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Born in Cuba in 1934, raised in Kingston, Jamaica, and passed away in London in 2015, trumpeter Rico Rodriguez was an icon of ska and reggae, musically active from his apprenticeship at the Jamaican Alpha Boys School with Don Drummond until his old age.
With his love for jazz and the combination of rhythm'n blues, ska and reggae, as well as the African-inspired sounds of the burru drum and the so-called Rasta chants, Rico developed his very own style. Rico moved to London in the early 1960s, but it was not until a decade later that he was recognized as a musician when he was hired as a studio musician by Island Records. In 1976, Rico released his album "Man From Wareika" on Island, which is still considered a groundbreaking and outstanding example of Jamaican instrumental music. In 1979, he joined the British ska band The Specials, forming the horn section with his friend and long-time companion Dick Cuthell, an English flugelhorn and cornet player.
The rest is rock history; the band's albums and singles stormed the charts not only in Great Britain.
In addition to his commitments with The Specials, Rico never missed an opportunity to go on tour with his solo program. He was often accompanied by The Special AKA, a spin-off of The Specials with band members Dick Cuthell, Jerry Dammers, Lynval Golding, Horace Panter and John Bradbury. This was also the case at Rico's concert on October 21, 1981 in Bremen.
Thomas Marek Trio
Rico Rodriguez
