Primarily self-taught, Fox focused early on folk styles until she heard John Coltrane's seminal Giant Steps at age 14. Fox's early influences -- Aretha Franklin, Dixieland, and traditional jazz -- emerge in her evocative interpretations of jazz with swing stylings, blues, Latin, and her forte, bebop.

Against the Grain, Fox's debut release, demonstrated her playful mastery of standards and inspired insight through medleys, convincing established jazz aficionados, awing younger fans, and even winning some pop listeners. Mimi Fox: Live, Fox's next release, showed the explosive power of an improvisational approach by a confident artist surrounded by empathic players.