Frank Ricotti

Frank Ricotti (born 31 January 1949) is an English jazz vibraphonist and percussionist.

Early life and education

Ricotti was born in London, England. His father was a drummer. Bill Ashton, founder of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO), was an early mentor. As a teenager, Ricotti played vibraphone and learned composition and arranging in the NYJO, and later attended Trinity College of Music between 1967 and 1970.

Career

Ricotti worked with Neil Ardley (1968–71), Dave Gelly, Graham Collier, Mike Gibbs (1969–72), Stan Tracey (1970), Harry Beckett (1970–72), Norma Winstone (1971), Gordon Beck (1973–74), Hans Zimmer.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Ricotti led his own jazz quartet. A line-up of the band featuring the guitarist Chris Spedding, bassist Chris Laurence and drummer Bryan Spring recorded the album ''Our Point of View'', released in July 1969. In 1971, in partnership with bassist Mike de Albuquerque, he released the album ''First Wind'' (as 'Ricotti and Albuquerque').

In the 1980s, he played with Chris Laurence and John Taylor in the group Paragonne, and played with Beck again in 1984. After this he worked primarily as a studio musician.

Ricotti has recorded with artists such as Status Quo, Freddie Mercury, Pet Shop Boys, Swing Out Sister, Art of Noise, The Style Council, Belle and Sebastian, Clannad, Barclay James Harvest, Meat Loaf, Elkie Brooks, Rick Wakeman, Oasis, Tina Turner, Aztec Camera, Thomas Anders, Alphaville, and Mark Knopfler.

Between 1984 and 1987, Ricotti wrote the soundtrack music for Yorkshire Television's ''The Beiderbecke Trilogy'', in the style of Bix Beiderbecke. The music was performed by his band, the Frank Ricotti All Stars, and featured Kenny Baker on cornet. A soundtrack album was released in 1988. Later, in June 1993, it peaked at No. 73 in the UK Albums Chart. Ricotti and his band made a cameo appearance in the final series, playing in a jazz club.

In 2007, Ricotti played vibes on Mark Knopfler's album, ''Kill to Get Crimson''.

Instruments played

Ricotti is known to play congas, bongos, vibraphone, tambourine, shaker, tubular bells, marimba, glockenspiel, xylophone, snare drum, triangle, timpani, timbales, tabla, sleigh bells, drums, gong and assorted other percussion, including ethnic and Latin.

Discography

As leader

* ''Our Point of View'' ( CBS Realm Jazz: 52668, 1969)
* ''First Wind'' (Ricotti & Albuquerque), (with Mike de Albuquerque), (Pegasus: PEG 2, 1971)

As sideman

With Alphaville
* '' Afternoons in Utopia'' (Atlantic, 1986)

With Thomas Anders
* '' Different'' (Teldec, 1989)

With Madeline Bell
* ''This is One Girl'' (Pyre Records, 1976)
* ''Madeline'' (Four Corners, 1993)

With Pet Shop Boys
* '' Very'' (Parlophone, 1993)
* ''Fundamental'' (Parlophone, 2006)

With Dee Dee Bridgewater
* '' Dear Ella'' (Verve, 1997)

With Elkie Brooks
* '' Pearls II'' (A&M Records, 1982)

With Emma Bunton
* '' Free Me'' (19, 2004)

With Paul Carrack
* '' One Good Reason'' (Chrysalis Records, 1987)
* '' Blue Views'' (I.R.S. Records, 1995)
* '' These Days'' (Carrack UK, 2018)

With Mary Chapin Carpenter
* ''Songs from the Movie'' (Zoe, 2014)

With Charlotte Church
* '' Enchantment'' (Columbia Records, 2001)

With Rosemary Clooney
* '' Nice to be Around'' (United Artists Records, 1977)

With Roger Daltrey
* '' McVicar'' (Polydor Records, 1980)

With Terence Trent D'Arby
* '' Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby'' (Columbia Records, 1987)

With Sheena Easton
* '' Take My Time'' (EMI, 1981)
* '' You Could Have Been with Me'' (EMI, 1981)
* '' Madness, Money & Music'' (EMI, 1982)

With Bryan Ferry
* '' As Time Goes By'' (Virgin Records, 1999)
* '' Frantic'' (Virgin Records, 2002)
* '' Dylanesque'' (Virgin Records, 2007)
* '' Olympia'' (Virgin Records, 2010)
* '' The Jazz Age'' (BMG Rights Management, 2012)
* '' Avonmore'' (BMG Rights Management, 2014)
* '' Bitter-Sweet'' (BMG Rights Management, 2018)

With Julia Fordham
* '' Swept'' (Virgin Records, 1991)

With Peter Frampton
* '' Wind of Change'' (A&M Records, 1972)

With Delta Goodrem
* ''Mistaken Identity'' (Epic Records, 2004)

With David Gray
* '' Life in Slow Motion'' (Atlantic Records, 2005)

With Josh Groban
* '' Awake'' (Reprise Records, 2006)
* '' Bridges'' (Reprise Records, 2018)

With Daryl Hall
* ''Soul Alone'' (Epic, 1993)

With Geri Halliwell
* ''Passion (Geri Halliwell album), Passion'' (EMI, 2005)

With Albert Hammond
* ''Albert Louis Hammond'' (Epic Records, 1978)

With Debbie Harry
* ''Debravation'' (Sire Records, 1993)

With Murray Head
* ''Nigel Lived'' (Columbia Records, 1972)

With John Illsley
* ''Glass'' (Vertigo, 1988)

With Elton John
* ''Ice on Fire'' (Geffen/Rocket, 1985)
* ''Leather Jackets (album), Leather Jackets'' (Geffen/Rocket, 1986)

With Grace Jones
* ''Slave to the Rhythm (album), Slave to the Rhythm'' (Island Records, 1985)

With Joshua Kadison
* ''Painted Desert Serenade'' (Capitol Records, 1993)

With Nick Kamen
* ''Us'' (WEA, 1988)

With Beverley Knight
* ''Affirmation (Beverley Knight album), Affirmation'' (Parlophone, 2004)

With Mark Knopfler
* ''Sailing to Philadelphia'' (Warner Bros. Records, 2000)
* ''Kill to Get Crimson'' (Warner Bros. Records, 2007)

With Meat Loaf
* ''Bad Attitude (album), Bad Attitude'' (Arista, 1984) (two tracks)

With Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé
* ''Barcelona (Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé album), Barcelona'' (Polydor Records, 1988)

With Mika (singer), Mika
* ''The Origin of Love'' (Casablanca Records, 2012)

With John Miles (musician), John Miles
* ''Play On (John Miles album), Play On'' (EMI, 1983)

With Joni Mitchell
* ''Both Sides Now (Joni Mitchell album), Both Sides Now'' (Reprise Records, 2000)

With Oliver Nelson
* ''Oliver Edward Nelson in London with Oily Rags'' (Flying Dutchman Records, Flying Dutchman, 1974)

With Sally Oldfield
* ''Water Bearer'' (Bronze Records, 1978)
* ''Easy'' (Bronze Records, 1979)
* ''Celebration'' (Bronze Records, 1980)
* ''Playing in the Flame'' (Bronze Records, 1981)
* ''Strange Day in Berlin'' (Bronze, 1983)

With Gerry Rafferty
* ''Night Owl (album), Night Owl'' (United Artists Records, 1979)
* ''Snakes and Ladders (Gerry Rafferty album), Snakes and Ladders'' (United Artists Records, 1980)
* ''Sleepwalking (Gerry Rafferty album), Sleepwalking'' (Liberty Records, 1982)

With Chris Rea
* ''Whatever Happened to Benny Santini?'' (Magnet, 1978)

With Cliff Richard
* ''Every Face Tells a Story'' (EMI, 1977)
* ''Together with Cliff Richard'' (EMI, 1991)

With Leo Sayer
* ''Have You Ever Been in Love (album), Have You Ever Been in Love'' (Chrysalis Records, 1983)

With Seal (musician), Seal
* ''Soul 2'' (Reprise Records, 2011)

With Status Quo
* ''Rockin' All Over the World (album), Rockin' All Over the World'' (Vertigo Records, Vertigo, 1977)
* ''If You Can't Stand the Heat...'' (Vertigo, 1978)

With Amii Stewart
* ''Time for Fantasy'' (RCA Records, 1988)

With Rod Stewart
* ''A Spanner in the Works'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1995)

With Tina Turner
* ''Private Dancer'' (Capitol Records, 1984)
* ''Break Every Rule'' (Capitol Records, 1986)

With Rick Wakeman
* ''The Six Wives of Henry VIII (album), The Six Wives of Henry VIII'' (A&M, 1973)
* ''Rick Wakeman's Criminal Record'' (A&M, 1977)
* ''1984 (Rick Wakeman album), 1984'' (Charisma, 1981)

With Was (Not Was)
* ''What Up, Dog?'' (Chrysalis, 1988)

With Robbie Williams
* ''Swing When You're Winning'' (Chrysalis Records, 2001)
* ''Swings Both Ways'' (Island Records, 2013)

With Amy Winehouse
* ''Back to Black'' (Universal Music Group, Universal, 2006)

References

;Footnotes

;General references
*Simon Adams, "Frank Ricotti". ''The New Grove, Grove Jazz'' online.
*John Chilton, ''Who's Who of British Jazz''. 2004, Continuum International Publishing,

External links

Frank Ricotti
at discogs.com

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ricotti, Frank
1949 births
Living people
British jazz vibraphonists
British male jazz musicians
Musicians from London
English session musicians
English people of Italian descent
British percussionists
Tabla players
English jazz drummers
Conga players
Timbaleros
Marimbists
Xylophonists
Bongo players
Tambourine players
Triangle players
Snare drummers
Timpanists
Tubular bells players
National Youth Jazz Orchestra members
New Jazz Orchestra members