Remembering the influential trombone player on his birthday October 17 with select recordings from the 50s on up...
Like his contemporary Don Drummond, a fellow Alpharian, trombone player and ska creator, Rico Rodriguez (1935-2015) demonstrated a special ability to play music at an early age. While still attending Alpha, Rodriguez was already playing with one of the top bands in Jamaica, Eric Dean Orchestra. Rico played on many of the original standards in Jamaican music.
He is featured on Theophilus Beckford’s seminal hit Easy Snappin’, and Clue J and His Blues Blasters’ influential Shufflin Jug for Clement Dodd, the Folkes Brothers’ Oh Carolina for Prince Buster, Derrick Morgan’s Lover Boy for Duke Reid, as well as the self titled Rico’s Special for Randy’s.
Rico perhaps made his most lasting impact in music while in Britain where he linked up with Chris Blackwell's Island Records to record as a session musician such as on Dandy Livingstone's Rudy, A Message to You and as a featured artist with the instrumental LP, Man From Wareika.
Rico re-remerged in the 70s as an influential figure in the development of the British ska and 2 Tone movements. The Specials asked Rico to play on the remake of A Message To You Rudy and he would go on to play on the bands next to albums.
JAMAICA NICE.
THE ONLY GOOD SYSTEM IS A SOUND SYSTEM
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