Ritmo Caliente

By Mark Towns

Trumpeter Theo Croker brings his “100 Years of Miles” project to Blue Note Los Angeles on May 26 for an evening celebrating the enduring influence and creative spirit of Miles Davis through the lens of one of today’s most imaginative younger Jazz artists.

A Grammy-nominated trumpeter and composer, Croker has built a reputation for blending Jazz improvisation with soul, groove-driven rhythms, atmospheric production, and contemporary influences while remaining deeply connected to the tradition. The grandson of legendary trumpeter Doc Cheatham, Croker carries a strong musical lineage but has developed a distinctly modern voice of his own.

Part of Croker’s musical evolution came during a seven-year stay in Shanghai, where he performed extensively throughout Asia and developed the broader musical perspective that helped shape his adventurous approach. Since returning to the U.S., his recordings and live performances have moved comfortably between acoustic Jazz, electronic textures, hip-hop influences, and expansive improvisation, reflecting the same spirit of openness and reinvention that made Miles Davis such a transformative figure.

Blue Note promises “bold reinterpretations, deep cuts, and that fearless energy Miles set in motion,” suggesting the performance will go beyond a standard tribute concert and instead explore the restless creativity and forward momentum that defined Davis throughout his career.

For Los Angeles Jazz audiences, this should be a chance to hear one of today’s most compelling trumpet voices revisit the Miles Davis legacy with both reverence and originality.

Theo Croker brings his “100 Years of Miles” project to Blue Note Los Angeles on Tuesday, May 26, with performances at 7:00 and 9:30 p.m. Tickets and additional information are available through the Blue Note Los Angeles website. Theo Croker: 100 Years of Miles — A Living Tribute | Blue Note Los Angeles

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Concert Preview
By Mark Towns

Take 6 returns to Los Angeles for a one-night appearance at Blue Note LA on Thursday, April 30, bringing with them one of the most recognizable and enduring sounds in vocal music. For decades, they’ve occupied a space all their own, rooted in gospel but fully conversant in Jazz, R&B, and Pop.

What makes this group consistently compelling is their ability to bridge audiences. Jazz listeners hear the sophistication. Gospel audiences feel the foundation. Casual listeners just hear something that sounds amazing.

Their live performances move fluidly between styles and moods, from deeply rooted spiritual material to playful takes on familiar songs. There’s a sense of ease in how they present it all, backed by a catalog that spans generations without feeling dated.

Blue Note LA provides an ideal setting for this show. For longtime fans, it’s a chance to hear a group that has remained remarkably consistent while continuing to evolve. For anyone new to Take 6, it’s an opportunity to experience a vocal ensemble that has set the bar for decades.

Show Details:
Thursday, April 30
Blue Note LA
Showtimes typically at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM (check listing for exact times)

Tickets are available directly through Blue Note LA’s website and box office. Advance purchase is strongly recommended, as seating is limited and shows frequently sell out.

Concert Preview

By Mark Towns

For many listeners today, the name Ravi Shankar may be familiar, but the full scope of his influence is easy to forget. In the 1960s, Shankar became one of the first artists to bring Indian classical music to Western rock and jazz audiences. His performances during the counterculture era—including his appearance at the legendary Woodstock Festival—introduced countless listeners to the hypnotic sound of the sitar and the rich musical language of Indian ragas.

For those unfamiliar, a raga isn’t just a scale or a tune. It’s more like a musical framework with its own personality—certain notes emphasized, others avoided, unfolding slowly and expressively as the musicians explore its mood. The result can feel almost meditative, with melodies that stretch and evolve in ways that can be both deeply spiritual and rhythmically electrifying. When Western audiences first encountered these sounds during the “hippie days” of the late ’60s, it was nothing short of mind-expanding.

That legacy continues with the Ravi Shankar Ensemble, a multi-generational group of world-class musicians dedicated to performing Shankar’s compositions. On their debut tour, the ensemble presents a special program curated by Sukanya Shankar and Anoushka Shankar, incorporating visual material from the Ravi Shankar archives alongside a dynamic selection of his music.

The lineup features sitarist Shubhendra Rao, tabla virtuoso Anubrata Chatterjee, mridangam master B. C. Manjunath, flutist Ravichandra Kulur, violinist and vocalist Padma Shankar, and sarod player Aayush Mohan.

For jazz listeners especially, Shankar’s music holds a natural appeal. Like jazz, it thrives on improvisation, deep listening, and a shared sense of musical exploration. Hearing these musicians interpret Shankar’s compositions offers a chance to experience a tradition that helped open Western ears more than half a century ago—and continues to resonate today.

As Shankar himself once said, music “transcends all languages and barriers.” More than fifty years after those groundbreaking performances in the 1960s, the sound of the sitar still carries that same sense of discovery.