{{Short description|Canadian jazz musician (1937–2023)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}} {{Use Canadian English|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Guido Basso | honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=CAN|size=100%|CM}} | image = Guido Basso photo.jpg | image_size = 250 | landscape = yes | caption = Basso playing the flugelhorn in 2008 | birth_date = {{birth date|1937|9|27|df=y}} | birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada | death_date = {{death date and age|2023|2|13|1937|9|27|df=y}} | death_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada | genre = Jazz | occupation = Musician | instrument = Trumpet, flugelhorn | years_active = 1950s–2023 }}
'''Guido Basso''' {{postnominals|country=CAN|CM}} (27 September 1937 – 13 February 2023) 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.
==Early life== Guido Basso was born in Montreal, Quebec, on 27 September 1937.<ref name="canadianencyclopedia">{{cite web|title=Guido Basso|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/guido-basso-emc|date=14 February 2023|last1=Hale|first1=James|last2=McIntosh|first2=Andrew|website=The Canadian Encyclopedia|publisher=Historica Canada|accessdate=16 February 2023}}</ref><ref name="SNBC-2023">{{cite web|url=https://snbc13.com/guido-basso-flugelhornist-canadian-jazz-musician-passes-away-at-85-death-obituary |title=Guido Basso Flugelhornist, Canadian jazz musician passes away at 85 |first=Morrison |last=Liam |date=13 February 2023 |website=SNBC13 |access-date=14 February 2023}}</ref> He grew up in the Little Italy neighbourhood of Montreal, in an Italian-Canadian family.<ref name="Chénard-2017">{{cite web|url=https://myscena.org/marc-chenard/guido-basso-homecoming/|title=Guido Basso – The Homecoming| date=11 October 2017|last=Chénard|first=Marc|website=My Scena|accessdate=17 February 2023}}</ref> He began playing the trumpet at the age of nine. He studied at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal. His professional music career started in his teens, under the name "Stubby Basso".<ref name="canadianencyclopedia" />
During his early 20s, Basso performed regularly at the El Morocco in Montreal and played in bands led by Maury Kaye.<ref name="Chénard-2017" /> Singer Vic Damone discovered Basso playing at the El Morocco, then included him on a tour from 1957 to 1958.<ref name="canadianencyclopedia" />
==Career== Basso had a professional career as a composer, conductor, arranger, trumpeter, flugelhornist, and harmonica player.<ref name="canadianencyclopedia" /> The Canadian Encyclopedia wrote that Basso was "one of Canada's pre-eminent jazz trumpeters", and that "he was credited with the theory that one attacks the trumpet and makes love to a flugelhorn".<ref name="canadianencyclopedia" />
In 1958, he joined singer Pearl Bailey and her husband, drummer Louis Bellson, touring North America with them and their orchestra.<ref name="canadianencyclopedia" /> Basso returned to Canada and settled in Toronto in 1961, instead of obtaining permanent residency in the United States and the likelihood of required enlistment in the United States Army. Basso then studied at The Royal Conservatory of Music during the early 1960s.<ref name="Chénard-2017" />
In 1963, he became music director for CBLT's ''Nightcap'', a job he held until 1967.<ref name="canadianencyclopedia" /> He subsequently held a number of music director positions with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), as well as being active as a performer.<ref name="JazzFM-2023">{{cite web|url=https://jazz.fm/guido-basso-obituary-canadian-jazz-musician/|title=Guido Basso, maestro of Canadian jazz, dies at 85|last=Feibel|first=Adam|date=13 February 2023|website=JAZZ.FM91|access-date=13 February 2023}}</ref> His work at CBC included ''Barris and Company'' (1968–69), ''Mallets and Brass'' (1969) with vibraphonist Peter Appleyard, music director of ''After Noon'' (1969–1971), and leading orchestras playing big band music on '''In the Mood'' (1971–72) and ''Bandwagon'' (1972–73).<ref name="canadianencyclopedia" />
[[File:Toronto bandshell.jpg|thumb|CNE Bandshell at Exhibition Place in Toronto]]
He organized and led big band concerts at the CNE Bandshell, featuring Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Basso was a charter member of Rob McConnell's Boss Brass, playing with the band for over twenty years.<ref name="canadianencyclopedia" /><ref name="JazzFM-2023" /> Basso also played in big bands led by Ron Collier, and Phil Nimmons.<ref name="canadianencyclopedia" />
Basso was also featured in the 2009 album ''Norm Amadio and Friends'', playing trumpet and flugelhorn accompaniments.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|last=da Gama|first=Raul|date=October 21, 2021|title=Andrew Melzer: The Art of Song and the Song of Life|magazine=That Canadian Magazine|url=https://thatcanadianmagazine.com/featured/andrew-melzer-the-art-of-song-and-the-song-of-and-life/|access-date=May 5, 2026}}</ref>
==Personal life== Basso was married to Kristin and had one daughter, Mia Basso Noble, who was a musician and songwriter. Mia died of cancer in September 2013.<ref name="SNBC-2023" />
Basso died in Toronto, on 13 February 2023, at age 85.<ref name="canadianencyclopedia" /><ref name="JazzFM-2023" />
==Awards and honours== Basso was made a member of the Order of Canada in 1994.<ref name="canadianencyclopedia" /> His citation cited him as, "an advocate of the arts and an inspiration to young musicians, he is generous with his time and talent, running workshops and clinics, and lending his name and expertise to worthy causes".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/146-3761|title=Mr. Guido Basso|website=Governor General of Canada|year=1994|access-date=16 February 2023}}</ref> He received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/125-42865|title=Mr. Guido Basso|website=Governor General of Canada|year=2002|access-date=16 February 2023}}</ref> and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/126-102129|title=Guido Basso|website=Governor General of Canada|year=2012|access-date=16 February 2023}}</ref>
Basso won the Juno Award for traditional jazz album of the year, ''Turn Out the Stars'', in 2003.<ref name="SNBC-2023" /> and a second Juno Award for traditional jazz album of the year, ''Lost in the Stars'', in 2004.<ref name="canadianencyclopedia" /><ref>[http://www.soulshine.ca/news/newsarticle.php?nid=419 "CARAS Scores A Hit With 2004 Juno Awards"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815054635/http://www.soulshine.ca/news/newsarticle.php?nid=419|date=15 August 2016 }}. ''Soul Shine''. 5 April 2004</ref>
==Discography== ===Albums as a leader or member=== Albums as a leader or member:<ref name="discogs">{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/397755-Guido-Basso|title=Guido Basso|year=2023|website=Discogs|access-date=16 February 2023}}</ref> * ''Guido Basso'' (Innovation, 1986) * ''Bass Busters'' (Innovative, 1995) * ''Midnight Martini'' (Justin Time, 1999) * ''Dedications'' (Justin Time, 2002) * ''A Lazy Afternoon'' (Justin Time, 2003) * ''Lost in the Stars'' (CBC, 2003) * ''One Take, Vol. 1'' (Alma, 2005)
'''With Rob McConnell'''<ref name="discogs" /> * 1976 ''The Jazz Album'' * 1978 ''Big Band Jazz'' * 1980 ''Present Perfect'' * 1981 ''Live in Digital'' * 1982 ''All in Good Time'' * 1984 ''Old Friends, New Music'' * 1985 ''Boss Brass & Woods'' * 1986 ''Mel Tormé, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass'' * 1991 ''The Brass Is Back'' * 1992 ''Brassy and Sassy'' * 1992 ''Live in Digital'' * 1993 ''Our 25th Year'' * 1994 ''Overtime'' * 1995 ''Don't Get Around Much Anymore'' * 1997 ''Play the Jazz Classics'' * 2000 ''The Rob McConnell Tentet'' * 2002 ''Riffs I Have Known'' * 2003 ''Music of the Twenties''
===Albums as a guest artist=== '''With Anne Murray'''<ref name="discogs" /> * 1993 ''Croonin' '' * 2002 ''Country Croonin' '' * 2004 ''I'll Be Seeing You'' * 2005 ''All of Me''
'''With Diana Panton'''<ref name="discogs" /> * 2009: ''pink'' * 2013: ''Christmas Kiss'' * 2019: ''solstice / equinox''
'''With Emilie-Claire Barlow'''<ref name="discogs" /> * 2001 ''Tribute'' * 2005 ''Like a Lover''
'''With Holly Cole'''<ref name="discogs" /> * 2001 ''Baby, It's Cold Outside'' * 2003 ''Shade''
'''With Sophie Milman'''<ref name="discogs" /> * 2004 ''Sophie Milman'' * 2007 ''Make Someone Happy'' * 2009 ''Take Love Easy''
'''With others'''<ref name="discogs" /> * 1977 ''Peter Appleyard Presents'', Peter Appleyard * 1979 ''Back Again'', The Hi-Lo's * 1986 ''Night Flight'', Sammy Nestico * 1994 ''Masterpieces'', The Singers Unlimited * 1995 ''Velvet & Brass'', Mel Tormé * 1996 ''From Lush to Lively'', Oliver Jones * 1996 ''You Must Believe in Swing'', Ranee Lee * 2005 ''A Dream Come True'', Trudy Desmond * 2006 ''I Love Being Here with You'', Dione Taylor * 2007 ''From Sea to Sky'', Laila Biali * 2008 ''The Other Woman'', Chantal Chamberland<ref name="AM credits">{{cite web|title=Guido Basso {{!}} Credits {{!}} AllMusic|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/guido-basso-mn0000548356/credits|website=AllMusic|accessdate=10 April 2017}}</ref> * 2009 ''Norm Amadio and Friends''<ref name=":0" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{discogs artist}} * {{imdb name}} * [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/guido-basso-emc Article at thecanadianencyclopedia.ca]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Basso, Guido}} Category:1937 births Category:2023 deaths Category:20th-century Canadian male musicians Category:20th-century Canadian trumpeters Category:21st-century Canadian male musicians Category:21st-century Canadian trumpeters Category:Big band trumpet players Category:Canadian harmonica players Category:Canadian jazz trumpeters Category:Canadian male jazz musicians Category:Canadian male trumpeters Category:Canadian people of Italian descent Category:Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal alumni Category:Juno Award for Traditional Jazz Album of the Year winners Category:Members of the Order of Canada Category:Musicians from Montreal Category:The Royal Conservatory of Music alumni