Blow, Mr. Rico, Blow!

Sadly, Mr. Rico will blow no more. Rico Rodriguez died yesterday. He was a hugely influential figure in popular music, playing trombone on countless reggae and ska records and helping to define a whole genre. After years blowing away in the background, Rico found fame with The Specials and practically invented 2-Tone. But his musical brilliance was spotted at the Alpha Boys’ School in Kingston, Jamaica. It was run by Catholic nuns for “wayward boys” and was renowned for its discipline and its musical tuition. Rico was nurtured by an inspirational nun called Sister Mary Ignatius Davies. She ensured that his energies were channelled into music rather than more nefarious activities. I’m the first to condemn colonialism and Catholicism but stories like Rico’s remind us that those things weren’t always completely wrong.