Arturo Tappin
Arturo Tappin is a jazz and reggae saxophonist from Barbados who mainly plays smooth jazz. He lives in New York City but stays closely connected to his home country. He has performed with famous artists like Roberta Flack and on a Luther Vandross album.
Tappin studied at Berklee College of Music. In the late 1980s, he led his own quintet with pianist Jacky Terrasson at the International Barbados/Caribbean Jazz Festival. His first recording blended roots reggae with jazz, and his second album, Java, built on that sound. Both albums were released by Pioneer Records in Japan.
Known for lively, explosive live shows, Tappin has played at major festivals around the world, including Edinburgh, the Soho Jazz Festival, the Miami AT&T Caribbean Jazz Festival, and various Caribbean events in St. Lucia, Antigua, Curaçao, Montserrat, and Barbados. He has also performed at social and political events, including appearances for Bill Clinton, Fidel Castro (twice), and Barack Obama.
In 2005 he received the Excellence in the Arts award from Jamaica’s former Prime Minister P. J. Patterson. Tappin has collaborated with many artists such as Luther Vandross, Monty Alexander, Ernest Ranglin, and The Wailers Band. He credits Berklee teacher Bill Pierce, his uncle Elombe Mottley, and his parents for support. He has shared the stage with Roberta Flack and inspired other artists like Elan Trotman and Shabaka Hutchings. He is a cousin of Barbados’ first female Prime Minister, Mia Mottley.
Awards and recognition also include the 2003 SUNSHINE Award for contributions to Caribbean art. In 2021, Conan Daily named him one of Barbados’ 10 most handsome men.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 07:50 (CET).