Jazz Mafia: Realistic Orchestra

Now entering its second year, Jazz Mafia’s Monthly Residency has become a laboratory for magic—unexpected collaborations, long-awaited reunions, spontaneous experiments that somehow turn into fan favorites, and the kind of once-in-a-room moments that help define the Bay Area scene. To launch 2026, we’re taking that spirit to the extreme by bringing in one of the flagship ensembles of the entire Jazz Mafia universe: the 18-piece Realistic Orchestra.

Formed in 2004 by drummer/composer Eric Garland and Adam Theis, Realistic Orchestra is a modern electro-acoustic big band built from the core musicians and co-founders who shaped Jazz Mafia from the beginning. The group blends classic big-band instrumentation with futuristic textures, original compositions, bold arrangements, and a long history of cross-disciplinary collaborations. Born during the legendary “Jazz Mafia Tuesdays” era, Realistic Orchestra spent years premiering new works every week, creating a unique sound that sits somewhere between jazz orchestra, film score, electronic music, underground hip-hop session, and experimental theater pit.

For this special residency kickoff, the full 18-piece ensemble squeezes into one of the Bay Area’s most intimate rooms—an ambitious, joyful, slightly absurd idea that channels everything the residency stands for: community, risk-taking, and big musical visions in close quarters.

One night, Eighteen musicians. A 2026 launch with heavyweight sonic firepower.

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Host or Publisher Bay Area Jazz & Arts, Inc