Eastside Radio’s Album of the Week is Fyah by Theon Cross on the label Gearbox Records.

As one of the key players of the London jazz scene, Theon Cross has been dominating airwaves and stages recently. He’s part of a thriving family network of young London-based musicians who have regularly supported one another in stretching and re-shaping the boundaries of the jazz genre.

Additional side-projects include performing and recording with individuals such as Makaya Mcraven, Sons of Kemet, and featuring on Gilles Peterson’s compilation album We Out Here. Within all this noise, Cross has also been leading his own trio project with Nubya Garcia and Moses Boyd. The band released an EP back in 2015 and are now following up with a full studio album, ‘Fyah’.

Cross makes the tuba his own, mixing together early New Orleans bass line influences as well as the synth soundscapes and rhythms from modern grime and trap. His innovative style brings a new dynamic to the scene as he paves the gap between more traditional jazz styles and dance music.

Artist: Theon Cross

Title: Fyah

1.Activate

2.The Offerings

3.Radiation

4.Letting Go

5.Candace of Merce

6.Panda Village

7.CIYA

8.LDN’s Burning

Musicians

Theon Cross, tuba

Moses Boyd, drums

Nubya Garcia, tenor saxophone (Tracks 1-4, 6 & 8)

Wayne Francis (Ahnansé), tenor saxophone (Tracks 5 & 7)

Artie Zaitz, electric guitar (Tracks 5 & 7)

Tim Doyle, percussion (Track 5)

Nathaniel Cross, trombone (Track 7)

All tracks composed and arranged by Theon Cross

Recorded at Soup Studios by Giles Barrett and David Holmes.

Mixed by David Wehinm.

Mastered and cut by Darrel Sheinman and Caspar Sutton-Jones at Gearbox Records.