Rico Rodriguez (musician)
Rico Rodriguez | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Emmanuel Rodriguez |
Also known as | Reco, El Reco[1] |
Born | Havana, Cuba | 17 October 1934
Origin | Kingston, Jamaica |
Died | 4 September 2015 London, England | (aged 80)
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Trombone |
Years active | 1958–2015 |
Emmanuel "Rico" Rodriguez MBE (17 October 1934 – 4 September 2015), also known as Rico, Reco or El Reco, was a Cuban-born Jamaican ska and reggae trombonist. He recorded with producers such as Karl Pitterson, Prince Buster, and Lloyd Daley. He was known as one of the first ska musicians. Beginning in the 1960s, he worked with The Members, The Specials, Jools Holland, and Paul Young.
Career
Rodriguez was born in
In 1961 Rodriguez moved to the UK, where he joined live bands such as
In 1982, he returned to Jamaica to retire from performing professionally; however, in 1987 he returned to tour with the Heart Beat Band, and between 1992 and 1995 he would also play with Jazz Jamaica, as well as with Linton Kwesi Johnson during this era.[4][6]
In 1995 Island Records released the album Roots to the Bone, an updated version of Rodriguez's earlier work Man from Wareika. From 1996, among other engagements, he played with Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra and also performed at various ska festivals throughout Europe with his own band. He retired from performing with Jools Holland in 2012.
He was appointed a
Death
On 4 September 2015, following a short illness in a London hospital, Rodriguez died aged 80.[8][9][10] A tribute to him by Youthsayers alongside Jerry Dammers was performed at the Lambeth Country Show, 2016 to a crowd of 80,000.[citation needed]
Discography
- Reco in Reggae Land (Paying Tribute to Don Drummond), Pama Records (1969)
- Man from Wareika, Island Records (1976)
- Wareika Dub, Ghetto Rockers (1977)
- That Man Is Forward, 2 Tone Records (1981)
- Jama Rico, 2 Tone Records (1982)
- Rising in the East, Jove Music (1994)
- Return from Wareika Hill, Alpha Enterprise (1994)
- You Must Be Crazy (live, as Rico & His Band), Grover Records (1994)
- Wonderful World, Quattro, (1995)
- Get Up Your Foot, (as Rico & His Band), Grover Records, (2000)
- Going West, (as Rico & Friends), Creole Records (2002)
- Togetherness, (as Rico Rodriguez & Roots to the Bone Band), Subterannia Discos (2005)
- Japa-Rico - Rico Rodriguez Meets Japan, Sony Music (2006)
- Wareika Vibes, Jamdown (2006)
See also
- List of reggae musicians
- List of ska musicians
- List of jazz trombonists
- Island Records discography
- Ska jazz
References
- ^ Harp, Justin (4 September 2015). "The Specials trombonist Rico Rodriguez dies, aged, 80 - Music News". Digital Spy. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
- ^ a b c d e Ankeny, Jason. "Rico Rodriguez". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
- ^ a b Campbell, Howard (2012) "Rico Rodriguez: Man From Wareika", Jamaica Observer, 22 June 2012; retrieved 24 June 2012.
- ^ The Jamaica Gleaner, 9 October 2012.
- ^ a b Campbell, Howard (2012) "Trombonist Rico Rodriguez gets his due", Jamaica Observer, 11 October 2012; retrieved 11 October 2012.
- ^ David Katz, "Remembering pioneering trombonist Rico Rodriguez", Fact Magazine, 7 September 2015.
- ^ The Queens list for 2007 Archived 22 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine, p. 83.
- ^ Kevin Rawlinson (4 September 2015). "The Specials trombonist Rico Rodriguez dies aged 80". The Guardian. London.
- ^ "Rico Rodriguez: The Specials' trombonist dies aged 80". BBC News. 5 September 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
- ^ Luke Morgan Britton (5 September 2015). "The Specials trombonist Rico Rodriguez dies aged 80". NME. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
External links
- Rico Rodriguez – unofficial site
- Rico Rodriguez discography at Discogs
- Rico Rodriguez discography at MusicBrainz