BLK2LIFE || A FUTURE PAST by Theo Croker - DeepRiffs

ALBUM

Having embraced an ever-more contemporary space-funk vibe, trumpeter Theo Croker offers his most languid, R&B-infused production to date with 2021's BLK2LIFE || A FUTURE PAST. The album picks up on the Afro-futurist grooves of 2019's Star People Nation as Croker crafts a loosely conceptual atmosphere centered on themes of Black identity, reclamation of culture and ancestry, and pushing ever higher toward an enlightened future. It's a sound that's admittedly far afield of the acoustic post-bop that marked much of 2014's Afro Physicist, but one which feels like a natural extension of the '70s-inspired funk, fusion, and hip-hop that he's explored since. While hypnotic jazz-fusion and R&B are at the core of Croker's sound here, this is also one of his most pop-oriented albums, and cuts like the title track and "Happy Feet (For Dancers)," featuring singer Malaya, marry his warm trumpet lines with an infectious blend of electronic and analog rhythms. Helping Croker elevate his cross-pollinated sound are a handful of special guests, including Wyclef Jean, who outlines Croker's worldview on "State of the Union 444 || Blk2thefuture," rapping, "If you really wanna help build generational wealth, the best help is to help the people help themselves." Equally potent sentiments arrive via vocalist Ari Lennox on the effervescent ballad "Every Part of Me" and vocalist Iman Omari on the lucid, tropical dreamscape "No More Maybe." We also get vibrant contributions from saxophonist Gary Bartz, drummer/vocalist Kassa Overall, and singer Charlotte Dos Santos. With BLK2LIFE || A FUTURE PAST, Croker underlines his reputation as a jazz world builder, bridging new age space-jazz and hooky, contemporary R&B. ~ Matt Collar

1. 4KNOWLEDGE

Performer: Theo Croker; Performer
Arranger: Theo Croker; Composer
Composer: Theo Croker; Composer
Lyricist: Theo Croker; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Alex Deturk; Production
Mixing Engineer: Theo Croker
Todd Carder; Production
Producer: Theo Croker; Production
Recording: Todd Carder; Production

2. Soul Call || Vibrate

Bass: Eric Wheeler; Performer
Drums: Shekwoaga Ode; Performer
Electric Guitar: Jeff Parker; Performer
Keyboard: Michael King; Performer
Performer: Theo Croker; Performer
Woodwind: Anthony Ware; Performer
Arranger: Theo Croker; Composer
Composer: Theo Croker; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Alex Deturk; Production
Mixing Engineer: Todd Carder
Theo Croker; Production
Producer: Theo Croker; Production
Recording: Todd Carder; Production

3. Just Be (Prelude)

Acoustic Bass: Eric Wheeler; Performer
Performer: Theo Croker; Performer
Piano: Michael King; Performer
Trumpet: Theo Croker; Performer
Arranger: Theo Croker; Composer
Composer: Theo Croker; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Alex Deturk; Production
Mixing Engineer: Todd Carder
Theo Croker; Production
Producer: Theo Croker; Production
Recording: Todd Carder; Production

4. Every Part of Me (feat. Ari Lennox)

by Theo Croker, Ari Lennox

Background Vocals: Ego Ella May; Performer
Bass: Eric Wheeler; Performer
Drums: Shekwoaga Ode; Performer
Keyboard: Michael King; Performer
Performer: Theo Croker
Ari Lennox; Performer
Vocals: Ari Lennox; Performer
Arranger: Theo Croker; Composer
Composer: Ego Ella May
Theo Croker; Composer
Lyricist: Ari Lennox
Ego Ella May; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Alex Deturk; Production
Mixing Engineer: Todd Carder
Theo Croker; Production
Producer: Theo Croker; Production
Recording: Todd Carder; Production

5. Anthem (feat. Gary Bartz)

by Theo Croker, Gary Bartz

Bass: Eric Wheeler; Performer
Drums: Shekwoaga Ode
Kassa Overall; Performer
Keyboard: Michael King; Performer
Performer: Theo Croker
Gary Bartz; Performer
Saxophone: Gary Bartz; Performer
Arranger: Theo Croker; Composer
Composer: Theo Croker; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Alex Deturk; Production
Mixing Engineer: Theo Croker
Todd Carder; Production
Producer: Theo Croker; Production
Recording: Todd Carder
Daniel Goldsmith; Production

6. Lucid Dream (feat. Charlotte Dos Santos)

by Theo Croker, Charlotte Dos Santos

Bass: Eric Wheeler; Performer
Drums: Shekwoaga Ode; Performer
Keyboard: Michael King; Performer
Performer: Theo Croker
Charlotte Dos Santos; Performer
Vocals: Charlotte Dos Santos; Performer
Arranger: Theo Croker; Composer
Composer: Charlotte Dos Santos
Theo Croker; Composer
Lyricist: Charlotte Dos Santos; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Alex Deturk; Production
Mixing Engineer: Theo Croker
Todd Carder; Production
Producer: Theo Croker; Production
Recording: Todd Carder
Charlotte Dos Santos; Production

7. Where Will You Go (feat. Kassa Overall)

by Theo Croker, Kassa Overall

Acoustic Bass: Eric Wheeler; Performer
Drums: Shekwoaga Ode; Performer
Keyboard: Michael King; Performer
Performer: Theo Croker
Kassa Overall; Performer
Vocals: Kassa Overall; Performer
Arranger: Theo Croker
Kassa Overall; Composer
Composer: Kassa Overall
Theo Croker; Composer
Lyricist: Kassa Overall; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Alex Deturk; Production
Mixing Engineer: Kassa Overall
Todd Carder
Theo Croker; Production
Producer: Theo Croker; Production
Recording: Todd Carder; Production

8. No More Maybe (feat. Iman Omari)

by Theo Croker, Iman Omari

Bass: Eric Wheeler; Performer
Keyboard: Michael King; Performer
Percussion: Shekwoaga Ode; Performer
Performer: Theo Croker
Iman Omari; Performer
Vocals: Iman Omari; Performer
Arranger: Theo Croker; Composer
Composer: Theo Croker
Iman Omari; Composer
Lyricist: Iman Omari; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Alex Deturk; Production
Mixing Engineer: Kassa Overall
Theo Croker
Todd Carder; Production
Producer: Theo Croker; Production
Recording: Todd Carder; Production

9. Happy Feet (for dancers) (feat. Malaya)

by Theo Croker, Malaya

Alto Saxophone: Anthony Ware; Performer
Bass: Eric Wheeler; Performer
Drums: Shekwoaga Ode; Performer
Keyboard: Michael King; Performer
Performer: Theo Croker
Malaya; Performer
Vocals: Malaya; Performer
Arranger: Theo Croker; Composer
Composer: Malaya
Theo Croker; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Alex Deturk; Production
Mixing Engineer: Todd Carder
Theo Croker; Production
Producer: Theo Croker; Production
Recording: Todd Carder
Darren Elplant; Production

10. Imperishable Star

Bass: Eric Wheeler; Performer
Drums: Shekwoaga Ode; Performer
Keyboard: Michael King; Performer
Performer: Theo Croker; Performer
Trumpet: Theo Croker; Performer
Arranger: Theo Croker; Composer
Composer: Theo Croker; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Alex Deturk; Production
Mixing Engineer: Theo Croker
Todd Carder; Production
Producer: Theo Croker; Production
Recording: Todd Carder; Production

11. State Of The Union 444 || BLK2THEFUTURE (feat. Wyclef Jean)

by Theo Croker, Wyclef Jean

Drums: Kassa Overall; Performer
Performer: Theo Croker
Wyclef Jean; Performer
Vocals: Wyclef Jean; Performer
Arranger: Kassa Overall
Theo Croker; Composer
Composer: Theo Croker
Kassa Overall
Wyclef Jean; Composer
Lyricist: Wyclef Jean; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Alex Deturk; Production
Mixing Engineer: Kassa Overall
Todd Carder
Theo Croker; Production
Producer: Theo Croker
Kassa Overall; Production
Recording: Kassa Overall
Todd Carder
Alberto Vaccarino; Production

12. Hero Stomp || A Future Past

Acoustic Bass: Eric Wheeler; Performer
Drums: Shekwoaga Ode; Performer
Keyboard: Michael King; Performer
Performer: Theo Croker; Performer
Woodwind: Anthony Ware; Performer
Arranger: Theo Croker; Composer
Composer: Theo Croker; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Alex Deturk; Production
Mixing Engineer: Theo Croker
Todd Carder; Production
Producer: Theo Croker; Production
Recording: Todd Carder; Production

13. Pathways

Acoustic Bass: Eric Wheeler; Performer
Drums: Shekwoaga Ode; Performer
Keyboard: Michael King; Performer
Performer: Theo Croker; Performer
Trumpet: Theo Croker; Performer
Woodwind: Anthony Ware; Performer
Arranger: Eric Wheeler
Shekwoaga Ode
Michael King
Theo Croker; Composer
Composer: Theo Croker; Composer
Mastering Engineer: Alex Deturk; Production
Mixing Engineer: Todd Carder
Theo Croker; Production
Producer: Theo Croker; Production
Recording: Todd Carder; Production

Technical Specifications

Volume

1 volume only

Tracks

13 tracks available

Type

ALBUM

Format

Digital Media

Duration

48 minutes and 37 seconds

Explicit

None

Coverart

Available and up to 1000x1000 px

Booklet

Not available

Max Quality

CD Quality (Lossless)

16bit / 44.1 kHz

Stereo

Audio Extension

Lossless: FLAC, M4A, WAV, WV, AIFF

Lossy: AAC, MP3, M4A, MP4, OGA, OGG, OPUS, WMA

Archive Format

Available in these formats: ZIP, TAR, RAR

Lyrics

No lyrics found

Synchronized Lyrics

No synced lyrics found

Genres

Jazz

Label

Masterworks

Music Distribution Service

SME Mora Qualitas

Country

United States

Language

No linguistic content

Popularity

Release Date

Sep 23, 2021

Track Preview

Available

Delivery Charge

Free

Delivery Method

Digital download link via Email or Personal Dashboard on this site

UPC

886449090280