Trumpeter Theo Croker sounds like he was dropped in a time machine as he melds spacey funk and electronica on this recent release. He’s teamed with Anthony Ware/ts-fl, Michael King/p, Eric Wheeler/b and Kassa Overall/dr, but that doesn’t give the entire picture, as there is lots of trumpet overdubbing and spacey synth and keyboard effects. An opening on “Raise” includes a vocal introduction that makes you feel like you’re boarding a Star Wars ride at Disneyland. The trumpet groove on “Transcend” comes off like a astral projection of Herb Alpert’s “Lonely Bull” while hints of Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain weaves in through the whispers on “Bliss.” There are some staccato horn work on “In Orbit” that is crisp and catchy and Ware’s solo on the panoramic “This Could Be” feels like a hip CTI session. Lots of ideas-do any stick to the wall?
Okeh Records