Haere mai and welcome. 

The Aotearoa Jazz Orchestra (AoJO) marks one of the most exciting and positive developments in Aotearoa New Zealand’s cultural life in decades — a bold new chapter in our musical story. As the country’s official national jazz orchestra, AoJO exists to celebrate, elevate, and export the very best of our homegrown jazz talent.

A National Jazz Flagship AoJO is more than a performance ensemble. It’s a cultural institution, built on decades of dedication from New Zealand’s jazz community. It has taken many years, and the vision of many, to reach this point — with one figure standing central: Rodger Fox. 

Rodger and I first spoke about the idea of a national jazz orchestra back in 2010. I’d recently moved to Aotearoa after performing with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and knew how transformative a national ensemble could be. Rodger met SNJO director Tommy Smith at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London, and from there, the dream began to take shape. Now, that dream is reality. 

The Sound of Aotearoa Jazz, AoJO performs a mix of classic and contemporary works from the global jazz tradition, while proudly spotlighting the work of New Zealand composers and soloists. We aim to take the sound of Aotearoa jazz to audiences everywhere. 

A Platform for the Next Generation AoJO is also a launchpad. Jazz has one of the highest participation rates among New Zealand’s young musicians, and this orchestra is here to help turn that passion into a pathway — through performance, mentorship, and real-world experience. We’re committed to education, collaboration, and the long-term future of jazz in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Thank you for joining us. Stay connected — and we’ll see you at the next performance. 

John Rae
 Musical Director, Aotearoa Jazz Orchestra