Theo Croker

Grandson of trumpeter Doc Cheatham (1905-1997), Theodore Lee Croker followed the same path, learning the instrument under the tutelage of Donald Byrd at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio, from which he graduated. Born in Leesburg, Florida, on July 18, 1985, the musical prodigy recorded two independent albums, including The Fundamentals (2006) on a producer's account and the collection of covers In the Tradition (2009), in which he paid tribute to his grandfather, before going into exile in China to concentrate on his musical practice. In Shanghai, where he stayed for seven years, Theo Croker played at the House of Blues club and at the bar of the Peace Hotel, a local jazz landmark. During his stay, the trumpeter also hosted the house band on a music show. Back in the U.S., he formed a new band and made the acquaintance of singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, who produced and made a singing appearance on the album Astro Physicist (2014), his first release for the OKeh label. Croker then found his hybrid style of soul, funk, rap and electro, which he evolved over the course of his albums. Following the release of the DVRK FUNK EP (2015), in which he covers Miles Davis and Joe Henderson among others, Escape Velocity (2016) is critically acclaimed, as is its successor Star People Nation (2019), produced by Karriem Riggins and nominated for a Grammy Award, to which Chronixx, ELEW, Gold Rose and Eric Harland contribute. Croker continues to venture into new sounds on Blk2life / A Future Past (2021), featuring Gary Bartz, Ari Lennox, Iman Omari, Kassa Overall and Wyclef Jean, followed by Love Quantum (2022), in a soulful vein with Jill Scott, James Tillman, Jamila Woods, Chris Dave, Ego Ella May and Teedra Moses. He forms the Theo Croker Quartet for the orchestra Sketches of Miles recorded at the Berlin Philharmonic with Magnus Lindberg, then returns to the studio for Dream Manifest (2025).