Live Jazz in SF Bay

GRAMMY-nominated trumpeter, composer, producer, and bandleader Theo Croker continues to redefine the possibilities of modern jazz with his new album, DREAM MANIFEST (Dom Recs / Fat Beats, June 13). Hailed by the LA Times as “a path to jazz greatness,” Croker’s latest work is an immersive journey where jazz, experimental hip-hop, and cosmic soul collide — the result of an artist unbound by genre and led only by creative vision. With singles like the high-energy “We Still Wanna Dance” (produced by D’LEAU), the soul-laced “High Vibrations” (featuring Malaya), and the hypnotic “Crystal Waterfalls,” Croker shapes a sonic world that is both timeless and of the moment (Wall Street Journal). His unmistakable air of chill, as NPR notes, comes from “a clear musical approach and determination” — qualities that have made him a standout collaborator for artists like Ari Lennox, Common, J. Cole, Jill Scott, and Wyclef Jean, and a magnetic performer on stages from NPR’s Tiny Desk to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Croker approaches live performance with the vision of a producer and the spontaneity of a jazz artist. As DownBeat writes, he “layers music and lyrics with the deft touch of a hip-hop producer and the spontaneity of a jazz trumpeter.” From underground clubs to global festival stages, his sets unfold like cinematic suites — immersive, dynamic, and emotionally tuned to the room. His trumpet acts as both a melodic voice and a textural force, seamlessly woven into a production landscape rich with samples, synths, and sound design — all performed live with his acoustic ensemble. As VICE notes, Croker is known for pushing the boundaries of jazz, neo-soul, and hip-hop, crafting a sound that defies traditional genre classifications. That expansive approach was on full display in February 2025, when he premiered Dream Manifest live at London’s iconic Barbican Theatre in collaboration with designer Nicholas Daley. The Evening Standard called it “jazz, just not as we know it,” and Jazzwise described it as “a triumph,” praising Croker’s emotional depth, total stage control, and hinting at “a lot more to come from this assured bandleader.”

“Everything is energy," exclaims the stunning, charismatic Billboard #1 singer/songwriter Lindsey Webster. “Atoms make up everything, and they are only made of 0.0001% matter. That leaves 99.9999% space - aka energy! This simple fact is how I remember to take my focus off of this physical world and tune into my spirit." Webster, who studied cellular and molecular biology in college with the intentions of becoming a researcher, adds, “The more we tune into our own energy, the better our lives become.” Soultracks once declared, “If Carole King and Sade had a kid, she would be Lindsey Webster.” The amiable and earthy singer has managed to shake up the cliquish male and instrumental-dominated Contemporary Jazz scene, forging a path that is uniquely her own. Amazingly, in 2016, Webster became the first vocalist to hit #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz charts since Sade. All About Jazz declares, “Webster is soulful, authentic and belongs on the short list of new talents keeping the tradition alive and taking it to the next level,” while Pop Matters describes Webster’s voice as “Soulful…Effortless.” The Woodstock native’s anticipated new recording, Reasons (to be released September 9, 2022), is the next step in her evolution as an artist. “For the first time, I think I made an album for myself,” she confides. “I’ve come a long way. On my first album, little 21-year-old Lindsey was singing those songs the way I thought Mariah (Carey), Amy Winehouse, or Adele would do it. I had no idea who I was as a person, let alone as an artist. This album speaks to what I want, and in return, I think that it will connect with my audience in a deeper way.” Reasons features several major special guest collaborators, including bassist Nathan East, trumpeters Nicholas Payton and Randy Brecker, pianist Brian Culbertson (who plays trumpet and trombone on the album), Kev Choice, who raps on a track, and drummer Lil John Roberts, among others. At the heart of Lindsey’s collaborations is her long-time musical partner and former husband, pianist Keith Slattery. “I think our shared vision for the potential of what our music is capable of keeps the dream alive,” confides Lindsey. “Keith is an amazing example of understanding and compassion. I can speak for both of us when I say that relationships are given to us to learn from, whether they are romantic or not. I find it trivial and petty to throw away a great friendship and partnership over differences. Life is too short!” The winning combination of Webster and Slattery has resulted in two Billboard #1s and eight Top 10s on the Billboard charts. The highly anticipated Reasons is an intimate and introspective portrait of Lindsey Webster’s epiphany about herself and her relationships. It has all the makings of a career-defining album as she steps forward as one of the best singers of her generation, a promising songwriter, and a rarity in the world of Contemporary Jazz. The cathartic album explores not only the joyful side of love but also the heartbreak and growth from disappointment.

Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah [formerly Christian Scott] is a two-time Edison Award-winning, six-time Grammy Award-nominated, Doris Duke Award in the Arts awardee. He is a sonic architect, trumpeter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, designer of innovative technologies and musical instruments (including The Stretch Music app, Adjuah Trumpet, Siren, Sirenette, Chief Adjuah’s Bow and Chief Adjuah’s N’Goni). He is also the founder and CEO of the Stretch Music App and Recording Company. Adjuah is the Chieftain and Oba of the Xodokan Nation as well as the current Grand Griot of New Orleans. He is the grandson of Louisiana luminary and legend, the late Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr., Guardians Institute founder and Grand Griot, Herreast Harrison. And is the nephew of Jazz innovator and NEA Jazz Master saxophonist-composer, Big Chief Donald Harrison Jr. Adjuah (and his twin brother Kiel) joined his grandfather’s Guardians of the Flame banner in 1989 at the age of 5. Since 2001, Adjuah has released thirteen critically acclaimed studio recordings, four live albums, and one greatest hits collection. He is widely recognised as the progenitor of the “Stretch Music” style. A 21st-century approach that asserts genre blindness and an ethnomusicological approach to limitless fusion that heralded NPR to hail him as “Ushering in a new era of Jazz” and JazzTimes Magazine to mark him as “Jazz’s young style God” and “the architect of a commercially viable fusion”. He has collaborated with a number of notable artists, including Prince, Thom Yorke, McCoy Tyner, Marcus Miller, Flea, Eddie Palmieri, Robert Glasper, rappers Mos Def (Yasin Bey), Talib Kweli, as well as heralded poet and musician Saul Williams. Adjuah scores music for his identical twin brother, writer/director and visual artist Kiel Adrian Scott, filmic works. Scott is a Directors Guild of America Award recipient whose works have been honoured with The Peabody Award and an NAACP Image Award. Recent projects for Adjuah include film and brand partnerships with PBS’ American Masters, “The New Chief,” short film, JAZZFM’s Innovator/Innovation of the Year Award, Jazz Journalist Association Trumpeter of the Year Award, The Herb Alpert Award in the Arts, The Paul Ackett Award, Echo: Deutscher Musikpreis, a host of Downbeat Magazine’s Critics and Readers Poll’s wins for Best Composer, Best Trumpet, and Best Electric Jazz-Rock Contemporary Group. Multiple Grammy Nominations for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, Best Contemporary Jazz Album, and Best Improvised Jazz Solo. In 2017, Adjuah starred in GAP’s Skate Meet Horn campaign. The following year, 2018, saw him leading 1800 Tequila & Billboard Present: The Refined Players. Adjuah made a cameo appearance in Bill and Ted Face the Music, starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, where he plays a member of The Future Council and contributed the music for Louis Armstrong’s character. Adjuah is also featured in film and sound in the romantic drama, The Photograph, starring Issa Rae. He was inducted into the inaugural constituency of the Black Genius Brain Trust, received the Changing Worlds Peacemaker Award, and the Doris Duke Award in the Arts. This year, he became the youngest person and only Chieftain to hold the position of Grand Griot of New Orleans, as well as becoming the face of the First-ever BMW XM, starring in BMW’s #fortheXminded campaign of commercials commemorating the release of the new vehicle for 2023.

Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah [formerly Christian Scott] is a two-time Edison Award-winning, six-time Grammy Award-nominated, Doris Duke Award in the Arts awardee. He is a sonic architect, trumpeter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, designer of innovative technologies and musical instruments (including The Stretch Music app, Adjuah Trumpet, Siren, Sirenette, Chief Adjuah’s Bow and Chief Adjuah’s N’Goni). He is also the founder and CEO of the Stretch Music App and Recording Company. Adjuah is the Chieftain and Oba of the Xodokan Nation as well as the current Grand Griot of New Orleans. He is the grandson of Louisiana luminary and legend, the late Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr., Guardians Institute founder and Grand Griot, Herreast Harrison. And is the nephew of Jazz innovator and NEA Jazz Master saxophonist-composer, Big Chief Donald Harrison Jr. Adjuah (and his twin brother Kiel) joined his grandfather’s Guardians of the Flame banner in 1989 at the age of 5. Since 2001, Adjuah has released thirteen critically acclaimed studio recordings, four live albums, and one greatest hits collection. He is widely recognised as the progenitor of the “Stretch Music” style. A 21st-century approach that asserts genre blindness and an ethnomusicological approach to limitless fusion that heralded NPR to hail him as “Ushering in a new era of Jazz” and JazzTimes Magazine to mark him as “Jazz’s young style God” and “the architect of a commercially viable fusion”. He has collaborated with a number of notable artists, including Prince, Thom Yorke, McCoy Tyner, Marcus Miller, Flea, Eddie Palmieri, Robert Glasper, rappers Mos Def (Yasin Bey), Talib Kweli, as well as heralded poet and musician Saul Williams. Adjuah scores music for his identical twin brother, writer/director and visual artist Kiel Adrian Scott, filmic works. Scott is a Directors Guild of America Award recipient whose works have been honoured with The Peabody Award and an NAACP Image Award. Recent projects for Adjuah include film and brand partnerships with PBS’ American Masters, “The New Chief,” short film, JAZZFM’s Innovator/Innovation of the Year Award, Jazz Journalist Association Trumpeter of the Year Award, The Herb Alpert Award in the Arts, The Paul Ackett Award, Echo: Deutscher Musikpreis, a host of Downbeat Magazine’s Critics and Readers Poll’s wins for Best Composer, Best Trumpet, and Best Electric Jazz-Rock Contemporary Group. Multiple Grammy Nominations for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, Best Contemporary Jazz Album, and Best Improvised Jazz Solo. In 2017, Adjuah starred in GAP’s Skate Meet Horn campaign. The following year, 2018, saw him leading 1800 Tequila & Billboard Present: The Refined Players. Adjuah made a cameo appearance in Bill and Ted Face the Music, starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, where he plays a member of The Future Council and contributed the music for Louis Armstrong’s character. Adjuah is also featured in film and sound in the romantic drama, The Photograph, starring Issa Rae. He was inducted into the inaugural constituency of the Black Genius Brain Trust, received the Changing Worlds Peacemaker Award, and the Doris Duke Award in the Arts. This year, he became the youngest person and only Chieftain to hold the position of Grand Griot of New Orleans, as well as becoming the face of the First-ever BMW XM, starring in BMW’s #fortheXminded campaign of commercials commemorating the release of the new vehicle for 2023.

Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah [formerly Christian Scott] is a two-time Edison Award-winning, six-time Grammy Award-nominated, Doris Duke Award in the Arts awardee. He is a sonic architect, trumpeter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, designer of innovative technologies and musical instruments (including The Stretch Music app, Adjuah Trumpet, Siren, Sirenette, Chief Adjuah’s Bow and Chief Adjuah’s N’Goni). He is also the founder and CEO of the Stretch Music App and Recording Company. Adjuah is the Chieftain and Oba of the Xodokan Nation as well as the current Grand Griot of New Orleans. He is the grandson of Louisiana luminary and legend, the late Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr., Guardians Institute founder and Grand Griot, Herreast Harrison. And is the nephew of Jazz innovator and NEA Jazz Master saxophonist-composer, Big Chief Donald Harrison Jr. Adjuah (and his twin brother Kiel) joined his grandfather’s Guardians of the Flame banner in 1989 at the age of 5. Since 2001, Adjuah has released thirteen critically acclaimed studio recordings, four live albums, and one greatest hits collection. He is widely recognised as the progenitor of the “Stretch Music” style. A 21st-century approach that asserts genre blindness and an ethnomusicological approach to limitless fusion that heralded NPR to hail him as “Ushering in a new era of Jazz” and JazzTimes Magazine to mark him as “Jazz’s young style God” and “the architect of a commercially viable fusion”. He has collaborated with a number of notable artists, including Prince, Thom Yorke, McCoy Tyner, Marcus Miller, Flea, Eddie Palmieri, Robert Glasper, rappers Mos Def (Yasin Bey), Talib Kweli, as well as heralded poet and musician Saul Williams. Adjuah scores music for his identical twin brother, writer/director and visual artist Kiel Adrian Scott, filmic works. Scott is a Directors Guild of America Award recipient whose works have been honoured with The Peabody Award and an NAACP Image Award. Recent projects for Adjuah include film and brand partnerships with PBS’ American Masters, “The New Chief,” short film, JAZZFM’s Innovator/Innovation of the Year Award, Jazz Journalist Association Trumpeter of the Year Award, The Herb Alpert Award in the Arts, The Paul Ackett Award, Echo: Deutscher Musikpreis, a host of Downbeat Magazine’s Critics and Readers Poll’s wins for Best Composer, Best Trumpet, and Best Electric Jazz-Rock Contemporary Group. Multiple Grammy Nominations for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, Best Contemporary Jazz Album, and Best Improvised Jazz Solo. In 2017, Adjuah starred in GAP’s Skate Meet Horn campaign. The following year, 2018, saw him leading 1800 Tequila & Billboard Present: The Refined Players. Adjuah made a cameo appearance in Bill and Ted Face the Music, starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, where he plays a member of The Future Council and contributed the music for Louis Armstrong’s character. Adjuah is also featured in film and sound in the romantic drama, The Photograph, starring Issa Rae. He was inducted into the inaugural constituency of the Black Genius Brain Trust, received the Changing Worlds Peacemaker Award, and the Doris Duke Award in the Arts. This year, he became the youngest person and only Chieftain to hold the position of Grand Griot of New Orleans, as well as becoming the face of the First-ever BMW XM, starring in BMW’s #fortheXminded campaign of commercials commemorating the release of the new vehicle for 2023.