LONDON (CelebrityAccess) — Cuban-born Jamaican ska and reggae trombonist, Emmanuel "Rico" Rodriguez, also known as Rico, Reco or El Reco died on September 4th at the age of 80. He recorded with many producers, including Karl Pitterson, Prince Buster, and Lloyd "Matador" Daley. He was known as one of the first and most distinguished ska artists, and from the early 1960s performed and recorded in Britain, with the Specials, Jools Holland, and others.
The passing was announced by his band The Specials on his Facebook page they wrote “Our dear friend Rico passed away today. We offer our deepest condolences to his family. His legacy will go on forever. RIP dear Rico"
Born in Havana, Cuba then moving to Kingston, Jamaica guided Rico to Reggae and after moving again to the UK he played with many reggae bands.
Rodriguez formed the group Rico and the Rudies and recorded the albums Blow Your Horn and Brixton Cat.[2] 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 awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) at Buckingham Palace on 12 July 2007, 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.
