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 album, The Fundamentals (Left Sided Music, 2007), at 20 and his second, In The Tradition (Arbors Records, 2009), at 22. When in Shanghai, he's often found onstage perfecting his art at JZ Club, Cotton Club, Sound Blue or the House of Blues and Jazz. He will be also gracing the stage at the JZ Music Festival, Shanghai's annual round-up of international stars and local artists, where Dee Dee Bridgewater will be headlining, in mid-October, 2009.
AAJ and Urbanatomy Shanghai Contributor Jenn Chan Lyman spoke with Croker in Shanghai, about his work to date, and the significant difference between New York and Shanghai jazz fans.
Check out Theo Croker: Ace of Trumps at AAJ today!
