In memoriam John Ruocco (1952–2025)

Photographer: Guy Van de Poel

With sadness, we announce the passing of saxophonist and clarinetist John Ruocco, long-time saxophone teacher and dedicated big band coach at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel (KCB). His passing marks the loss of one of the most influential jazz educators our country has known.

John was born in 1952 in New Haven (USA) and grew into an internationally acclaimed musician with an impressive career. He performed with legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Toots Thielemans, Joe Lovano, Art Farmer, and Billy Hart, and graced the stages of the North Sea Jazz Festival, Middelheim, and Brosella, among others. His discography includes collaborations with Peter Herbolzheimer, Philippe Aerts, Charles Loos, Michel Herr, and Frank Vaganée.

Since the 1980s, Ruocco was closely connected to the Belgian jazz scene. Alongside his active performance career, he taught at the Conservatory of Liège, the Jazz Studio Antwerp, and from 1987 onwards at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, where he also conducted the big band for many years. At the KCB, he shared his expertise through annual big band projects—intense periods of work that invariably culminated in powerful concerts. He was known as a strict but fair mentor with an inexhaustible love for music and an irresistible sense of humor.

Many remember John not only as a virtuoso musician but as a warm, engaged, and inspiring teacher. As he once wrote after a rehearsal at the KCB:
“Big kiss to one of you. Tomorrow I need water. But the band sounds better and better.”

John Ruocco leaves an indelible mark on countless colleagues, students, and music lovers. We will miss his voice, his laughter, his musicianship, and his humanity.