Adam Theis has been awarded the Gerbode-Hewlett Foundation “Emerging Composer” grant! This is one of the big daddies of the Mega Grants that are still around and available for artists in the U.S.. I’ll be updating you more on the details but here’s the basics: I will compose a full set of all new music to be premiered in about a year from now as part of the SF Jazz Festival. The crazy part is that the group will be a culmination of all the Jazz Mafia groups focusing on the ideas we’ve developed through Realistic Orchestra and The Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony. The 60 piece orchestra will feature all of your favorite Jazz Mafia tough guys as well as some amazing guest artists. A main inspiration for this group came from the amazing Dakah Hip-Hop Symphony, which if you haven’t checked out, DO IT. This project will surely be leaning more towards the jazz and electronic side but will also incorporate our own broken beat style of modern music mixed with tons of unique instrumentation, improvisation and amazing vocalists. I’ll be writing and arranging the music over the course of about the next many months followed by rehearsals and a premiere of the work in either late 2008 or early 2009! There are also plans in the works to create a full album of this amazing feet as well as a Jazz Mafia Documentary which will cover all the efforts we are involved in with a focus on this grant commission. I guess I should by a more ergonomic computer chair.

for more info:

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