Advertised as “not your grandparents’ big band,” 7th Street Big Band was conceived in the depths of East San Jose by drummer and bandleader Gabby Horlick. With its fresh injection of contemporary influences into the big band format, the group is a showcase for some of the South Bay’s best young jazz talent.

“The only thing traditional about San Jose’s 7th Street Big Band is the instrumentation,” notes a KQED profile on the group, which is mostly of alums from San Jose State University. Though the project started in 2013 with band members working through classic swing material from the likes of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman, they later shifted their musical focus to include a wider variety of influences. Their music, which includes both original compositions and interpretations, can be inspired by anything from pop and funk to hip-hop, including a big band take on the Childish Gambino hit “Redbone.”

The group released their full-length debut, Off Cinderella Lane, in early 2018. Their most recent release, Best of 7th Street Big Band LIVE, compiles live recordings from concerts in 2015-2019, was released in April 2020.