Rodger Fox Funkbone Experience

These days Rodger Fox is more known as Doctor Fox. Photo/Nick Granville

One of the highlight concerts of the 2017 National Jazz Festival is the Rodger Fox Funkbone Experience.

The Baycourt event will feature Rodger Fox in a collaboration with two of America's finest players, Matt Harris (keyboardist for the Buddy Rich Big Band and Maynard Furgusson) and Dewayne Pate (bassist with Boz Scaggs and guitarist Robben Ford), with two Kiwi jazz exponents - guitarist Nick Granville and drummer Lance Philips.

All of the Funkbone members have reputations as jazz educators. Harris heads the jazz programme at Northridge University in California and is known throughout the world in jazz circles as a jazz teacher.

Dewayne Pate and Nick Granville have high profiles as online jazz educators. Lance Philips is the programme leader at the highly esteemed New Zealand School of Music.

Rodger Fox has been at the forefront of music since his early days growing up in Wellington where he made his name playing trombone with the Quincy Conserve Band.

Modelled on Blood Sweat and Tears, the band featured a famously strong horn section.

These days keeping up with Fox's calendar is a mission; his music sees him working internationally as a jazz educator, arranger, producer and session player and travelling around New Zealand holding workshops with schools.

Last year he realised a long-time ambition and staged a national tour with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

His contributions to New Zealand music saw him awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2003 and an honorary doctorate from the New Zealand School of Music in 2005.

Fox has just returned from the US where he has been mixing the Funkbone Experience album due for release at Easter.

The material will be featured in the upcoming festival concert.

the fine print
What: The Rodger Fox Funkbone Experience
Where: Baycourt
When: Friday, April 14, 8pm.