Theon Cross is an award-winning tuba player and composer.  He is a key component of London’s thriving jazz scene and his unique sound has been described as ‘innovative’ and hailed for ‘reinventing the tuba’. His debut EP ‘Aspirations’ brought him international attention and garnered him a Jazz FM nomination for best Jazz Newcomer in 2016. In 2019 he released his debut album ‘Fyah’ which was met with critical acclaim worldwide charting at no. 1 on the UK official Jazz & Blues charts, no.23 on the US Jazz Billboard and garnered high praise from major publications such as Rolling Stone Magazine, Pitchfork, The New York Times, The Guardian and NPR leading him to tour extensively throughout Europe, North America and South America.

Born and raised in London, Cross started his musical journey at the age of 8 where he began instrumental lessons in primary school on the tenor horn. In his mid-teens he switched to the tuba and attended several music workshops in London including the Kinetika Bloco, a Brazillian-Styled Carnival group  and the Tomorrow’s Warriors lead by Gary Crosby OBE. Within these workshops Cross was able to build up his masterful stamina and technique whilst also learning how to improvise and be trained in various styles of music. He went on to study Jazz and classical music at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music & Drama and post graduating has worked with an array of established artists including Jon Batiste, Emile Sande, Kano, Makaya McCraven, Courtney Pine and is  a significant core member of the mercury nominated group Sons of Kemet.

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Voted Downbeat 67th Critics

Poll's Rising Star

(Tuba)

 Downbeat Magazine