Belleville’s Empire Theatre to host August celebration for “the best damn flugelhornist in the world”

Music lost Guido Basso in February 2023, but that accolade from the late Rob McConnell came long before.

Nearly sixty years ago, Basso was a founding member of McConnell’s Grammy and Juno-winning Boss Brass jazz orchestra, where he earned legions of loyal fans for an unmatched artistry on the flugelhorn. Basso’s sensuous balladry was an oasis of richness, warmth, subtlety, and technical mastery. He was a trumpeter for all seasons; TV and dance bandleader, concert performances, recordings, and associations with Dizzy Gillespie, Doc Severinsen, and Benny Goodman to Duke Ellington and Diana Krall. A long-time resident of Consecon, in his later years Basso was-artist-in-residence for the Prince Edward County Jazz Festival.

Celebrating Guido Basso with The Brian Barlow Big Band and special guest Heather Bambrick. Participating performers, many of them trumpeters, make for a long list of Canadian jazz royalty.

Host:  Heather Bambrick

On Stage Guests:  Carol Welsman, John Sherwood, Pat LaBarbera, Terry Clarke, Dave Young, Reg Schwager, John MacLeod, Ron DiLoro and a host of other musicians from Montreal and Toronto.

Proceeds will be directed to a scholarship in Guido Basso at the University of Toronto.