John Ruocco is a tenor saxophone and clarinet player. He was born in 1952 in New Haven (USA).
He Performanced with Dizzy GILLESPIE, Art FARMER, Slide HAMPTON, Ed SOPH, Beaver HARRIS, Teddy EDWARDS, Toots THIELEMANS, Michael GIBBS, Philip CATHERINE, Joe LOVANO, Billy HART etc….
He played in a lot of festivals like Berlin, North Sea, Middelheim, Brussels, Oostende, Gouvy, Belga, Brosella and in a lot of radio and television.
He played with Peter HERBOLZHEIMER Rhythm Combination and Brass : Cologne, West Germany, first-call tenor, 1983 – present. Performances and tours in France, Germany, Holland, Belgium.
And he made a special tour of Zaire, sponsored by Belgian Ministry of Culture in 1983.
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2008 sees the release of a duo album with US guitarist John Abercrombie, titled “Topics” (Challenge records).
He was teacher in a lof of conservatories and schools : Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag (The Netherlands. Since 1987); saxophone and Jazz Ensemble Royal Conservatory of Music Liège (Belgium. 1981-1985); Saxophone and Jazz Ensemble. Director of Performance Workshops; Clinics and Workshops in the USA and Europe; Jazz Studio of Antwerp (Belgium. 1981-1989) Saxophone and Jazz Ensemble; Summer Jazz School of Belgium (1980-1989) Saxophone, Jazz Bands, …
He participated in a lot of albums. As a leader : ‘Soon Spring’, John RUOCCO (LDH LP). As a participant : ’20 Jahre Peter HERBOLZHEIMER RC&B Live in Concert’ (Koala), ‘Latin Groove’, Peter HERBOLZHEIMER RC&B (Koala), ‘Big Band BeBop’, Peter HERBOLZHEIMER (Panda), ‘More BeBop’, Peter HERBOLZHEIMER (Koala), ‘Music for Swinging Dancers’, Vols. 1-4, Peter HERBOLZHEIMER, ‘Extremes’, ACT Big Band & Guest (LDH CD),’ Act Big Band’, Félix SIMTAINE (LDH LP), ‘Quelque Part’, Charles LOOS (LDH), ‘No, Maybe… !’, Richard ROUSSELET (Jazz Cats LP/B.Sharp CD), ‘Real Love’, Christine SCHALLER (ML Car), ‘Baseline Returns’, Hein VAN DE GEYN (CHR Challenge records), ‘Cat Walk’, Philippe AERTS Trio (Igloo 116), ‘Waiting’, Peter HERTMANS (Timeless), ‘Trios’, Frank VAGANÉE,…
John RUOCCO has been closely associated with the Belgian scene. During the period he lived in Belgium, he played and recorded with Charles LOOS, Bert JORIS, Peter HERTMANS, Richard ROUSSELET, Michel HERR, ACT Big Band, performed with Jeanfrançois PRINS, as a guest of the Frank VAGANEE Trio (CD ‘Trios’).
He is a member of the Philippe Aerts Trio and quartet (2 CDs “Cat Walk”, and “Back to the Old World”) and the RUOCCO/RASSINFOSSE/SIMTAINE Trio (CD).
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