Frank Ricotti

{{Short description|English jazz vibraphonist and percussionist}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Frank Ricotti

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| birth_name = Frank E. Ricotti

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1949|01|31}}

| birth_place = St Pancras, London, England

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| genre = Jazz

| occupation = Musician

| instrument = {{hlist|Vibraphone|percussion}}

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

Early life and education

Frank E. Ricotti was born in St Pancras, London, England;{{cite web |url=https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?scan=1&r=198742881:4660&d=bmd_1729815772 |title=Ricottii Frank E. Fisher Pancras |publisher=freebmd.org.uk |access-date=1 November 2024}} his father was a drummer.{{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-580-8|page=335}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/frank-ricotti-mn0000791561|title=Frank Ricotti|website=AllMusic|access-date=31 July 2021}}

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), and Hans Zimmer.{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/frank-ricotti-mn0000791561|title=Frank Ricotti {{!}} Biography & History {{!}} AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=26 April 2017}}

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.{{cite web |url=https://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/84096/ricotti-albuquerque/first-wind |title=Ricotti & Albuquerque: First Wind (FOX033) |publisher=jazzmessengers.com |access-date=10 September 2022}}

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,{{Cite web|url=http://www.theartofnoiseonline.com/IN-NO-SENSE-NONSENSE-835-807-4-USA.php|title=THE ART OF NOISE ONLINE www.theartofnoiseonline.com|website=www.theartofnoiseonline.com}} 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.{{cite book

| first= David

| last= Roberts

| year= 2006

| title= British Hit Singles & Albums

| edition= 19th

| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited

| location= London

| isbn= 1-904994-10-5

| page= 463}} 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.{{Cite news|url=http://www.markknopfler.com/discography/kill-to-get-crimson/|title=Kill To Get Crimson|work=MarkKnopfler.com|access-date=26 April 2017|language=en-US}}

Discography

{{listen

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| description = An audio sample of "Lo and Behold", from the 1971 album First Wind

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=As leader=

Our Point of View (CBS Realm Jazz: 52668, 1969){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/our-point-of-view-mw0000847348|title=Our Point of View - Frank Ricotti | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic|via=www.allmusic.com}}
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 Aztec Camera

Knife (Sire, 1984)

With Madeline Bell

This is One Girl (Pyre Records, 1976)
Madeline (Four Corners, 1993)

With Blood, Sweat & Tears

No Sweat (Columbia, 1973)

With Bloodstone

Unreal (London, 1973)
I Need Time (London, 1974)

With Teresa Brewer

Teresa Brewer In London (Flying Dutchman, 1973)

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 Tina Charles

Heart 'n' Soul (CBS, 1977)

With Charlotte Church

Enchantment (Columbia Records, 2001)

With Climie Fisher

Everything (EMI, 1988)

With Rosemary Clooney

Nice to be Around (United Artists Records, 1977)

With Stephen Dale Petit

The Crave (English Records, 2011)

With Roger Daltrey

McVicar (Polydor Records, 1980)

With Kiki Dee

Perfect Timing (RCA Victor, 1981)

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 Everything but the Girl

Baby, the Stars Shine Bright (Blanco y Negro, 1986)

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 Gabrielle

Always (Universal, 2007)

With Gareth Gates

What My Heart Wants to Say (RCA Records, 2002)
Go Your Own Way (RCA Records, 2003)

With Clive Griffin

Clive Griffin (Epic Records, 1993)

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 (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 Yusuf Islam

King of a Land (Dark Horse, 2023)

With Elton John

Ice on Fire (Geffen, 1985){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ice-on-fire-mw0000190514/credits|title=Ice on Fire - Elton John | Credits | AllMusic|access-date=21 July 2020|website=AllMusic}}
Leather Jackets (Geffen, 1986){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/leather-jackets-mw0000194370/credits|title=Leather Jackets - Elton John | Credits | AllMusic|access-date=21 July 2020|website=AllMusic}}

With Grace Jones

Slave to the Rhythm (Island Records, 1985)

With Joshua Kadison

Painted Desert Serenade (Capitol Records, 1993)

With Nick Kamen

Us (WEA, 1988)

With Katrina and the Waves

Turnaround (Polydor Records, 1994)

With Beverley Knight

Affirmation (Parlophone, 2004)

With Mark Knopfler

Sailing to Philadelphia (Warner Bros. Records, 2000)
Kill to Get Crimson (Warner Bros. Records, 2007)

With Nick Lachey

SoulO (Universal, 2003)

With Lighthouse Family

Ocean Drive (Polydor, 1995)

With Meat Loaf

Bad Attitude (Arista, 1984)

With Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé

Barcelona (Polydor Records, 1988)

With Mika

The Origin of Love (Casablanca Records, 2012)

With John Miles

Play On (EMI, 1983)

With Joni Mitchell

Both Sides Now (Reprise Records, 2000)

With Oliver Nelson

Oliver Edward Nelson in London with Oily Rags (Flying Dutchman, 1974)

With Robbie Nevil

Robbie Nevil (Manhattan, 1986)

With Chris Norman

Different Shades (Hansa, 1987)

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 Pet Shop Boys

Very (Parlophone, 1993)
Fundamental (Parlophone, 2006)

With Anthony Phillips

Sides (Arista, 1979)

With Michel Polnareff

Bulles (AZ, 1981)

With Gregory Porter

Nat King Cole & Me (Blue Note, 2017)

With Gerry Rafferty

Night Owl (United Artists Records, 1979)
Snakes and Ladders (United Artists Records, 1980)
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 Rumer

Boys Don't Cry (Atlantic, 2012)

With Leo Sayer

Have You Ever Been in Love (Chrysalis Records, 1983)

With Seal

Soul 2 (Reprise Records, 2011)

With Chris Spedding

Backwood Progression (Harvest, 1970)

With Edwin Starr

Edwin Starr (20th Century Records, 1977)

With Status Quo

Rockin' All Over the World (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 Uriah Heep

Head First (Bronze, 1983)
Raging Silence (Legacy, 1989)

With Rick Wakeman

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

With Was (Not Was)

What Up, Dog? (Chrysalis, 1988)

With Wet Wet Wet

10 (Mercury, 1997)

With Robbie Williams

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

With Amy Winehouse

Back to Black (Universal, 2006){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/back-to-black-mw0000736522/credits|title=Back to Black - Amy Winehouse | Credits | AllMusic|access-date=21 July 2020|website=AllMusic}}

References

=Footnotes=

=General references=

Simon Adams, [https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/display/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-2000379400?rskey=VKSapU&result=1 "Frank Ricotti"] at Grove Jazz.
John Chilton, Who's Who of British Jazz. 2004, Continuum International Publishing, {{ISBN|978-0826472342}}