Robert Leon Crocker

Obituary For Robert Leon Crocker

Robert Leon Crocker, affectionately known as Radio Rob, the oldest beloved son of Estelle and Philip Crocker, transitioned from this world on March 7, 2024, at his home in New York City. He was born into this world on November 1, 1945, in Brooklyn, New York. He is a radio industry extraordinaire whose career in broadcasting afforded him the singular distinction of being the longest-running disc jockey in the history of jazz radio in New York City.

Rob’s years as a youth were heavily influenced by music legends who at that time lived in and around his Brooklyn neighborhood. This led to his personal pursuit of becoming a high school musician while attending Boys High School in the early 1960s. Rob’s plans for attending college changed as a result of the US military draft, as he proudly went on to serve his country as a US Army active-duty combat veteran.

Rob’s career 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; Rob co-hosted the Holland-based show "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" on 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 2000, 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 are two 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 arrange between WBGO and INTER FM, using the voice of WBGO's mid-day DJ Rhonda Hamilton) from 2005–2009.

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

Aside from FM Radio, Rob also produced 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 and 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 also produced the Bobby Hutcherson tribute at New York City’s BIRDLAND in 2012 (featuring Jay Hoggard, Steve Nelson, Mark Sherman, and 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 through the London-based Sha La La Company.

Rob is preceded in death by his loving mother, Estelle Crocker, brother Mark Crocker, and sister Stella Crocker. He leaves behind the loving memories of his father, Philip Crocker; his brothers, Ken, Larry, Steve, and Scott Crocker; and his two sisters, Danette Crocker and Shannon Riddick. His three sisters-in-law: Fina, Cheryl, and Odessa Crocker; brother-in-law, Michael; nieces, Tamie, Nikki, and Brittney; and nephews, Terrance, Erik, Greyson, Avery, Arie, Mason, and Joshua. Rob is also survived by his close cousins, Jerry and Michael Hickman. In addition, to a host of loving cousins, great nieces, and nephews.