THEO CROKER Vinyl & CDs

Review: Croker says "It's a love story" of his Love Quantum album. It arrived i 2007 as a fantastic debut record from the Grammy nominated artist and took listens on a deep journey through romantic emotions. As it travelled across space and time it offers up a shared human experience and focusses on love in al its forms - "love of a friend, love of a partner, love of a parent, love of yourself and a love of life". This one comes on special coloured vinyl and it sounds as good now as it ever has done.

Review: The genius of trumpeter, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Theo Croker's work has always been his ability to meld more traditional spiritual jazz sounds - not to mention modal and post-bop - with elements of contemporary soul, R&B and hip-hop. "Star People Nation", Croker's first album for three years, continues this approach, flitting between starry, decidedly intergalactic workouts ("Have You Come To Stay", "Subconscious Flirtations & Titillations"), seductive vocal numbers (the twinkling jazz-soul of the Rose Gold voiced "Getaway Gold"), deep, head-nodding jams ("Wide Open", "Portrait Of William") and fizzing dancefloor escapades (the brilliant "Just Let It Ride" and off-kilter Afro-jazz epic "Alkebulan").