Jazz Articles about Theo Croker

About Theo Croker

Album Review

"Ntu" in lingua bantu significa unità in ogni cosa. Tempo e spazio, vivi e morti, forze visibili e invisibili, fuse in un'unica visione filosofica e spirituale, profondamente legata alla cultura africana e afroamericana. Il progetto Ntu Troop di Gary Bartz si è evoluto naturalmente dallo spiritual jazz al movimento B.A.M. (Black American Music), fondendo elementi soul, funk, folk africano, hard bop e jazz d'avanguardia. Una ricchezza di suoni e di atmosfere che non solo rendono la bellezza di questa musica ...

Live Review

Stefon Harris & Blackout / Theo Croker at Miner Auditorium

by Steven Roby
December 4, 2025

Stefon Harris & Blackout/Theo Croker Miner Auditorium Terence Blanchard's UpSwing Series San Francisco, CA November 29, 2025 The UpSwing series, curated by Terence Blanchard at SFJAZZ, acts as a key indicator of the health of American improvised music. It is more than just a showcase; it functions as a laboratory. By bringing together established masters and emerging talent innovators in the expansive Miner Auditorium, the series fosters a dialogue essential for the genre's future. ...

Album Review

Gary Bartz & NTU: Damage Control

Read "Damage Control" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
September 28, 2025

After a 12-year break from the recording studio, legendary saxophonist Gary Bartz makes a powerful return with Damage Control. This deeply personal passion project honors and re-imagines the soul genre. The album showcases Bartz's unwavering curiosity and artistic evolution, transforming soulful classics into meditative, jazz-infused compositions that cross genre boundaries. At the heart of the album's unity is Bartz's core trio, featuring pianist Barney McAll and drummer Kassa Overall. This trio is often joined by a lineup of exceptional musicians ...

Extended Analysis

Dream Manifest

by Karan Khosla
September 17, 2025

Dream Manifest: Theo Croker's Studio Invocation Theo Croker is a trumpeter whose career zigzags across genres and continents earning Grammy nominations, platinum credits, and a reputation for erasing boundaries. With Dream Manifest, he pushes farther than before: a studio album built on layers, detail, and a spirit of relentless curiosity and collaboration. For this album, Croker brought his touring band off the road and straight into the studio, in addition; he lined up guests from Gary Bartz and ...

Radio & Podcasts

Theo Croker, Sarah Buechi, Jon Irabagon, Nicholas Payton and Anais Reno

by Hobart Taylor
July 23, 2025

New releases from Theo Croker, Jon Irabagon, Anais Reno and Nicholas Payton.Playlist Yuko Mabuchi “Tribute to my Homeland" from Quantum (SRG Jazz/Universal) 00:00 Satoko Fujii “ Aruku" from Dream a Dream (Libra) 9:08 Host Speaks 19:47 Jon Irabagon “At What Price Garlic" from Someone to Someone (Irabbagast) 21:09 James Brandon Lewis “Left Alone" from Abstraction is Deliverance (Intakt) 32:07 Host Speaks 41:18 Mali Obomsawin “Blood Quantum" from Sweeet Tooth (Out Of Your Head) 43:23 Nicholas Payton “A Smile ...

Album Review

Joey Alexander: Continuance

Read "Continuance" reviewed by Neil Duggan

by Neil Duggan
November 6, 2023

At some point, even a child prodigy grows up. Now 20 years old, Balinese pianist, Joey Alexander has come long way from the six- year-old exposed to Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans, the eight-year-old playing in front of Herbie Hancock and the ten-year-old winning improvisation competitions. It may be hard to believe but Continuance is his seventh release. Given his age, ability and meteoric rise, expectations are always high, perhaps unfairly so. In his expected progress ...

Album Review

Billy Valentine: Billy Valentine And The Universal Truth

Read "Billy Valentine And The Universal Truth" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
April 24, 2023

Dopo quarant'anni d'assenza dal mercato, l'etichetta Flying Dutchman torna con una produzione intensa e avvincente, che ci riporta ai suoi anni migliori. Protagonista è Billy Valentine, soul singer degli anni settanta tornato alla ribalta cinque anni fa (col sorprendente quanto ignorato Brit Eyed Soul) e qui accompagnato da formazioni che includono Jeff Parker, Joel Ross, Immanuel Wilkins, Pino Palladino, Theo Croker, Larry Goldings, Linda May Han Oh, e altri nomi di primo piano. Bob ...