Rob Crocker

Rob Crocker, who worked as a radio host at WBGO for more than three decades, died on March 7, 2024, at his home in New York City. He was 78 years old. The cause of death, according to his family, was coronary disease and complications from asthma. Crocker had the singular distinction of being the longest-running disc jockey in the history of jazz radio in New York City.

Born in Brooklyn on November 1, 1945, Crocker was a musician in high school, but his life took a turn towards broadcasting when injuries, sustained in Vietnam, cut short his future as a performer. He started his broadcasting career as a programmer in Europe; Crocker co-hosted the Holland-based show "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" for Radio Free America.

After returning to the U.S., he produced, reported the news, and hosted Jazz programs for the Pacifica Network. New York area listeners are sure to recognize Rob's voice as having hosted the best of jazz, fusion, latin, R&B, and dance music on some of the city's most popular FM radio stations such as WRVR, WWRL, WBGO, WBLS and KISS FM (whose Pop audience Rob introduced to jazz) as well as WQCD. He was also instrumental in returning to New York the captivating beat of Brazilian music during the ’70’s.

Rob Crocker has the singular distinction of being the longest-running disc jockey in the history of jazz radio in New York City.

In the early 1990’s, Rob relocated to Tokyo where he worked as a disc jockey in the Tokyo market… at BAY-FM and FM Yokohama, hosting programs including "Night Ship," "Evening Jazz," and "Night Moves" — the first live all-night radio program in the history of Japanese FM radio. In addition, Rob was the voice on satellite television for "Live At The Bluenote", the host and writer for "All That Jazz," on Space Shower TV; and part of the starting lineup of DJs for INTER-FM, Tokyo’s first one-man style FM radio station. There he featured Jazz on the nightly program “Mid Nite Groove.”

As the new century began, Rob returned to New York City. He continued to do Sunday evening radio for INTER FM (New York Groove) from New York until Spring 200,when he returned to WBGO in the New York market (where he can still be heard today worldwide on the internet). He also returned home to New York with two close companions. Miles and Kimiko, 2 black cats (Bombay breed) from the Hiro section of Tokyo (named for Miles Davis, and the Japanese Jazz singer Kimiko Itoh). He also programmed and produced the New York Jazz segment of Nissan Murano Crossover Style on INTER FM (a radio collaboration he helped arranged between WBGO & INTER FM, using the voice of WBGO's mid-day DJ Rhonda Hamilton) from 2005-2009.

Aside from FM Radio, Rob also produces Jazz CDs, including Alto Memories (With Sonny Fortune, Gary Bartz, Kenny Barron, Buster Williams and Jack DeJohnette); UK Underground from Japanese alto saxophonist Malta; the 1st & 2nd CDs from Japan's premier Jazz vocalist and trumpeter Toku (whom Rob discovered in Tokyo); Philly Sounds (with Randy Brecker, Jay Hoggard, Joe Ford, Uri Caine, Buster Williams, Nabaté Isles and Grady Tate) and Dread Rooster, Babi Floyd's reggae CD featuring Keith Richards on guitar.

Among the live shows he has produced over the years, Rob recently produced the Bobby Hutcherson tribute at New York city’s BIRDLAND in 2012 (featuring Jay Hoggard, Steve Nelson, Mark Sherman & Warren Wolfe on Vibes, with George Cables, Buster Williams, and Victor Lewis in the rhythm section).

As a New York City based Jazz programmer over the decades, Rob designed musical concepts for such cultural organizations as The Burgess Collection of Fine Art, The National Museum of Sports, and The Brooklyn Museum.

In addition to his work at WBGO, Rob also did programs for J-WAVE in Tokyo thru the London based Sha La La Company.

Crocker is survived by his father, four brothers and two sisters, three sister-in-laws and a host of loving nieces, nephews and close cousins.

Awards

In February 2020, Crocker received the Roy Wilkins Black History Month Award from the Mid-Manhattan Branch of the NAACP.