What:
Rico International is the world's leading manufacturer and distributor of woodwind reeds and accessories for musical instruments.

Designed for professional, advancing and beginning students, Rico's reeds are manufactured under the following brand names: Grand Concert? SELECT Traditional and Thick Blank, Rico SELECT Jazz?, Rico Jazz?, Rico®, Rico Royal®, La Voz®, Plasticover®, Symmetricut®, Frederick L. Hemke® and Mitchell Lurie reeds. Double reeds and accessories include Rico and La Voz double reeds, Rico Royal Graftonite® and Metalite® mouthpieces.

Where:
Rico International
8484 San Fernando Road
Sun Valley, CA 91352 USA
Worldwide (818) 767-7030; US (800) 891-RICO (7426)
http://www.ricoreeds.com
E-mail: mrkting@ricoreeds.com

Corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities, totaling approximately 54,000 square feet, are located in Sun Valley, California. Worldwide, Rico retains a staff of approximately 230 employees.

Rico International actively manages and cultivates over a dozen plantations in France, Argentina and California, for a total of over 250 combined acreage. Its first plantation was established in the 1970's in the famed Var region of France, near Hyeres.

When:
Before its acquisition by Boosey & Hawkes in 1996, the company was owned and operated since its beginning by the families of original founders - Roy Maier, H.J. Snyder, and Frank De Michele. The company's patriarch, Joseph Rico, was a famed Parisian band leader and composer of slow waltzes, many of which are still used today in French motion picture sound tracks.

It was Rico's nephew, De Michele, who established the company in 1928 while working as a clarinetist in the Disney Studios in Los Angeles. The French reeds he regularly received from his uncle proved so popular with American musicians that De Michele began to sell them. When those reedmakers could not keep up with the demand, he began importing French cane to Los Angeles and began making reeds there.

The first cane shipment to America totaled 350 kilos. De Michele established distribution and teamed up with H.J. Snyder of Lockie's Music Exchange, then the largest music store chain in southern California. In 1938, De Michele arranged for Roy Maier, a woodwind doubler and self-taught engineer who had performed in the late 20's with Paul Whiteman, to design new manufacturing machinery and establish the Rico factory. In 1946, Rico began limited exportation of its products to Canada. Expansion of its exports began in the early 1960's. In 1968, the company also relocated its factory and headquarters to the present address in Sun Valley, California. Today, Rico's products can be found worldwide, in nearly 100 countries.

Artists:
Many of the world's finest musicians use Rico brand reeds. Current artist rosters include the following renowned artists:

• Michel Arrignon, Professor of clarinet, Conservatoire National Superieur de Paris
• Tie Bai, Solo artist, private teaching
• József Balogh, Solo artist
• Alvin Batiste, Solo artist, educator Southern University
• Michael Borschel, Assistant Principal Clarinet, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
• David Campbell, Solo artist
• Steven Cohen, Principal Clarinet, Louisiana Philharmonic
• Fabio De Casola, Principal Clarinet, Winterthur Symphony Orchestra
• Andrew Firth, Solo artist
• James Gillespie, Educator, Univ. of N. Texas
• Denton Christopher Hill, Principal Clarinet, South Dakota Symphony Orchestra
• Billy Kerr, Solo artist
• David Krakauer, Solo artist, bandleader, educator, Manhattan School of Music
• Robert Larm, Principal Clarinet, The Royal Hawaiian Concert Band
• Mitchell Lurie, professor emeritus, USC, solo artist
• Joseph Messenger, Educator, Iowa State University
• Ricardo Morales, Principal Clarinet, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
• Phil Nimmons, Solo artist
• John Russo, Solo artist
• George Silfies, Principal Clarinet, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
• John Bruce Yeh, Assistant Principal and Eb clarinet, Chicago Symphony
• Seiji Yokokawa, Principal Clarinet, NHK Orchestra (Tokyo)

Contemporary jazz and pop saxophone artists include:

• Kenny G, Solo artist
• Everette Harp, Solo artist
• Dave Koz, Solo artist
• Ronnie Laws, Solo artist
• Jeff Kashiwa, Saxophonist, The Rippingtons
• David Sanborn, Solo artist

Traditional jazz saxophone artists include:

• Bob Berg, Solo artist, studio musician
• Jerry Bergonzi, Solo artist, studio musician
• Gordon Brisker, Solo artist
• Pete Christlieb, Solo artist, studio musician
• Ronnie Cuber, Solo artist, studio musician, The Three Baritones Band
• Chico Freeman, Solo artist, studio musician
• Steve Grossman, Solo artist
• Plas Johnson, Solo artist, original soloist in The Pink Panther
• Charles Lloyd, Solo artist
• James Moody, Solo artist
• Jeff Nathanson, Saxophonist with Luis Miguel
• Greg Smith, Solo artist, studio musician
• Mike Smith, Solo artist, studio musician
• Tommy Smith, Solo artist
• Jim Snidero, Solo artist
• Lew Tabackin, Solo artist, saxophonist, Toshiko Ashiyoki Big Band
• Stanley Turrentine, Solo artist
• Walt Weiskopf, Solo artist

Scholarships:
Rico International supports many music festivals and universities with education scholarships, including Banff Centre of the Arts, Alberta, Canada; Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, University of Idaho; and Musicfest Canada.

Associations:
Rico is a long-standing and original member of the National Association of Band Instrument Manufacturers (NABIM), contributing annually to the NABIM Superfund

Who:
Bill Carpenter, President

Media contact:
Bill Threlkeld, The Phelps Group (310) 752-4400 ext. 105