Theodore Lee Croker (born July 18, 1985) is an American jazz trumpeter, composer, producer, and vocalist. He is a three-time Grammy Award nominee, three-time Echo Award nominee, and a Presser Award winner. A grandson of the trumpeter Doc Cheatham and a student of the legendary jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd, Theo Croker is an artist deeply connected to the jazz tradition. He is well versed in swing, be-bop and acoustic modal jazz. Croker’s original music reveals his love of organic funk, soul and hip-hop music with a dash of groove. Crocker has released seven studio albums. He began playing trumpet at age 11, inspired by his grandfather. He studied at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he majored in jazz. While there, he was mentored by legendary trumpeter Donald Byrd. Theo Croker himself jokingly says that his music would have delighted his forward-thinking and ahead-of-his-time musical mentor, whose funk-jazz albums from the 1970s are apparently his bedside reading. His reach includes collaborations with a variety of musicians such as Ari Lennox and Jill Scott, Chris Dave, Ela May, Gary Bartz, James Tillman, Jamila Woods, Cass Overall, Teedra Moses and mentors including NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater and saxophonist Gary Bartz.
The Financial Times says: “Theo Croker’s music comes from the heart of the jazz tradition. He is attracting more and more jazz fans by playing jazz and everything else that came after jazz.” Theo Croker will be playing at the Bansko Jazz Festival with his quartet.