Slotting Theo Croker into a jazz box is easy enough, given his credentials: world class trumpeter; grandson of another trumpet great, Doc Cheatham; mentored by Donald Byrd; breakthrough album produced by Dee Dee Bridgewater. But that convenient label only holds until the music plays, when it becomes apparent that Croker, who just turned 40, has no intention of confining himself. Dream Manifest, his eighth full-length studio release, busts him out for good: Seamlessly mashing up elements of soul, hip-hop, dance and, yes, jazz, the Grammy-nominated Croker takes off for parts unknown, aided by a parade of guests who fully understand their mission. “prelude 3,” the instrumental opener, sets the dreamlike tone—Croker’s trumpet takes center stage on the brief, chill piece, co-written by Croker and Michael King, whose piano provides solid support. Only one other musician, bassist Eric Wheeler, is on the track, but it’s he who anchors the countermelodies all along. From there, it can—and does—go anywhere. Dream Manifest, which Croker has described as a “fantasy album…trying to let go of any type of boundaries or borders that constrict my creativity,” brings in collaborators ranging from vocalist Estelle to keyboardist/percussionist D’LEAU and saxophone great Gary Bartz, whose alto on Croker and King’s “light as a feather” is particularly bold and stirring. There are synths and drum programming galore on Dream Manifest, which Croker uses judiciously to augment rather than dominate: On “high vibrations,” featuring vocalist Malaya, the layered beats are authoritative, but it’s Malaya’s inquisitive words that state the case. And when the dancefloor stomper gives way to the wistful Croker trumpet showcase “crystal waterfalls,” on which he also plays Fender Rhodes, it’s a faultless transition. Dream Manifest is a quest, meant for those willing to set expectations and definitions aside.