Theo Croker Essentials

The grandson of New Orleans trumpet great Doc Cheatham, Theo Croker has become a broad-minded ambassador, stretching the tradition with all sorts of contemporary variations. A seven-year stint in China during his 20s, where he worked on television, enhanced his ecumenical ethos, and it's blossomed since he returned in 2013 to work with singer Dee Dee Bridgewater. On an early track like “Focus,” his lithe post-bop chops sparkle, and he toggles between sleek atmospheric balladry and post-Radiohead rock on “Because of You.” He's just as comfortable with hip-hop and R&B, enfolding humid lines within taut grooves, as on “The Right Time.”