JAZZ@theEDGE FESTIVAL

Theo Croker Sessions

ALITA MOSES (vocals)
PAUL CORNISH (piano)
JONATHAN PINSON (drums)
ERIC WHEELER (bass)
DANNY JANKLOW (sax)
THEO CROKER (Host+Trumpet)

Seating times: 6:00pm, 8:00pm, & 10:00pm

Theo Croker is a storyteller who speaks through his trumpet. A creative who refuses boundaries, the GRAMMY® Award-nominated artist, composer, producer, thought leader, and influencer who projects his voice through the music.

After seven years of sojourn in Shanghai, Croker crash-landed with a simmering original sound on the 2014 Dee Dee Bridgewater-assisted album Afro Physicist. Following the success of Escape Velocity in 2016, he ascended to a new stratosphere with Star People Nation in 2019. The record garnered a nomination in the category of “Best Contemporary Instrumental Album” at the 62nd GRAMMY® Awards. It attracted widespread critical acclaim including Stereogum, Paste, and The New York Times who called it “an album that gallivants from swirling, left-field hip-hop beats to propellant swing to entrancing passages of African percussion. Through it all, Croker’s understated trumpet playing holds his small band together with swagger and poise.”

Along the way, he also lent his sound to platinum-selling albums by everyone from J. Cole to Ari Lennox while touring his band across the globemany times over.

In 2020, he hunkered down at his childhood home in the midst of the global pandemicand wrote his sixth full-length album, releasing fall 2021 [Sony Music Masterworks].

DANNY JANKLOW

“When one considers the outstanding young jazz musicians in LA who are most likely to move the music forward, alto saxophonist Danny Janklow is in front of the pack.”  – Los Angeles Times.

Grammy winning saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer Danny Janklow is quickly gaining international recognition for his soulful and innovative musical voice. His heart-felt, passionate, and highly energetic music has reached and inspired thousands of listeners from Japan to Holland to Mexico.  With over 100,000 online followers, over 1.3M streams and over 2.5M video views, he has amassed a global following.

Danny has toured and recorded with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Kendrick Lamar, Jason Moran, Herbie Hancock, Gregory Porter, Wayne Shorter, George Benson, Jose James, Wynton & Branford Marsalis, Benny Golson, John Beasley, Ben Williams, Jason Moran, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Bill Holman Big Band, Jimmy Heath and other top artists.

Danny had released two critically acclaimed recordings with his Elevation Band.  His debut album “Elevation” garnered rave reviews by the LA Times, Downbeat, and others.  It maintained a top position for over 16 weeks on JazzWeek Charts, and the track “Philaphornia” remained at #1 on Spotify’s jazz chart playlist for 12 weeks.  His second release “Worlds Collide” continued to attract critical acclaim and global listeners. He will soon release his first live album.

Janklow is renowned for his live performances, often described as “emotionally charged” and “vibrant celebrations,” leaving his listeners wanting more.

ALITA MOSES

Singer, songwriter and entertainer — and the youngest ever winner of the 2014 Shure Montreux Jazz Vocal competition —Alita Moses has performed with Al Jarreau, Chris Botti, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jacob Collier, and many others. She has appeared on the Late Show with Colbert, with the Christian McBride Big Band, and with Al Jarreau at festivals.  Having toured Europe and the international festival circuit, Alita has earned a world-wide reputation of bringing a natural warmth to every stage.  She astounds audiences with grace, soul, and a musical maturity beyond her years.  “Music is a beautiful tool and power that changes lives and breaks barriers!”