo album “Intersection”, a jazz record recorded in New York, was released in the fall of 2003 by the Fresh Sound/New Talent label. Before New York, he lived in New Orleans (from 1994 to 1998) where he cut his teeth by playing with such different projects as the New World Funk Ensemble, (which he co-founded) Galactic, and Uncle Yoke’s Wharf Rats. Erik attended the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and received his Bachelor’s of Music in jazz trumpet in 1995. Erik is also currently in the horn section of singer/songwriter John Mayer’s touring band.
www.erikjekabson.com
Pat “P-Dubl” Korte; drums, electronics (the Shotgun Wedding Quintet and Hip-Hop Symphony, Jazz Mafia Brass Band)
Pat was barn in 78’ and in that year he was a very small human. Ever since he could remember he’d be bangin on all sorts of shctuff around the house and then met his cousin in Vallejo named “Riv”. He then always looked up to him and wanted to be like him. He wanted the long hair, the wallabees and Convers shoes, the breakdancing, the hip hop, the raps, the rock, the funk, the marching band and mostly wanted his drums—to play the drums. Well since then he got to rock the hairfunkhiphoprapalotacons but never could break and never got himself a pair of those old wallabees—but did get his drums. He gave him an ol handmedown kit and drove his folks crazy playin them. So the small human played and played and got to SF State for a long while and met some of his dearest friends and got to play with some bad ass mugs!…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. pDubL - Also Known as Gerald Patrick is 27 years old and has tride out many drums. He likes the drums and really wants to play many types of crazy drums, ya know…like wood drums, plastic drums, metal drums. Drums like loud drums, drums that come in the sizes of shapes like circles and squares and “shctuff”. He also likes weird drums like brown ones, blue ones, shiny ones, sparkly ones. He’s beat on beat back drums as a kid, experimented with stone drums, and even has recently played some electrow-nick drums, he’s really just and idiot **Ren and Stimpy–EEDIOT!!!** he’s stupid for them…the drums I mean. The damn drums! He also has been known for recking shop on some serious cymbals—he’ll hit and bash them so much!, over 150 times in one night! He’s not just and EEDIOT for the cymbals as well…he’s just and idiot. He also has been told that he looks really stupid while playing the drums. But he don’t care, “They don’t care…, imean, they don’t care, ale nel beer? What? Sorry. Thay don care….untill youre dead” So he doesn’t care cause he still beats the living crap out tubz on the daily Bildge! Yeah…Jazz Mafia…Real life Gangster Jazz! …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. pDub has recorded and or performed with: Mission: ( now Crown City Rockers) Dr.Lou, Mike Walti, Vintage78, Raashan Amad, Headnodic, DJ Platurn, Ev-Lov-X, Ab Rude, Smith Dobson, Sasha Dobson, Eric Lindell Band, Devin Hoff, Seth-Ford Young, Will Blades, Ulysses Locan, Will Bernard, Evan Francis, Pete Charles, Stan Charles, Truckee Tribe, Moe Pope, Wyatt Grant, Matt Montgomery, Jack-Tone Riordan, Scott Marshall, Sam Manie, Patrick Miller, Steve Kershisnik, Mike Olmos, George Ban-Weiss, Marc Bolin, Sheldon Brown, Mark Chung, Alex Budman, Doug Coombler, Eric Arellano, Jay Sanders, Rene Florez, Destiny Wolf, Mikki Boyd, Adam Shulman, Eugene Warren, Ed Ivy, Ray Lee, Devin Williams, Ed Williams, Ben Adams, , David Boyce and many more! He is currently playing with The Shotgun Wedding Quintet, Adam Theis Trio, Jazz Mafia Brass Band, Jazz Mafia Trio and The Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony. …………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………….pDub has studied a bit under Smith Dobson, Fred Harris, Eric Garland, Akira Tana, and Chris Bade!…………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………………. PS: He is a hip-hop producer as well, makin beats along the sides of Vintage 78 since 97′…werd bootie!!!!
www.myspace.com/pdubl
Matt Lucas; congas, percussion (Crossfire Crew)
www.parallel23.com
Dina Maccabee; Viola, Violin, composer (the Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony)
Dina Macabee currently performs with Irene Sazer’s Real Vocal String Quartet, the Beth Custer Ensemble, and her own group Ramon and Jessica, and contributes to many San Francisco Bay Area ensembles. She has toured the U.S. with songwriters Vienna Teng and Carla Bozulich and has been a regular freelance chamber music performer and
studio recording musician in the Bay Area on both viola and violin since 2003. www.myspace.com/dinamaccabee
Chris McGee; vocals, bass (Realistic Orchestra, Brass Mafia)
Jon Monohan; guitar (Realistic Orchestra)
Mikey “The Hit Man” Olmos; trumpet (Realistic Orchestra, Crossfire Crew, Jazz Mafia Brass Band)
www.myspace.com/olmos
Acacia Quien; vocals (Brass Mafia)
Darcy Rindt; viola, violin (the Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony)
After graduating from UC Santa Cruz (go slugs) with degrees in both music and biology, Darcy moved to the Bay Area and has been a freelancing member of the “Freeway Philharmonic” ever since. This includes playing in the SF Ballet, Santa Rosa Symphony, Marin Symphony, Sacramento Phil, Oakland East Bay Symphony, and the New Century Chamber Orchestra to name a few. Forays into the non-classical world include Dick Bright’s SRO, Viv the Band, the Shotgun Wedding Hip Hop Symphony, and “Octopus’s Garden” on the Ukelele.
Alisa Rose; violin (the Shotgun Wedding Symphony) www.myspace.com/16209052
Doug Rowan; baritone sax, bass clarinet (Realistic Orchestra)
Joel “Iceman” Ryan; trumpet (Brass Mafia, Realistic Orchestra)
Emily Schmidt; vocals (Brass Mafia, Realistic Orchestra)
Dave Scott; lead trumpet, keyboards (Realistic Orchestra, Crossfire Crew)
Dave hails from Ann Arbor Michigan, and has been linked to the notorious “Lake Erie” mafia crew, known for their “understated and good mannered” midwest style of ruthlessness. Dave went to University of Michigan and studied Instrumental Music Education. He plays lead trumpet on five different Concord Jazz Label recordings, two of which was nominated for Grammys, in 2002 and 2003. Dave toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1993 as lead trumpet and featured soloist. He plays in the Glide Memorial Church Change Band, and is currently a member of Boz Scagg’s band. He loves playing the high notes until he feels dizzy and warm all over and can’t remember where he is.
Adam Theis -instruments: trombone, 7 String bass, sousaphone and keyboards/synth, looper/electronics
bands: the Shotgun Wedding Quintet and Hip-Hop Symphony, Realistic Orchestra, Realistic, Jazz Mafia Trio, Brass Mafia
Adam Theis has been an active member of the San Francisco Bay Area music scene for the past 10+ years. Growing up in Santa Rosa, California, Adam helped create a Jazz music awareness in the North Bay by leading many successful projects that included The Adam Theis Ensemble, Savoy Swingers and Cannonball. After graduating from Sonoma State University with a degree in Jazz Composition & Performance Adam hit the road with some of the world’s best Ska bands; The Skatelites (1998/1999), Let’s Go Bowling (1998/1999), and The Specials (2001). While performing with these well-established acts, Adam’s main concentration was always on forming his own groups. In 1998 he moved to San Francisco’s Mission District and began founding the San Francisco JAZZ MAFIA which now consists of Realistic, The Shotgun Wedding Quintet, Cannonball, Crossfire Crew, The Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony, The Low End Theory and the award winning Realistic Orchestra. Adam has also been an important part of other Bay Area bands such as Brass Monkey, Boostamonte, United Brass Workers, Marcus Shelby Orchestra, Mitch Marcus Big Band, The Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, St Jude’s Memorial Dance Band and has also been seen on stage performing with Carlos Santana, Bobby McFerrin, Lyrics Born, KRS One, Bernard Purdie, Ruben Wilson, Clyde Stubblefield, Booker T. Jones, Benny Maupin (Headhunters, Miles Davis), Spearhead, Vinyl , Jesus Diaz y QBA, Bobby McFerrin, Felonious, O.G.D., Zigaboo Modeliste, Jacob Fred Jazz Odessy, Grant green Jr., Peter Rowan, Benevento Russo Duo, Galactic, Ok Go, Reggae Angels, Pep Love (Hieroglyphics), Lavay Smith, John Sinclair, Natasha Miller and Alphabet Soup to name a few. Adam’s Horn section, the Jazz Mafia Horns is one of the most in demand sections in the Bay Area and has appeared on recordings with Zion-I, Lyrics Born, Crown City Rockers, Bing Ji Ling, Joyo Velarde, Spencer Day, The Velvet Teen, The Disco Biscuits, The Grouch, Mikah 9, Reggae Angels, DJ Zeph, Rachel Efron, Eric Lindell, Will Bernard’s Motherbug, Raw Deluxe and Grippo “Circuits”. In 2007 The Jazz Mafia horns began collaborating and touring with 80s electro legend Thomas Dolby and released “Thomas Dolby and the Jazz Mafia Horns LIVE at SXSW”.
Adam is comfortable playing the trombone on anything from Be-Bop to Electronica, while at the same time he will play the 7-string bass, didgeridoo and a wide array of electronic instruments. It’s a performance not to be missed. Adam has earned many prestigious awards, including a scholarship offer to the Berklee School of Music in Boston and winning the Jazziz Magazine’s “Brass on Fire” contest as one of the best 10 compositions by an unsigned artist in 1997. Realistic Orchestra was nominated for Best Jazz Group in the Sf Weekly’s Best of the Bay in 2003 and won the award for best Jazz Group in 2004.
Currently Adam has been focusing on his touring band “The Shotgun Wedding Quintet” as well as the highly attended “Jazz Mafia Tuesday” concert series, now in it’s 7th year which has been voted “Best Live Music Weekly Night” in the SF Weekly in 2006 and 2007.e
www.myspace.com/adamtheis
Rita Thies; alto, tn. Saxes, flute, bass flute, alto flute (the Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony)
Rita hs performed John lee Hooker, Zigaboo Modeliste, Pete Escovedo etc.She has shared the stage with lots of famous people, but she hates it when people write that, but if you must, Sheila E. Art Neville, George Porter, Leo Nocentelli, Carlos Santana, Roy Rogers, Otis Clay, Lennie Williams, Greg Allman, Merle Saunders, The Temptations, the Four Tops. and probably a bunch more she forgot. Rita has recorded with/for Sheila E., Mariah Carey, Kenny G to name a few. Rita can be seen performing regularly in an eclectic variety of styles including Classical , Jazz, R&B, Celtic and Hip Hop with the Jazz Mafia. Rita is also a founding member of Cannonball.
Mads Tolling; violin, viola (the Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony)
Marty Wehner; Trombone, baritone, composer, arranger (Realistic Orchestra, Low End Theory)
Born:SF, CA 3/12/63 College: Berklee Coll. of Music
Performance Experience (current): Mingus Amungus, Natalie Cole, Phil Lesh, Black Crowes, Lavay Smith, Pete Escovedo, Dave Ellis, Rebecca Mauleon, Kotoja, Candela, Omar Sosa, Enrico Rava, Paolo Fresu, Josh Jones, Graham Connah, Yosvany Terry (recorded w/ all ex. N. Cole,)
Previous Exp./Recording: Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Henderson,Benny Carter, Cecil Taylor, Tito Puente, Josh Redman, Dr. John, Bob Weir & Rat Dog,Carlos Santana (performed on “The Game of Love” w/ Michele Branch- Grammy Award), Tone Toni Tony, Mingus Epitaph Orch., Charles Brown, Sam Rivers, Roy Hargrove, Wynton Marsalis, Phil Woods, Charles McPherson, Billy Childs, Jimmy Knepper, Ernie K-Doe, Earl King, Frogman Henry, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Claudio Angeleri, Tino Tracanna, etc.
Major Festivals: SF Jazz, SF Blues, Monterey Jazz, Monterey Blues, Monterey Pops, Playboy Jazz, Umbria Jazz, Istanbul, Berlin, Knitting Factory (NY), Athens, Milano, Bergamo, Aspen, etc.
TV Appearances: David Letterman, Jay Leno, BET, VH1
Teaching Experience: Univ. Of Cal.- Berkeley (Jazz Dept. Staff Instructor), The Jazz School (Berkeley, CA), Berkeley High School, Universty High School (SF, CA), Prospect Sierra Middle School (El Cerrito, CA), Stanford Jazz Workshop,Coll. of Alameda, Contra Costa College, Just Say Jazz (Richmond CA Unified School Dist.), private instruction (all levels).
Misc. Studio Jingles, Horn section arranger, Slim’s House Band- Staff Arranger, Big Bands, Broadway Shows (The Producers,Some Like It Hot), etc.
Dan Zemelman; piano, keyboards (Realistic Orchestra, Low End Theory)
© 2007 : Jazz Mafia
