Chicago saxophonist Jim Gailloreto's The Pythiad is a multi-movement composition written for voice, string quartet, soprano saxophone and string bass, performed by his Jazz String Quintet and featuring jazz vocalist Cheryl Wilson. Blending classical music and modern jazz, Gailloreto interweaves improvisation with skilled post-impressionistic modernist writing through nine movements, each framing the tales of lesser know Greek heroes with contemporary language, metaphors, and slang; their story being transformed for a modern audience. Old myths are mixed with tropes of '80s action cinema, video games, disaster films, as well as the lyricist's perspectives of medicine, athletics, gender and faith. Through story and song, each movement examines human nature and heroism, and all the imperfections underneath the surface.