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PRESS RELEASES

Theo Croker Premieres New Track “THE MESSENGER (FEAT. ELEW)”

THEO CROKER
PREMIERES NEW TRACK
“THE MESSENGER (FEAT. ELEW)”
“‘The Messenger’ is a testament to Croker’s firm standing within
the realm of jazz and shows that his upcoming album will
undoubtedly be one to remember.” – EARMILK
ADDS TOUR DATES IN LOS ANGELES, SAN FRANCISCO
& AT PORTLAND’S SOUL’D OUT FESTIVAL
TOUR STOPS ANNOUNCED THROUGH JUNE 2019 – DATES HERE
Trumpeter, producer, arranger, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist THEO CROKER today debuts “The Messenger,” the newest track off his forthcoming full-length album, Star People Nation (Masterworks), due out later this year. Featuring jazz pianist ELEW, “The Messenger” pairs a smoky blues piano with a traditional swing rhythm, locking into the pocket and showcasing Croker’s musical mastery – listen here. The track has already garnered critical acclaim, with EARMILK calling it “a testament to Croker’s firm standing within the realm of jazz and shows that his upcoming album will undoubtedly be one to remember.”
The follow-up to January’s release of Star People Nation lead track “Subconscious Flirtations and Titillations,” “The Messenger” is yet another example of the versatility explored throughout the entirety of Croker’s forthcoming album. Star People Nation is the musician’s most personal project yet, something Croker describes as an intimate exploration of “the everyday rituals of blackness.” A translation of his personal, spiritual and creative experience, Star People Nation is a self-reflective collection of provocative, powerfully passionate and boundary-busting compositions that speak to our greater, shared human existence.
2019 THEO CROKER – STAR PEOPLE NATION TOUR DATES
Tue, March 5 | Clermont-Ferrand, France | La Cooperative de Mai
Fri, March 8 | Faches-Thumesnil, France | Centre Musical Les Arcades
Sat, March 9 | Minden, Germany | Jazz Club Minden
Mon, March 11 | Berlin, Germany | Gretchen
Wed, March 13 | Vienna, Austria | Porgy & Bess
Thu, March 14 | Clermont-Ferrand, France | La Cooperative de Mai
Fri, March 15 | Friedrichshafen, Germany | Kulturufer Friedrichshafen
Sat, March 16 | Brno, Czech Republic | Jazz Fest Brno
Wed, March 20 | Paris, France | New Morning
Fri, March 22 | Caen, France | Théâtre
Sun, March 24 | St. Moritz, Switzerland | Festival De Jazz St. Moritz (Pre-Show)
Thu, May 9 | Norfolk, VA | Virginia Arts Festival
Fri, May 10 | Germantown, MD | BlackRock Center for the Arts
Sat, May 11 | Washington, D.C. | The Arc
Weds, May 22 – Sun, May 26 | San Francisco, CA | Black Cat
Thu, June 13 – Sun, June 16 | New York, NY | Jazz Standard
TO STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL TOURING NEWS PLEASE VISIT THEOCROKER.COM
ABOUT THEO CROKER
As the grandson of the late venerable trumpeter Doc Cheatham, and former student of legendary jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd, trumpeter, composer, bandleader and multi-instrumentalist Theo Crokernaturally follows an internal need to compose. Learning to play the trumpet at age 11 after hearing Cheatham play in New York City, by his teens Croker was studying music formally at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville followed by the Music Conservatory at Oberlin College. Launching his career with seven years spent in Shanghai, Croker first introduced his singular style in 2014 on the Dee Dee Bridgewater-assisted AfroPhysicist. His 2016 follow-up, Escape Velocity, marked a watershed moment for the artist, with the Wall Street Journal extolling the album as “timeless and of-the-moment.” Croker has also lent his talents to the world of hip hop, with rap superstar J. Cole’splatinum-certified No. 1 opus 4 Your Eyez Only, with Croker acting as trumpet arranger and performer on multiple tracks. GRAMMY® Award-winning rapper Common also sought out Croker for his critically-acclaimed album Black America Again.
Sony Music Masterworks comprises Masterworks, Sony Classical, OKeh, Portrait, and Masterworks Broadway imprints. For email updates and information please visit, www.SonyMusicMasterworks.com