In The Tradition
Carrying on “In the Tradition” of his grandfather, Doc Cheatham, Theo Croker presents his debut album on Arbors Records. “Theo is honoring his lineage as the grandson of the legendary Doc Cheatham… On first hearing his trumpet on this immediately distinctive recording, I was struck by his “signature sound” – personal and indeed “in... Read More
The Fundamentals
A great teacher once told me “Some people want to play music and some people have to play music” To me, music feeds the soul of anyone who is willing to connect to it. This connection can be established through composition, academic study, performance, or simply opening your ears. Since music has had such a profound influence on my life and spirit, I feel the desire to similarly... Read More
JAZZ IN THE ORIENT
Theo Croker’s The Path of Transcendence was an uplifting musical experience. As well as being a more-than-able trumpeter, Theo is also a highly skilled composer. His suite of jazz inflected reflections on life in Shanghai covers a lot of musical territory, from New Orleans second-line, through reggae and of course, jazz. He writes tastefully for all of the instruments in his sextet,... Read More
Theo Croker Offers the Real Jazz Deal
Theo Croker, the ubiquitous trumpeter and composer from New York, believes in the real deal. His pursuit of music is based on individuality, personality and integrity, where an artist transcends tradition and creates his own voice. Croker and his sextet will perform a jazz concert, “Path of Transcendence,” this Sunday at Shanghai Oriental Art Center. Shanghai Daily Read More
Theo Croker talks with City Weekend
March 7 I’m going to be premiering a piece of music I commissioned myself to write for Shanghai. It’s called “The Path of Transcendence”, which is the translation from the Chinese name. I’m writing it for Shanghai, forCchina, to show my artistic appreciation for being able to grow here. Theo Croker chats with City Weekend Read More
Jazz Theocracy
He’s cool and laidback on stage, but trumpet player Theo Croker’s youthful energy – and now, as he pushes his musical ambitions and starts a new gig on the night-time talk show Asia Uncut with Jon Niermann, the jazz artist is building even more of an audience. Read Full Article: Shanghai Talk Magazine Read More
Asia Uncut Season 2: In Shanghai!
If you missed checking out The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien the last time you were in LA, now’s your chance to be part of a talk show studio audience with Asia Uncut, which is coming to Shanghai to tape its second season. This English-language talk show is pretty much the first of its kind for Asia; among the highlights of the show’s debut season, filmed on location in... Read More
Wednesday Night Swing
The quartet “Theo Croker 4 Swing” has been bringing A Swinging Affair At Cotton’s for the past three Wednesdays. It is quite a special little get-up they have going on here, with the musicians on the floor right beside the patrons, sitting on the same plush red chairs that is so Cotton’s, and playing as if they were in their own living rooms. The other remarkable... Read More
Jenn at House of Blues & Jazz: Monday Night Jazz
I’m at the House of Blues & Jazz on a Monday night, not for a random drop-by as I rarely grace the construction-choked streets of the Bund unless there’s a special reason or another. Tonight’s special reason is original music. Tunes written by the players on stage are a special treat when you’ve been around town listening to covers of standards for a couple of months... Read More
Theo Croker : Ace Of Trumpet (interviewed at AAJ)
If you’ve never seen Theo Croker before, he’s a pretty easy one to spot. He’s the one with the trumpet by his side at all times. The neat dreadlocks and mischievous glint in his eye are also dead giveaways. Having grown up in the U.S. in a musically oriented family, Croker was introduced to the world of jazz and the blues at a young age. He picked up the trumpet... Read More
