Information on Rico Rodriguez is usually only availabe in barely documented contributions to the music press, in interviews (temporarily) published on web sites, in liner notes to LPs and CDs and in books on reggae music.
Monographies[]
The most extensiv monographic text was published in German language in 1981:
- Klaus FREDERKING, 1981 - Unbestechlich: Der Mann aus Wareika / Klaus Frederking. - in: Rock Session, Reinbek bei Hamburg: Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag, 1981, pp. 231-243
Articles and interviews[]
in chronological order (if not otherwise stated in English language):
- Reggae Reggae Reggae, by Colin Mc Glasham, The Sunday Times Magazin, 4. Feb. 1973; The first "front page and colour" feature on reggae in the UK.
- "It was written by Colin Mc Glashan, and trombonist Rico Rodriguez featured prominently both in the text and in photos. 'Ricard Williams [Sunday Times reporter] came to see me and he came to a Rasta party with us,' recalls Rico. 'He stayed all night - I think he was one of the first [to report on the scene]'." (Michael de KONINGH, 2003, p. 70/71)
- The Man From The Hills, by Richard Williams, in: Melody Maker, 2. April 1977
- Man From Wareika, by Carl Gayle, in: Black Music (?), ca. 1977, p. 49
- That Man Is Forward, sleevenotes by Richard Williams to Rico's LP of the same title, 1981
- Sufferer's Heights with the Man From Wareika, Interview made in London, 1991, by Dave Hallworth and David Katz; Jove Music
- Roots To The Bone, liner notes by Steve Barrow to Rico's CD of the same title, 1995
- untitled interview, by Tero Kaski (Black Star Liner), 1995; Jove Music
- untitled interview, by Hervé Molia and Emmanuel Jaussely, 1995; Letskank (in French)
- Rico & The Rudies, liner notes by Laurence Cane-Honeysett to Trojan's CD-re-release of Blow Your Horn/Brixton Cat, 1995
- Mi noh play jazz o' funk, but Jamaican, y'know rasta ..., by Voice of Silence, Koichi Hanafusa, written on 17. Feb. 1998; Lovepeace.org
- untitled interview, by Olivier Malaponti, 2001; Reggae.fr in French
- untitled interview, by Ras C. and Alan Salvi, 2001/2002; Rootsconnection.ch
- Trombone Man, liner notes by Mike Atherton to Trojan's anthology CD, 2004
- untitled interview, by Sebastien Jobart, 2004; Reggaefrance.com in French
- untitled interview, by UPfront (Swiss reggae mag), May 2004; Upfront in French
- Interview with Tobi Wagner, drummer of Soulfood Int, tourband for Rico Rodriguez, by Norbert Boll via email, see Rootz.net (in German language).
Other Books[]
with notes on Rico Rodriguez:
- BARROW, St. 1997 - Reggae. The Rough Guide / Steve Barrow and Peter Dalton. - London: Rough Guides, 1997
- KATZ, D. 2003 - Solid Foundation: An Oral History of Jamaican Music / David Katz. - New York, London: Bloombury, 2003
- KONINGH, 2003 - Young Gifted And Black: The Story of Trojan Records / Michael de Koningh and Laurence Cane-Honeysett. -London: Sanctuary Press, 2003
- Michael de KONINGH, 2003 - Tighten Up: The Story Of Reggae in The UK / Michael de Koningh Marc Griffith. - London: Sanctuary, 2003
- MARSHALL, G. 1993 - The Two Tone Story / George Marshall. - Bonnie: S.T. Publishing, 1990, repr. 1993
- TURNER, M. 2003 - Roots Knotty Roots: The Discography of Jamaican Music. 78 & 45 rpm Records 1950-1975 / Michael Turner and Robert Schoenfeld. - Sec. ed., 2003
Film documentation[]
- Rico Rodriguez - The Legacy. Spain 2006.
- The phonograph starts to spin. The stylus falls softly over the vinyl record and life starts to play again that notes full of memories, difficulties, faith, travels and experiences. The life of Rico Rodriguez and the life of jamaican music are two faces of the same coin. They are like two parallel lines that passed through the time and the place.
- In the documentary “Rico Rodriguez – The Legacy” the time is 2006 and the place is Barcelona. The old caribbean melodies of the 60’s are performed by young musicians of the millenium, that take with pride the musical and spiritual legacy of this great trombonist.
- These beautiful melodies become the perfect soundtrack to review the biography of one of the most humble and compromised legends of Jamaican music.
- From: Liquidator Music, April 2007