Artist Bios

Adam Theis has been an active member of the San Francisco Bay Area music scene for the past 6 years, after graduating from Sonoma State University in 1997 with a degree in Jazz Composition & Performance. It didn't take long for Adam to find his niche amongst some of the more reputable bands of the time. Shortly after moving, he toured with 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. He is a founding member of Realistic, Cannonball, Brass Monkey, The Savoy Swingers, and The Adam Theis Ensemble. He has also been seen on stage performing with Carlos Santana, Bobby McFerrin, Benny Reitveld (Miles Davis), Benny Maupin (Headhunters, Bitches Brew), The Disco Biscuits, Will Bernard and Motherbug. 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 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.

Michael Emenau, a Classical Music graduate of McGill University in Montreal, Canada, plays the vibraphone and works on the laptop computer as a music programmer/re-mixer. He has worked as a professional classical and jazz musician throughout Canada, Asia, and the U.S. for over a decade. While living in Japan for 5 years, he developed his skills as a studio musician performing and recording acid-jazz and electronic music. He has had the opportunity to play with such jazz luminaries as Dave Liebman and Barry Finnerty, as well as respected electronica artists UFO, Mondo Grosso, and Digital-Cutup-Lounge. Currently he can be seen performing with Realistic, Lumin (a project he co-leads that fuses Middle Eastern music with electronica), and his solo project 'MNO'. Michael's remix projects, both solo and with Jon Von, (of Digital Cut-Up Lounge from Hong Kong/LA) include tracks for Asha Bhonsle, Trilok Gurtu, Nelly Furtado, DCL and many original compositions. Several of these tracks will be released on Universal Asia, EMI Asia, Hearts of Space, and Interchill Records in 2003. For more info go to www.mnomusic.com

Drummer Eric Garland studied general music performance and composition at the San Francisco State University. Within the context of Realistic, Eric whips up the rhythmic furies spinning the band from one musical scene to the next. By recording an acoustic drum kit while performing, and utilizing electronic effects processors (Kaos Pad and Boomerang), Eric creates original drum beats known as 'Live Loops,' which are not commonly heard in a live performance. In combining the electronic with the acoustic in new organic patterns, Eric has created a larger rhythmic palate from which to draw. A seasoned musician of the Bay Area for 7 years now, Eric can be seen performing regularly with Realistic, Subnautic, Brass Monkey, Staranova, and The Shotgun Wedding Quintet.

Joe Cohen graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Studio Music and Jazz on a full scholarship. He then toured with the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus for a year as the reed player. After way too many hayrides, clown marches, and pies in the face, Joe settled in San Francisco where he met the 43 Productions crew. Aside from Cannonball, Joe plays in Realistic, The Savoy Swingers, The Shotgun Wedding Quintet and Brass Monkey. Joe also performs and records with Eric Lindell, Allison McLeod, Velvet Jesus, Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra, Melvin Seals, Bizar Bizaar, and E.C. Scott. As a founding member of Realistic, Joe has been a strong force in the writing, promotion and development of the group. He plays many instruments including the baritone, tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones, the clarinet, flute, keyboards, laptop and loop sampler. Joe is an expert in creating computer music; he programmed songs for the Realistic "Living Loops" CD.

DJ Aspect (a.k.a. Nick McCarthy) has been on the turntables for 4 years and is relatively new to the professional music arena, but sounds like a seasoned pro. At the age of 21, he has already performed with musical giants like Carlos Santana and Benny Maupin (Miles Davis, Headhunters). He has written, produced, and performed on hundreds of original tunes that he wrote and recorded in his San Francisco studio. There, he produced songs for 2 critically acclaimed CDs "Of 1942" and "DragnaslimDublin and The Beat Cave Hermit." He has 2 more CDs from these groups expected to be released in the summer of 2003. DJ Aspect has only lived in San Francisco for one year and has already become one of the most talked about DJs in the Bay Area. He has been performing live as a member of Realistic, Cannonball and The Shotgun Wedding Quintet up to 5 times a week for years now.