Rico Rodriguez

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. 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.
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== Links to Peel ==
Peel played some of Rico's material when he was collaborating with the Specials in the late 70's and early 80's. Interestingly Rico, who was known as Reco in the late 60's had a song that was a b-side to Andy Capp's Pop-A-Top single, which Peel claimed to have been the first reggae song he played on his programme. However, the b-side, according to available tracklistings on this site, never seemed to have been played by the DJ. The single was later found to be in Peel's record box after his death in 2004.
== Shows Played ==
;thumb|220x220pxRico
*21 February 1979: Take Five (12" - Take Five / Soundcheck) Island
*27 October 1979 (BFBS): A Message To You Rudy (7") Two-Tone (featuring The Specials)
*14 January 1980: Too Much Too Young (7") 2-Tone (featuring The Specials)
*14 January 1980: Skinhead Symphony (7" EP - Too Much Too Young) 2-Tone (featuring The Specials) 
*16 January 1980: Skinhead Symphony (7" EP - Too Much Too Young) 2-Tone (featuring The Specials) 
*17 January 1980: Skinhead Symphony (7" EP - Too Much Too Young) 2-Tone (featuring The Specials) 
*22 January 1980: Too Much Too Young (7") 2-Tone (featuring The Specials)
*22 January 1980: Guns Of Navarone (7" EP - Too Much Too Young) 2-Tone (featuring The Specials)
*23 January 1980 (BFBS): Too Much Too Young (7") 2-Tone (featuring The Specials)
*23 January 1980 (BFBS): Guns Of Navarone (7" EP - Too Much Too Young) 2-Tone (featuring The Specials)
*24 January 1980: Longshot Kick The Bucket (7" EP) Two-Tone (featuring The Specials)
*26 January 1980 (BFBS): Skinhead Symphony (7" EP - Too Much Too Young) 2-Tone (featuring The Specials)
*26 January 1980 (BFBS): Guns Of Navarone (7" EP - Too Much Too Young) 2-Tone (featuring The Specials)
*30 August 1980 (BFBS): Take Five (12") Island
*26 November 1980: Do Nothing (7") Two-Tone (featuring The Specials)
*02 March 1982 (& The Specials): Jungle Music (single) Two-Tone
*18 March 1982 (& The Specials): Jungle Music (single) Two-Tone
== External Links ==
* Wikipedia
* Discogs
Category:Artists