In 1999, Marcus Shelby's interest in composing for jazz orchestra and his work in collaboration with the Bay Area multidisciplinary arts organization Intersection for the Arts led him to form the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra. The MSJO is comprised of some of the Bay Areas most respected and sought after young musicians. In the last six years, Shelby has written an extensive series of original compositions and suites and has orchestrated a broad survey of arrangements from great jazz big band composers Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Charles Mingus and Count Basie. Marcus has been awarded two residencies with Intersection for the Arts and in 2005 received the Creative Work Fund grant to compose an oratorio for jazz orchestra celebrating the life of Harriet Tubman.