Enrico Tomasso All-Stars

Enrico Tomasso  (trumpet and vocals)

Ian Bateman  (trombone)

Simon Thorpe  (bass)

Colin Good  (piano)

Trevor Whiting  (clarinet)

Richie Bryant  (drums)

Salute to Satchmo

Enrico Tomasso was exposed to the best of jazz from when he was born and started playing the trumpet at the age of five. His father, a jazz clarinetist, nurtured and encouraged the inherent talent and gave him every opportunity to hear and meet the jazz greats such as Benny Goodman, Roy Eldridge, Oscar Peterson, Buddy Rich, Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby Hacket, Billy Butterfield, Maynard Ferguson, the Basie and Ellington bands and many more. His biggest inspiration was Louis Armstrong whom he played for as he walked off the plane in 1968 for a stint at Batley Variety Club. Louis took the seven year old Enrico under his wing for the two weeks inviting him as his personal guest every night and giving him advice. This led to friendship and correspondence during the last years of Louis’ life. Enrico is often asked to recount this story and talk about the great man on TV and radio.

After studying at Leeds Music College and Guildhall School Of Music, Enrico joined The Ken Mackintosh Orchestra followed by a period with The Pasadena Roof Orchestra and then The Ray Gelato Giants after which he pursued his solo career. This however still allowed him to play with Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz Band during Acker’s last decade. Enrico is considered one of the top jazz trumpeters on the jazz scene is and six times winner of best trumpet category in the British Jazz Awards. A popular figure at many of the jazz clubs and festivals around the world, he has exciting presence and a lively personality on stage with his command of the instrument and stylistic invention placing him in the top echelon.

He’s played with the likes of Scott Hamilton, Ken Peplowski, Dan Barrett, Houston Person, Marti Grosz, Jake Hanna, Dick Hyman, Bob Wilbur, Kenny Davern, Wild Bill Davison, Warren Vasche, Ralph Sutton, Roy Williams, Alan Barnes, Johnny Dankworth, Bryan Lemon, Allan Ganley, Kenny Ball, Chris Barber, Humphrey Littleton, George Melly, Jools Holland etc. He also is often in the studios for film and tv music as well as backing many famous recording artists from Amy Winehouse to Clair Teal. He’s prominent on all Bryan Ferry’s jazz projects and has joined him on a few world tours. He can be heard on the soundtrack to the 2013 “Great Gatsby” remake, the specially commissioned sound track to “Shooting Stars” by the British Film Institute, SS-GB and other period soundtracks.

Current CDs are “Al Dente” available on the Woodville records and “When Louis Met Bix” a collaboration with American ‘Bix' supremo Andy Schumm on Lakeside records.