Jazzed Up: The Shanghai Jazz Festival
The annual Shanghai Jazz Festival has been picking up steam in recent years, and 2010 looks to continue that trend. From big names to brand new bands, this festival provides the perfect opportunity to check out the rapidly growing jazz presence in Shanghai. What’s particularly wonderful about this type of music is that you can truly enjoy it whether you’re a jazz aficionado or a brand new listener. As the festival grows, bigger acts have hopped... 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, including two sax players, which enables him to write some terrific... 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
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 characteristic of A Swinging Affair At Cotton’s is that trumpeter... 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 now. No better place than the o.g. House, where the sound will most likely... 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 at 11 and has been a virtuoso ever since, recording his first... Read More
JZ Music Festival
I sat down to talk with Theo over Crazy Iced Teas and beers at Mesa Manifesto. It was an early happy hour for me as I waited for the man to arrive. Our interview was delayed by the bane of many a foreigner’s existence here in Shanghai – a visit to the Pudong visa office gone long. Add to that a short-lived thunderstorm/downpour that brings traffic to a whimper and I’m on my second Iced Tea when an apologetic Theo arrives. After ordering a Hoegaarden... Read More
Sound Blue: Friday Night Jazz
Friday night, 9:25 pm. I’m ready to be blown away by Sound Blue, the new jazz club on Sinan Lu. The moment I walk in, I’m struck by how small the space is. Another few steps in and I’m relieved by the tall ceilings. Intimate yet not claustrophobic. The interior is simple: exposed brick and mahogany furnishings with framed black and whites of jazz greats on the walls – this bar is dedicated to the music. The lighting is bright... Read More
