THEO CROCKER INTERVIEW
Summum Concert Series
20
Octubre, 2024
Photos: Summum Concert Series
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In collaboration with Summum Concert Series, we had the privilege of having a brief chat with the renowned Theo Crocker.
In a brief conversation, we touch on interesting topics: Crocker’s upcoming European tour and his gig in Madrid, the members of his band, the purpose of his music, his instrument, and the music that has been influencing him lately.
In&OutJazz: Hey there, Theo. It’s a pleasure to host you as a very precious and special guest in In&OutJazz Magazine. We’re an independent journal that covers all types of music, but draws its focus from the avant-garde, contemporary, free and fresh music that is going on in this era. We’ve got up to 15 collaborators all over the world working to give a shout-out to all the artists out there that are pushing the edge in the musical and artistic scene, from which the name Theo Croker stands out significantly. We’re also supported by Europe Jazz Media, and we’re truly honored to have been invited to this Summum concert series. We’re going to head straight to this brief and short interview, for which I’m very excited. And yeah, tell us, how are you and if you’re looking forward to coming to Madrid again under the exciting program by Summum?
Theo Croker: Yes, so I’m doing very well. I’m very happy to be interviewed on this platform. I’m very much looking at coming to Madrid again. It’s actually one of my favorite cities in Spain, both because of the food, the people, but mostly the food.
Hahaha.
And yeah, I’m looking forward to it.
That sounds amazing. Right now, I’m afraid you’re in Berlin, right? Or you’re in Germany?
No, right now I’m in Montreux.
Oh, okay. Cool. And you’re coming to Germany at some point, right?
Yes, I am.
That’s awesome, man. I hope it goes great as always, for sure.
Thank you.
Tell us a little bit about the musicians with whom you’re sharing this experience with. What do you appreciate from them as a band? And what are the aspects that you admire most from each one of them? Tell us a little bit about the band that you put together, man.
Oh, great. So for this show in Madrid, I have, I’ll start with, I have two young gentlemen in my band. A drummer who’s 23, his name is Miguel Russell. He’s very young and he’s very good. He’s a wonderful drummer. He has a great sense of musicality, which is rare in drummers. He doesn’t just pound away. And he’s technically amazing for his age. I have a young pianist named Idris Frederick who has a very unique sense of music. He has a great sense of harmony and he’s very good at like cultivating kind of soundscapes with some of the keyboards and things in addition to playing piano. So it’s quite interesting. And then my longtime bassist of over 10 years, Mr. Eric Wheeler, who is one of the most, I mean, he’s like me on bass in the industry. He’s one of the most working bass players out there and he has a very strong sound. So, he’s really capable of, you know, keeping up when it comes to playing grooves and stuff like that. He keeps up with electric bass players, even though he’s playing an acoustic instrument. So, he has a beautiful sound.
That sounds amazing, man. That sounds amazing. I’m afraid you’re also collaborating with Jean Marcel and Marie, right? In other concerts, right? What do you think about them? Because I’m also aware of their young age too, right?
Yeah. I mean, I think they’re great. I mean, it’s really impressive. Yeah.
What do you appreciate most from them? Because I remember seeing you guys last year here in Madrid and my mind was blown by the drummer, right? And yeah, it just told me a little bit about them too.
Well, at that time last year, the drummer was new in the band. He had just, that was some of his first shows with us, actually. So now he’s a little more settled in, he’s done a few tours with me. And I just, I really like his musicality, you know? Like he, you know, he has his own sound and he knows all the music now. And we’ve brought out some new music from a new album that’s coming out next year.
Great!
So, it’s a little bit more, it’s just more exciting and more tight.
That’s awesome, man. What do you care for most when you’re playing live? What’s the purpose behind your music, if there is any?
Yes. I think when I’m playing live, I’m most interested in captivating the audience and giving them an experience that they can really participate in in the moment. You know, having them feel involved and, you know, having their energy inspire what we actually do in the moment. So, it’s different every night.
That’s beautiful. And is there any purpose behind this relationship you want to build with the audience? Any purpose, you know, any self-purpose, any, I don’t know, any religious motivation or anything like that?
Well, music is my religion. So, I feel like the purpose, my, you know, the reason why I’m self-motivated to do it is because I believe that music is to inspire and heal people. And in a world that we live in now and days like today, it’s very important to bring people inspiration and bring people healing through these types of vibrations.
Totally, totally, totally agree, man. That sounds totally fair.
Hahahaha.
Last two questions. I’m curious to know why at a certain point in your career did you choose the Monette trumpet?
Oh, because they’re the best trumpets you could possibly play. I’ve played all kinds of trumpets.
I was expecting that answer for sure.
You know, more importantly, I met Dave Monette during the pandemic because I was, my body, I was no longer able to play very long. I would play for a few minutes and then I would have sharp pains in my back and in my neck. And I went to feed Dave because he does a lot of craniosacral alignment, CST work. So, I didn’t actually go to him for a trumpet. But what I learned when he realigned my body was that the problems I was having were due to the normal issues of a conventional trumpet. And I discovered, I then learned that it’s been his life’s work to build trumpets that don’t injure your body. You know, over long periods of time. And it was interesting because when I got there, I couldn’t really play any of his horns. And I thought it was because they weren’t good horns. But after I got out of the sessions with him, after…, I think I did two or three days of sessions for the craniosacral work, I could play any horn on his table, any mouthpiece on his table. Like it didn’t matter. My body was aligned and the horn felt natural. So, he insisted that I don’t leave without a horn. And within actually, they built me a horn in a few days, actually, in five days. And five days later, I came back and picked it up and I haven’t turned it back since.
Man, so interesting. That’s impressive. That’s impressive.
Yeah, they’re amazing. I mean, they’re really in tune. They’re, you know, the sound, you know, they’re all individually built. So, they’re all different. But they’re just incredibly in tune. They’re fun to play. Like they really are fun to play because you just want to keep going and you want to keep exploring.
That’s it, that’s an important point.
Yeah, and they’re expensive, but, you know, you get what you pay for.
Yeah, no, no, totally.
With everything, you know.
I knew the answer. But, I mean, I appreciate everything you just said because it makes more personal, too, to get to know you better.
Absolutely.
That’s amazing. Last question, man. Very, very, very easy question. I’m very curious about it. What music are you listening to these days?
Oh, man. To be honest with you, right now, I am listening…, I was waiting for this question. I have been listening to Luther Vandross a lot. I have been listening to Luther Vandross, all of his albums. I’ve been listening to Slum Village a lot. I’ve been listening to Anita Baker. I’ve been listening to Tame Impala. And that’s about it. I’ve just been going in and out of those, you know, those artists right now, recently.
Man, that’s amazing. I like it. I like it. This is something I really, it always impresses me, man. When I ask artists about it, it’s always impressive. You would expect anything but when, yeah, when you just said all of these artists, it makes me feel in a picture of, I don’t know, Theo’s world right now, right?
Yeah.
It’s really interesting, man. Really interesting. Keep going with it.
Also, LL Cool J. He released a new album, and it’s really good hahaha.
That’s always great, yeah. That was all, man. Like, thank you a lot for tuning in. This was Theo Crocker talking about loads of interesting stuff. You’ll be able to listen to him and his band live at the Teatro San Pol in Madrid on Thursday, 31st of October. Pull up, y’all. It’s going to be great, for sure. And thank you again, Theo. And thanks to Summum Concert Series for the opportunity, man.
Yes, thank you!
It’s been a real pleasure. Yes, thank you. It’d be nice if you can turn on the camera so I can see you, man. I can wave to you and, I don’t know, see you.
See if I can get this to work.
Once more. But, oh, there you are, man. Such a great guy.
Hahahaha. ´
Well, I hope everything goes amazing these days.
Thank you.
And, I’ll see you on the 31st of October, man. It’s been awesome.
Awesome, thanks a lot. Take care, I appreciate it.
Bye, man.
Bye.