RICARDO TOSCANO
Saxophone
Ricardo Toscano, born in Lisbon (1993) but raised on the south bank of the Tagus (Amora/Seixal), had a connection with music from an early age through his father, who is also a musician.
He started learning the clarinet at the age of 8 in the local philharmonic (Amora), entering at the age of 13 for the National Conservatory in the Clarinet class, where he studied two years. At the age of 15 he entered the Escola Profissional Metropolitana, in the Clarinet class of the teachers Jorge Camacho, Nuno Gonçalves and João Ramos.
At 16 he began his lessons at Escola de Jazz Luiz Villas-Boas, in the saxophone class of Desidério Lázaro, with whom he studied for two years. At 17 he entered the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa as an over-doctor, where he still remains.
He has had lessons/masterclasses with Danilo Perez, Wynton Marsalis, Greg Osby, João Moreira, Pedro Moreira, Miguel Zenon, Aaron Goldberg, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Joe Lovano, Ben Street, George Garzone, Terence Blanchard and many others?
In 2011 he formed the Ricardo Toscano 4tet (with André Santos, João Hasselberg and João Pereira), winning the 25th edition of the Young Musicians Award in the Jazz category. In the same year he also had the privilege of participating in the album “Os fados e as canções do Alvim” of the great master Fernando Alvim, having collaborated with artists like Fafá de Belém, Carlos do Carmo, Camané, Rui Veloso, Carminho, Amélia Muge, Cristina Branco and others.
Recognized in the national jazz scene, he has played with many of the most outstanding names such as Mário Laginha, Mário Barreiros, Carlos Barretto, João Paulo Esteves da Silva, João Moreira, Nelson Cascais, Paula Oliveira, Bruno Santos, Afonso Pais, André Sousa Machado, Mário Delgado, Alexandre Frazão, André Fernandes, José Salgueiro, Júlio Resende, Bruno Pedroso, etc. And, still in the area of popular music, with Paulo de Carvalho, António Chainho,
Carlos Manuel Proença, Rão Kyao etc.
In 2013 he formed his current 4tet – with João Pedro Coelho, Romeu Tristão and João Pereira – having performed in major festivals/shows such as AngraJazz, Estoril Jazz, Casa da Música, Funchal Jazz, PortalegreJazzFest etc.
Currently he also integrates the Lisbon Jazz Sextet, Nelson Cascais Decateto, Hot Clube de Portugal Septet, Carlos Barretto Lokomotiv, Mário Barreiros Quartet, etc.. He is also a member of the teaching staff of the Luiz Villas- Boas Jazz School and the Escola Superior de Tecnologias e Artes de Lisboa. His discography includes many participations in jazz and other recordings.