1. Guido Basso Flugelhorn & Trumpet 1937 (75 years old) Montreal, Canada...Guido Basso is quite simply the best damn fleugel horn player in the world...

2. His early life…   He started playing the trumpet when he was nine. Settling in Toronto in1960, he became a studio trumpeter. He also occasionally played harmonica in-studio. In 1963, he became a music director for CBLT, a post he held until 1967. He was made a member of the Order of Canada in 1994. [1]trumpetToronto1960CBLTOrder of Canada [1]   He is a trumpeter, flugelhornist, harmonica-player, arranger, composer, conductor. He studied at the Conservatoire de musique du Quebec. His career started in his teens, when singer Vic Damone included him in an international tour.

3. His early career   In 1958 he joined singer Pearl Bailey and her bandleader husband, drummer Louis Bellson, touring North America with them for three years before moving to Toronto to join the studio and television scene there. Beginning in 1975, he frequently organized and led big band concerts at Toronto’s Canadian National Exhibition featuring jazz luminaries including Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie.

4. Later career   He can be heard on hundreds of record albums, playing and recording with stars from Buddy Rich and Oliver Jones to Carol Welsman and Diana Krall. He is currently featured on vocalist Diana Panton’s release “Pink”.   Guido Basso was a charter member of Rob McConnell’s group, The Boss Brass, and the Rob McConnell Tentet, playing with The Boss Brass as a featured soloist throughout their lifetime, and appearing on 30 Boss Brass recordings. He was part of the “Sound of Toronto” series of reunion concerts of the Boss Brass in 2008.

5. Guido in 1965  Click to Watch Guido! Click to Watch Guido! Click to Watch Guido!

6. What I hear…  I really enjoyed hearing one of Guido’s earlier recordings. It was cool to hear the contrast between Arnie & Guido who have two unique styles. Arnie uses the higher range a lot and Guido is so smooth and lyrical.

7. My favourite flugelhorn solo of all time!  I recall listening to this recording of ‘Portrait of Jenny’ over and over again in grade 9 trying to write out what I heard. Transcribing it took me over a month. When I met Guido in New York a few years ago I told him the story. He was touched that his solo had been so meaningful to me that I had taken the time to transcribe it!

9. “Portrait of Jenny”  Click to Watch Guido! Click to Watch Guido! Click to Watch Guido!

10. Musicians Guido has played with… Phil Woods, Fernando, Rob McConnell, Guido Basso Guido Basso & Rob McConnell The Boss Brass With Benny Goodman, 1971

12. Guido says… When asked, ‘do you read the chord changes?’ “I can, but whenever I blow I play by ear. I use my instincts rather than my eyes.”

13. Guido plays harmonica too…

14. Guido with Morgan Moore

15. Guido on the TV series ‘Night Cap’ 1965

16. Guido with Rob McConnell on valve trombone

17. One of Guido’s Albums

18. Guido says… On the sound of the flugelhorn... “A lot of players don’t have enough time to become intimate with the instrument. They’ll grab it and blow the hell out of it, like the trumpet. Well, when you do that it ends up sounding something like a tubby trumpet.”

19. Concert featuring Guido

20. Looking casual…

21. Recording session with the Boss Brass

22. An older album

23. Receiving the Order of Canada

24. Pages of note… http://trafficeast.com/archi ves/issue-ten/a-study-in- grace-by-tom-fleming http://trafficeast.com/archi ves/issue-ten/a-study-in- grace-by-tom-fleming http://www.trumpetguild.o rg/journal/m95/9505Laba. pdf http://www.trumpetguild.o rg/journal/m95/9505Laba. pdf