Guido Basso, CM was a Canadian jazz musician who was a member of Rob McConnell’s Boss Brass big band. He was a trumpeter, flugelhornist, arranger, composer and conductor.
Who Was Guido Basso?
Basso began playing trumpet at nine, studied at the Conservatoire de musique du Quebec a Montreal, and in his teens, under the name ‘Stubby’ Basso, worked in dance and show bands led by Al Nichols, Maury Kaye, and others.
While playing at the club El Morocco with Kaye, he was heard by the US singer Vic Damone, who took him on the road from 1957-8. Basso subsequently worked throughout North America from 1958-60 with singer Pearl Bailey and the orchestra led by her husband, drummer Louis Bellson.
Maestro of Canadian jazz dead at 85
One of the integral charter members of the Grammy and Juno Award-winning group Rob McConnell & the Boss Brass has died at 85.
“He lived large as a personality, too. He was a wonderful guy to work with and work for. He was a very steady, dependable, generous, and diplomatic guy as a bandleader.”