Under the mentorship of Jazz Jamaica’s Andy Grappy, Theon learned about the history of the tuba, whose heritage is as deep and authentic as Appleton Estate’s premium aged rum.
Under the mentorship of Jazz Jamaica’s Andy Grappy, Theon learned about the history of the tuba, whose heritage is as deep and authentic as Appleton Estate’s premium aged rum.
It’s a complex and nuanced mix not unlike that of the Jamaica Rum expertly crafted by Appleton Estate’s Master Blender Joy Spence.
It’s a complex and nuanced mix not unlike that of the Jamaica Rum expertly crafted by Appleton Estate’s Master Blender Joy Spence.
Continuing to explore London’s musical landscape while reaching deep into his Jamaican heritage, Theon has brought his distinctive sound to a wide range of collectives – from the New Orleans marching band influenced Brass Mask to Cassie Kinoshi’s 10 piece Seed Ensemble. But it was on his debut LP for Gearbox Records under his own name Fyah, featuring Jamaican Jazz Series creator Moses Boyd, that Theon really furthered his innovations with the tuba.
“Jamaican music and culture has always been a part of my life and has had an undeniable influence on the way I approach jazz in the Jamaican way. The cultural influence of Jamaica is embedded into the identity of London and you can hear it in the sonic textures of our young jazz scene that I am proud to be part of. Musically I try to infuse these influences into the way I play and improvise. As a tuba player who resides in the deep bass frequencies of music I have drawn directly from the bass culture of Jamaica to develop my own sound. “ Theon Cross
Continuing to explore London’s musical landscape while reaching deep into his Jamaican heritage, Theon has brought his distinctive sound to a wide range of collectives – from the New Orleans marching band influenced Brass Mask to Cassie Kinoshi’s 10 piece Seed Ensemble. But it was on his debut LP for Gearbox Records under his own name Fyah, featuring Jamaican Jazz Series creator Moses Boyd, that Theon really furthered his innovations with the tuba.
I FEEL PRIVILEGED TO HAVE WORKED WITH THEON ON SO MANY DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND TO WITNESS HOW HE HAS TRANSFORMED HOW THE TUBA CAN SOUND.
INTRODUCING THE INSTRUMENT TO A NEW AUDIENCE HE HAS SHOWN THE CONTINUUM OF JAMAICAN SOUND SYSTEM CULTURE THROUGH THE PUREST FORM OF HUMAN ACOUSTIC SUB BASS. HIS MUSIC IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF JAMAICA’S LEGACY ON THE WORLD OF JAZZ, REGGAE AND HIP HOP. I KNEW HE’D BRING SOMETHING UNIQUE TO THIS PROJECT.”
MOSES BOYD, CURATOR, JAMAICAN JAZZ SERIES
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