Born 23 March 1961 in Leeds (England), British jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn musician. Enrico Tomasso is a busy studio musician, having worked with Soft Cell and Bryan Ferry, Clare Teal, John Altman’s film music, and Marc Almond. Tomasso spent 12 years with Pasadena Roof Orchestra and performs with Ray Gelato regularly. From discogs Tomasso stands there, commanding his audience like an Italian Tenor, perhaps ‘The Great Caruso,’ and delivers a stream from his trumpet. This is jazz bel canto at it’s most spectacular. It is no surprise that Enrico Tomasso, one of the best contemporary jazz musicians, has won the British Jazz Award for best tromboner three times. The last time was in 2013. He has never been outside the top two. “Rico” is Yorkshire-born and bred. His father was also Yorkshire-born. My great-grandfather, an orphan who busked with a concertina and played a ‘tingalary’ (street piano) when he first arrived from Cassino in 1870s. Although my grandfather was musical, it was Ernie, my father’s clarinettist, and Freddy, our uncle who were professional musicians. After the war, they played together and then joined Harry Gold’s group. At the age of four, I was brought to America in 1961 and started piano lessons. When I was five years old, I heard Louis Armstrong perform ‘Basin Street Blues’. I told my father that I wanted to be a trumpet player. He encouraged me and took me to see many top American jazz artists, including Louis Armstrong. He was a good friend and I had the opportunity to play with him on his 1968 tour. Dick Hawdon was a great teacher who had worked with Terry Lightfoot, John Dankworth and could teach me both Louis’ hot moves and the styles of Clifford Brown and Clark Terry. My dad would also write Bunny Berigan solos for me that I would need to know before I could play football. I was able to play “I Can’t Get Started” at age eight. “I grew up on the stage, because my parents (my English mother who sang and played accordion) and brother Peter and sister Sharon of ‘The Tomasso Family,’ performed in the Northern clubs. As a teenager, I enjoyed listening to Humphrey Lyttelton’s programs. His ability to play everything was amazing, from ODJB and fusion. Rico moved to London after graduating from Leeds to study at Guildhall. Rico was 18 years old and working with the Ken Mackintosh band. He then joined the Pasadena Roof Orchestra, where he remained for 12 years. I was able to fit in to their English Dance Band style, which is a great tradition, and learned a lot. It was also an amazing experience to travel all over Europe and the globe in my 20s. Rico, on the other hand, spent many years with Ray Gelato and his exuberant Giants. “That was R
