Founded by Glickman in 2002, the non-profit Symphonic Jazz Orchestra (SJO) was joined two years later by George Duke as a co-music director, who helped to shape the orchestra over the next decade. Duke was featured in concert with the SJO throughout his involvement and was commissioned to write a new work for the orchestra featuring bassist Christian McBride. The work was premiered in 2011 and instantly, everyone knew this was a work that needed to be recorded.