Stephen Arnold Music has unveiled a fresh music package designed for Gray Media's broadcast coverage of the New Orleans Pelicans NBA games, further solidifying the broadcaster's distinct sonic brand across its sports offerings. The three-minute theme was recorded on location in New Orleans, featuring local session musicians. The composition cleverly integrates elements that define the city’s rich musical heritage, incorporating funk-infused drums, bass, and guitar, alongside a Hammond B3 organ with Leslie speaker, upright piano, and carefully crafted horn arrangements.
The score’s modular design allows for versatile application across various segments, including both programming and marketing initiatives. This project builds upon the established partnership between Stephen Arnold Music and Gray Media, which also includes the music for their Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball coverage. While the new theme shares some thematic DNA with the Braves package, the Pelicans theme stands out with its unique regional character. “It was a unique opportunity to do something special and regional with the music treatment,” stated Chad Cook, president and creative director at Stephen Arnold Music. “New Orleans musicians bring unique technique and musicality that’s instantly recognizable and impossible to fake.”
Gray Media holds the local broadcasting rights to all Pelicans games that are not nationally televised. These games are broadcast free-to-air to over 4.1 million households throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Coverage is also accessible via the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network in markets spanning New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Jackson, Biloxi, Mobile, and Birmingham. The music package highlights Stephen Arnold Music's continued commitment to the New Orleans music scene. The company has previously collaborated with notable artists such as The Neville Brothers, Trombone Shorty, Tab Benoit, and Big Sam’s Funky Nation. “Working in New Orleans always inspires us,” Cook added. “There’s no substitute for that feel, that swing, that deep pocket the city’s musicians bring to a session.”