If a philharmonic orchestra married a big band and kept its street rap mistress in the attic, you’d have something approaching the Jazz Mafia sound. And one hell of a dysfunctional family dynamic. Playing Stern Grove this weekend, Jazz Mafia's electric blend of funk, soul, and brass will continue to defy genre with all its funky brass heart.
Best known for its hip-hop symphony Brass, Bows, and Beats, the Mission-based music collective is premiering a new piece, Emperor Norton Symphony No. 2. An eccentrically excellent fusion of sound in honor of the eccentrically excellent San Franciscan who claimed imperial sovereignty in 1859 and lived out the rest of his life being humored by local bartenders who accepted his currency, drawn with what we assume was the 19th century's answer to the crayon. Jazz Mafia will perform with guest star Chali 2na (who’s also shared the stage with Ozomatli and Jurassic 5).
June 26, 2 p.m. Stern Grove, 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard. Free. Information at sterngrove.org.
