Rico Rodriguez

Rico Rodriguez

Also known as: Emmanuel Rodriguez, Reco Rodriguez, Rico

Emmanuel "Rico" Rodriguez (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 Havana, Cuba, and at an early age moved with his family to Jamaica. He grew up there in Kingston, and was taught to play the trombone by his slightly older schoolmate Don Drummond at the Alpha Boys School. In the 1950s, Rodriguez became a Rastafarian and was closely associated musically to the rasta drummer Count Ossie. In 1961, Rodriguez moved to the UK, where he joined live bands such as Georgie Fame's Blue Flames and started to play in reggae bands. Rodriguez also began recording with his own band, Rico's All Stars, and later formed the group Rico and the Rudies, recording the 1969 albums Blow Your Horn and Brixton Cat. In 1976, he recorded the album Man from Wareika under a contract with Island Records. In the late 1970s, he recorded a song called "Offshore Banking Business" with the Members and with the arrival of the 2 tone genre, he played with ska revival bands such as the Specials including their single "A Message to You, Rudy". Rodriguez is mentioned in the Ian Dury and the Blockheads song "Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3". The song was released just months before Rico joined the Specials. 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. 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 Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2007 New Year Honours, for services to music. In October 2012, he was awarded the Silver Musgrave Medal by the Institute of Jamaica in recognition of his contribution to Jamaican music.

Death
On 4 September 2015, following a short illness in a London hospital, Rodriguez died aged 80. A tribute to him by Youthsayers alongside Jerry Dammers was performed at the Lambeth Country Show in 2016 to a crowd of 80,000.

Discography (9)

Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Blow Your Horn Rico & The Rudies Blow Your Horn TTL 12 LP Trojan 1969 1969
Reco In Reggae Land Reco Reco In Reggae Land ECO 14 LP Pama 1969 1969
Man From Wareika Rico Man From Wareika none LP Top Ranking 1976
Wareika Dub Rico Rodriguez Wareika Dub PRE LP 1 LP Island 1977 1977
That Man Is Forward Rico Rodriguez That Man Is Forward CHR TT 5005 LP 2 Tone 1981 1980
Jama Rico Rico Rodriguez Jama Rico CHR TT 5006 LP 2 Tone 1982 1982
Going West Rico Rodriguez Going West CT 3027 CD Cactus 19XX 2002
Trombone Man Rico Rodriguez Trombone Man TJDDD 222 CD Trojan 1961-71 2004
Blow Your Horn & Brixton Cat Rico & The Rudies Blow Your Horn & Brixton Cat CDTRL 361 CD Trojan 1969 1995

Credits & Appearances (21)

Production
Producer 1
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
That Man Is Forward Rico Rodriguez That Man Is Forward CHR TT 5005 LP 2 Tone 1981 1980
Musicians
Horns 7
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Reco In Reggae Land Reco Reco In Reggae Land ECO 14 LP Pama 1969 1969
The Great Junior English Junior English The Great Junior English HRLP 707 LP Horse 1975 1975
Marcus Children Burning Spear Marcus Children WRLP 102 LP Burning Spear 1978 1978
Reggae Hit Showcase Sons Of Jah Reggae Hit Showcase PFULP 3505 LP Natty Congo 1980 1980
Face The Music Cedric Myton & The Congos Face The Music LP Ariola 1981 1981
Jama Rico Rico Rodriguez Jama Rico CHR TT 5006 LP 2 Tone 1982 1982
Sammy Dread Is Mr Music Sammy Dread Sammy Dread Is Mr Music JL 014 LP Jah Life 1982 1982
Percussions 1
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
That Man Is Forward Rico Rodriguez That Man Is Forward CHR TT 5005 LP 2 Tone 1981 1980
Repeater 1
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
That Man Is Forward Rico Rodriguez That Man Is Forward CHR TT 5005 LP 2 Tone 1981 1980
Trombone 8
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Trombone Man Rico Rodriguez Trombone Man TJDDD 222 CD Trojan 1961-71 2004
Reggae Got Soul Toots & The Maytals Reggae Got Soul ILPS 9374 LP Island 1976 1976
Brain Damage Dennis Bovell Brain Damage LP 6627 001 LP Fontana 1981 1981
35 Years From Alpha Headley Benett & Bim Sherman 35 Years From Alpha ON-U LP 14 LP On-U Sound 1981 1982
That Man Is Forward Rico Rodriguez That Man Is Forward CHR TT 5005 LP 2 Tone 1981 1980
Knock Out ! Toots & The Maytals Knock Out ! ILPS 9670 LP Island 1981 1981
Mi C-Yaan Believe It Michael Smith Mi C-Yaan Believe It ILPS 9717 LP Island 1982 1982
Black Roots Black Roots Black Roots KIC LP 02 LP Kick 1983 1983
Trumpet 1
Bad Card
Joe Gibbs • 1981
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Bad Card Trinity Bad Card JGML 6040 LP Joe Gibbs 1981 1981

Also Appears On (25)

Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Go Ska Go Various Artists Go Ska Go CDHB 199 CD Heartbeat 1995
Sir Coxsone & Duke Reid In Concert At Forresters Hall Various Artists Sir Coxsone & Duke Reid In Concert At Forresters Hall SDTLCD 010 CD Studio 1
Randy's 50th Anniversary Various Artists Randy's 50th Anniversary VP 4100 CD 17 North Parade 1960-76 2008
Joe The Boss Various Artists Joe The Boss TJDDD 339 CD Trojan 1968-70 2006
Full Up Bunny Lee Full Up PSCD 85 CD Pressure Sounds 1968-72 2014
Scandal In a Brixton Market Laurel Aitken Scandal In a Brixton Market ECO 08 LP Pama 1969 1969
Tighten Up Vol 2 Various Artists Tighten Up Vol 2 TJDCD 506 CD Trojan 1969 2015
The Down Town Albums Collection Various Artists The Down Town Albums Collection DBCD 020 CD Doctor Bird 1969-70 2018
At Randy's The Skatalites & Friends At Randy's VPCD 1497 CD VP 196X 1998
Independent Jamaica Various Artists Independent Jamaica TJACD 043 CD Trojan 196X 2002
Ska Bonanza Various Artists Ska Bonanza CDHB 305 CD Heartbeat 196X 2006
Studio One Jump-Up Various Artists Studio One Jump-Up SJRCD 296 CD Soul Jazz 196X 2015
Trojan Jamaican R&B Box Set Various Artists Trojan Jamaican R&B Box Set TJETD 042 CD Trojan 196X 2002
Trojan Skinhead Reggae Box Set Various Artists Trojan Skinhead Reggae Box Set TJETD 003 CD Trojan 196X 2002
A Tribute To The Beatles Reggae Style Various Artists A Tribute To The Beatles Reggae Style CDTALL 501 CD Trojan 196X-7X 2001
Alpha Boys School Various Artists Alpha Boys School TJCCD 179 CD Trojan 196X-7X 2006
More Monkey Business Various Artists More Monkey Business TJDCD 563 CD Trojan 196X-7X 2017
Rude Boy Scorchers Various Artists Rude Boy Scorchers KSCD 069 CD Jamaican Recordings 196X-7x 2017
Trojan Beatles Tribute Box Set Various Artists Trojan Beatles Tribute Box Set TJETD 220 CD Trojan 196X-7X 2004
Trojan Sunshine Reggae Box Set Various Artists Trojan Sunshine Reggae Box Set TJETD 185 CD Trojan 196X-7X 2004
Ultimate Collection Max Romeo Ultimate Collection CD 440064810-2 CD Hip-O 196X-7X
Trojan Selecta Vol 3 Various Artists Trojan Selecta Vol 3 TJJCD 322 CD Trojan 197X 2006
Countryman Various Artists Countryman ISTDA 1 LP Island 197X-82 1982
35 Years From Alpha Headley Benett & Bim Sherman 35 Years From Alpha ON-U LP 14 LP On-U Sound 1981 1982
This Are Two Tone Various Artists This Are Two Tone CD Chrysalis 1983
9 albums
21 credits
16 labels
1969 - 2004