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Born Emmanuel Rodriquez in Kingston, Jamaica on 17th October 1934, Rico gained his musical education at the famed Alpha Boys Catholic School, which became known for tutoring many of the island's finest talents such noted hornsmen as Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso (1) and Don Drummond. Although he soon gained local recognition for his musical abilities, the Kingston music scene of the early fifties presented little in the way of opportunities for young, budding musicians and by his late teens Rico was forced to scrape a living by performing for fishermen on Ray Town in return for food. In an interview with journalist Colin McGlashan in 1973, Rico gave an insight into his early struggle during these days:

"Reggae is protest, formed out of suffering. What I mean by suffering there is no way of earning money. Because you were very poor and had to eat, you stay down where the fishermen draw their nets, so you'd have food everyday. Fishermen always give you fish, they like to hear you play. You'd have someone at the drum, someone at a grater, someone at a shakers. Always some kind of harmony ... the music is from the way of life, something one feels. You vibrate it back to those who oppress you. What I was playing was what I felt, you know? I played hardship out of the horn".

Around this time, Rico fully embraced the Rastafarian faith and befriended legendary burru drummer, Count Ossie whose encampment on Wareika Hill in east Kingston provided the focal point for the town's Rasta community. ...

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After touring (the UK) with Prince Buster in 1967, he returned to Jamaica to perform on a number of sides for the producer, including the anti-Rude Boy anthem, "Judge Dread (400 Years)" (2). His stay was short-lived, however, and he was soon back in London cutting sides for Melodisc, Pama and the local producers, Clancy Collins and Charles Reid, before recording "The Bullet" for Joe Mansano, proprietor of Joe's Records in Brixton. The record, released on B&C's Blue Cat Label, marked Mansano's debut as a producer and the beginning of his relationship with Rico which was to spawn a number of fine recordings over the ensuing months.

The following year, Rico found himself at the very epicentre of the Reggae explosion in Britan. The phenomenal success of the exciting new sound from Jamaica spurred a host of London-based producers to arrange recording sessions using local talent, the results of which were leased or sold to the major independant Jamican music companies, such as Trojan and Pama. As a result, Rico became increasingly in demand and by the end of 1969, he saw the release of his first three solo albums, Reco in Reggaeland (for Pama) and two Trojan releases, Blow Your Horn and Brixton Cat (although the latter credited the artists as Joe's All Stars). The first of these (TTL 12), was produced by Trojan's in-house producer, Robert Thompson, (who also contributed a few vocal tracks of his own to the album under his regular nom de guerre, Dandy) and featured Rico backed by Britain's top Reggae session band, The Rudies, which consisted of Earl Dunn (lead guitar), Ardley White (bass), Sonny Binns (ogan) and Danny Smith (drums). His second album  release by the company was Brixton Cat (TBL 106), which featured some of his best sides for Joe Mansano, with musical accompaniment this time provided by Joe's All Stars, although in a likelyhood the group could well have been yet another of the Rudie's many aliases. Also featured on a number of tracks was the Brixton based dj, Dice The Boss (aka Hopeton Reid), another Jamaican expatriot.

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This CD provides an excellent opportunity to hear two vintage Rico albums, the original vinyl releases of which have been long since become highly prized collector's items. The classic sides of this music illustrates the supreme talent of a master craftsman, as you will shortly experience for yourself to be literally blow away by one of Jamaica's most talented sons. Rico - Blow Your Horn!

- Laurence Cane-Honeysett, 1995

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(1) Alphonso didn't learn at Alpha but at Stoney Hill Industrial School. (back)
(2) Wasn't this recorded 1966 before Buster came zu England? (back)

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