Theo Croker „Love Quantum“ (USA) • Jazzkaar 2024
Live performances of American trumpeter and composer Theo Croker feel like a nocturnal city breeze, relying on graceful trumpet solos alternating with Croker’s vocal elements. The piano and the unwavering rhythm section in the background entice even the coldest Estonian to move. A touch of electronics and hip-hop adds modernity and sophistication to an already strong combination. It is a stylish ride.
Theo Croker was born in 1985 in Florida. He began playing the trumpet at the age of 11, inspired by his grandfather, Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Doc Cheatham. A versatile musician, Croker studied in the USA under the legendary Donald Byrd and later spent seven years studying and working in China. He navigates freely across various genres, from jazz and blues to salsa and hip-hop.
Croker always creates interesting, distinctive and innovative music. To date, he has recorded eight albums and a handful of EPs with original music. His fifth studio album Star People Nation was nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album at the 2020 Grammy Awards. In 2022, Theo Croker released his seventh album, Love Quantum, as well as a concert album dedicated to the music of Miles Davis, titled Sketches of Miles, recorded with the Berlin Philharmonic. Croker has collaborated with vocalists Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ari Lennox and Jill Scott, as well as rap artists J. Cole and Wyclef Jean.
Theo Croker - Trumpet LeadEric Wheeler - Double BassIdris Frederick - KeysJeremiah Collier – Drums
