Xander Crook

The son of an Ethnomusicologist, Xander grew up surrounded by musicians from a wide variety of traditions and backgrounds. The focus of his fathers work concentrated on traditions stemming principally from Brazil, but also extended to various traditions found in West Africa with a particular focus on music from Guinea (Conakry). After High school Xander traveled to Guinea to study Balafon with Abou Sylla, and then to Brazil to study percussionists such as Jorge Martins, Adelson Silva, and José Cunha Mourão. On his return to the states, he was accepted into the Berklee College of Music where he studied Jazz under percussionists such as Terri Lyne Carrington, Neal Smith, Mark Walker and Bertam Lehmann. In 2017, Xander accepted a position at Oslo’s Nordic Black Theatre, where he currently resides and performs.