Rodger Fox, skilled trombone player is a New Zealand Jazz icon. He is a very talented musician, not only playing the trombone, he also plays the guitar, piano and the drums. He is also a composer, with charts such as The Stomp, Where's What and Xtra Juicy.
Rodger Fox was born in 1953, son to music teacher Louis Fox. He was brought up in the little town of Porirua, not too far from New Zealand's capital, Wellington. He auditioned for a youth orchestra but was not sucessful as they were no longer taking brass players. And because of this, Rodger Fox entered the world of Jazz, for which he is famous for today.
He is director of the Rodger Fox Big Band, which he has run for over 25 years in New Zealand. It plays in over 80 international dates annually and has featured many talented guest artists, like Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ted Clarke, Randy Crawford, David Feehan, Erna Ferry, Jerome Hendrix, Jodie Ohlson and Ray Woolf. To date the Rodger Fox Big Band has recorded 14 albums.
Because of his many achievements with his Bands on tours, with invitations to some of the world's biggest Jazz festivals he is one man responsible for raising the profile of Jazz music in New Zealand. When not with his Big Band he directs many high school music groups and frequently travels up and down the country, hooking in up and coming musical talent.
Rodger Fox is a man of many achievements but is quite humble. Some younger musicians in the high school groups that he directs probably don't even realise who he is or how priviledged they are to have him to direct their music group.