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Rico & The Rudies - Blow Your Horn
(Music On Vinyl)

Coming out of Alpha Music School and learning from the legendary Don Drummond, Rico Rodriguez began cutting his teeth in some of most well known bands in Jamaica. During the late 50’s, the cuban born Jamaican was most closely associated with Count Ossie and undertook the religion of Rastafarianism. By the early 60’s, he moved to the UK to help fortify the love of Jamaican music while doing many studio sessions. He would eventually form his own group, Rico’s All Stars and then Rico & The Rudies who would began recording for Trojan with producer Dandy Livingstone; a famed UK producer who had already produced countless ska and rocksteady sessions.
Blow Your Horn was originally issued by Trojan in 1969 and it stands as yet another example Trojan’s dominance of rocksteady and reggae. Rico’s soulful and melodic tone is immediate and his composition selection is right on point. The production of the LP is tight with plenty of stick bass, farfisa organ and classic rocksteady tempos and rhythms.  There are 4 vocal tracks as well with producer Dandy filling out that role (on the hit “I”m Your Puppet”) as well as The Isrealites who lend their harmonies to “Doctor Sure Shot” and “Muma Muma.”
This is prime skinhead reggae. There are very few Rico titles in print and his discography is pretty scant as it is. He would gain more attention later in his career within the 2-Tone movement, blowing his horn for The Specials and later doing some work with Linton Kwesi Johnson. But his work and records for Trojan need to be investigated beginning here with Blow Your Horn. (Dom)
Check out a track here.