Theo Croker Releases Hypnotic New Single “Crystal Waterfalls”

Third Single from Forthcoming Album ‘Dream Manifest’ Out June 13 via Dom Recs

New Track Follows Singles "High Vibrations" and "We Still Wanna Dance”

Downbeat Cover Story On Newsstands May 26

“Theo Croker finds a path to jazz greatness on ‘dream manifest’” - LA Times

“[Theo’s music is] timeless and of the moment.” - Wall Street Journal 

"Theo Croker [has] an unmistakable air of chill… That chill is the result of a clear musical approach and determination." - NPR

May 14, 2025 — GRAMMY-nominated trumpeter, composer, producer, and vocalist Theo Croker returns today with “Crystal Waterfalls," the third single from his forthcoming album, ‘Dream Manifest,’ out June 13 via Dom Recs. Following the first two high-energy singles, “We Still Wanna Dance” produced by D’LEAU, and “High Vibrations” featuring Malaya, Croker now shifts gears with “Crystal Waterfalls,” descending into hypnotic introspection that fuses jazz with warped, experimental hip-hop. Shimmering hi-hats, subdued synths, and Croker’s signature trumpet flair weave a transcendent track, proving the upcoming album refuses to be confined by genre. With each release, Croker further cements Dream Manifest as one of 2025’s most anticipated and boundary-pushing jazz albums.

Croker’s upcoming album has already drawn critical acclaim, with the LA Times stating, “Theo Croker finds a path to jazz greatness on ‘dream manifest’ by unlearning the rules of the genre. It’s that eclecticism and adventurous spirit that propels his excellent upcoming album, where he lets the full scope of his imagination wander…”—read the full feature here. 

A relentless innovator, Croker has contributed to platinum-selling albums by J. Cole, Ari Lennox, and Common, collaborated with the Berlin Philharmonic, and delivered show-stopping performances on NPR’s Tiny Desk and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. His genre-bending approach continues to reshape contemporary music, blending jazz tradition with forward-thinking innovation in ways that consistently captivate audiences and critics worldwide.

Recently previewing Dream Manifest on WNYC’s All of It with Alison Stewart, Croker continues to push jazz into thrilling new territories, fusing hip-hop, R&B, and cosmic experimentalism into a sound entirely his own—listen here.

Croker first picked up the trumpet after being inspired by his grandfather, the GRAMMY-winning jazz trumpeter Doc Cheatham, and later attended Oberlin Conservatory, where he was mentored by Donald Byrd. After graduation, he spent seven years between Shanghai and New York, immersing himself in diverse musical collaborations that shaped his signature sound. His major label debut album, Afrophysicist (Sony Masterworks)—produced with Dee Dee Bridgewater—is a result of these collaborations. On Dream Manifest, Croker continues to honor jazz and funk while seeing how far he can take them through his exploration of other genres.

‘DREAM MANIFEST’ TRACKLISTING

prelude 3

one pillow [feat Estelle & Kass Overall]

64 joints [feat Tyreek McDole]

up frequency (higher) [feat MAAD]

light as a feather [feat Gary Bartz & Natureboy Flako]

high vibrations [feat Malaya & D'LEAU]

crystal waterfalls

we still wanna dance [feat D’LEAU]

postlude 3

THEO CROKER TOUR

March 19-23 - Smoke Super Club NYC

May 1 - Demetrius Jazz Alley - Seattle, WA

May 2 - Demetrius Jazz Alley - Seattle, WA

May 3 - Demetrius Jazz Alley - Seattle, WA

May 4 - Demetrius Jazz Alley - Seattle, WA

May 5 - Berlin, (DE) Club Gretchen 

May 10 - Liege (BE) Uhoda Jazz A Liege Festival

May 11 - Budapest (HU) Mupa

May 14 - Paris (FR) New Morning

May 15 - Logrono, (ES) 

May 16 - Girona, (ES)

May 17 - Girona, (ES)

May 20 - Katowice (PL) JazzKlub NOSPR

May 21 - Jasmine Club (Warsaw, PL)

May 23 - Blue Note Jazz Club Poznań, Poland

May 24 - Gdansk, Poland (Klub Zak)

June 7 - Love Bird Festival Dusseldorf, DE

June 8 - Jazz Middelheim, Antwerp, BE

June 14 - San Francisco (SFJAZZ Festival)

June 21 - Toronto, CA

July 8 - Blue Note - Los Angeles, CA

July 9 - Blue Note - Los Angeles, CA

August 8 - San Jose Summer Jazz - San Jose, CA)

August 14 - Blue Note - NY, NY 

August 15 - Blue Note - NY, NY 

August 16 - Blue Note - NY, NY 

August 17 - Blue Note - NY, NY 

October 11 - Le Havre, (FR) Le Volcan

October 16 - Stockholm International Jazz Festival

October 18 - Nancy Jazz Pulsations 

October 29 - Club Gretchen - Berlin

November 1 - Minden, (DE) JazzclubMinden

November 5 - Malaga (ES) - Malaga Jazz Fest

November 6 - Madrid (ES) Madrid Jazz Fest 

November 7 - Aalen, DE Jazzfest

November 8 - Frankfurt (DE) Jazz Montez

November 10 - Hamburg (DE) Nica Jazz Club 

November 11 - Leverkusen (DE) Jazztage

November 13 - Schloss Elmau (DE)

November 14 - Ingolstadt, (DE) Jazztage

November 15 - Vienna, (AUT) Porgy and Bess

November 29 - San Francisco, CA, SF JAZZ

FOR PRESS INQUIRIES:

Lena Wright / Shore Fire Media / LWRIGHT@shorefire.com