Affirmations (Live At Blue Note New York) – Theon Cross

Affirmations (Live At Blue Note New York) is the first live album by Theon Cross, a work that captures the intensity and dynamism of his vision on one of jazz's most iconic stages.

Recorded during his debut at the Blue Note in New York, the record is constructed as an encounter between musical scenes, uniting musicians from London and Chicago in a format that prioritizes improvisation, interaction, and live energy.

The music unfolds in extensive compositions that combine open structures with a powerful rhythmic presence. Cross's tuba functions simultaneously as a melodic instrument and a rhythmic foundation, articulating a sound that dialogues with New Orleans jazz tradition while projecting itself into contemporary territories.

The album explores various registers: from high-density sonic passages marked by distortion to more atmospheric moments driven by echo and repetition. Nikos Ziarkas’s guitar introduces electronic textures, while Isaiah Collier’s saxophone brings an expressive range that oscillates between the spiritual and the explosive.

Pieces like Transcending or the expansive Affirmations serve as the album's core, developing progressions that evolve through collective improvisation. The result is a work that, despite its live nature, possesses a sonic richness comparable to a studio production.

The album features a group of collaborators who expand its sonic dimension:

• Isaiah Collier – Tenor Saxophone
• James Russell Sims – Drums
• Nikos Ziarkas – Guitar

More than just a documentary record, Affirmations presents itself as an immersive experience where spontaneity and sonic construction exist in perfect balance.