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“[An] indefatigable San Francisco impresario”
“As an organization governed by a radically embracing ethos, the Jazz Mafia is the antithesis of a criminal enterprise. A trombonist, bassist, arranger, composer and inveterate band-builder, Theis seeks to welcome all comers stylistically and demographically, while the band makes the most of whatever it has to offer. It’s a conspiracy of generosity”
“Trombonist, people connector, entrepreneur and scene inventor: Adam Theis is all those things. A one-man Bay Area music industry for 20 years, he is founder of the loose-knit collective known as the Jazz Mafia – dozens of musicians participating in the umpteen bands that have sprouted from Theis’s renegade brain.”
“A creative catalyst working in the Bay Area’s musical trenches”
Adam Theis (pronounced "Thēese") is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, bandleader and composer based in Oakland, CA who plays trombone, trumpet, tuba, bass, keyboards and anything/everything else he can get his hands on. In 2000, Theis co-founded Jazz Mafia - an eclectic artist collective of some of the most forward thinking and accomplished players in the fields of Electro, Hip-Hop, World, Classical and of course, Jazz. As Jazz Mafia’s director, Adam has assembled over 100 different live projects over the past 20 years and led/co-led dozens of acclaimed bands. He is also the Director of SFJAZZ's Monday Night Band, Director of the Truckee Jazz Camp, and winner of the Gerbode-Hewlett Foundation’s “Emerging Composer” Grant.
Theis has produced and co-written music for notable artists such as Lyrics Born, Zion-I, Rebelution, Latyrx, Galactic, Ledesi, Blackalicious and many more. As a sideman, Adam and his horn section have created eclectic collaborations with a wide range of top level artists including: Bobby McFerrin, Roy Ayers, Chali 2na, Booker T. Jones, Spearhead, Zigaboo Modeliste, Zap Mama, Eric Lindell, Dead Winter Carpenters, KRS One, Wax Tailor, The New Master Sounds, Peter Rowan, Coultrain, J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science, The Velvet Teen and dozens more.
Adam's commitment to bringing high quality, creative, independent, and diverse music to the Bay Area (and beyond!) lies at the center of the Jazz Mafia movement. He is a cornerstone of the music community – shaping the sound of San Francisco and influencing the lives and careers of hundreds of musicians and audience-members all over the world.
Albums: Check out Adam's discography here!
“[Adam Theis] speaks with both the enthusiasm of a music omnivore and the cool calmness of a leader who’s accustomed to juggling multiple bands and various genres.”
“The Bay Area’s renegade bandleader and scene inventor”
“Adam Theis is one of those Bay Area music scene figures whose cup runneth over with so much talent, you’ve likely heard him without realizing it. He’s the founder of the locally beloved collective Jazz Mafia; has co-written songs with Blackalicious, Zion-I and Lyrics Born; and performed as a sideman with KRS One, Booker T. Jones and J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science. One time, in 2009, Stevie Wonder crashed one of his shows at an intimate club in the Mission district and performed two songs with his band. He’s that good.”
“Adam Theis’ genius for community building is right there in the Jazz Mafia moniker he chose for his polymorphous musical collective… adding a dash of bad-boy attitude to a style often perceived as academically cloistered. But what makes the name work is the ironic intention”