Guido Basso was born in Montreal, Quebec, and began playing the trumpet at the age of 9, becoming a something of a prodigy while at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal. Basso first toured with Vic Damone when he was 18 and went on to play and record with such international artists as Louis Bellson, Duke Ellington, Buddy Rich, and Diana Krall. A charter member of Rob McConnell's Boss Brass, Basso has also played with most major Canadian jazz figures. His 2003 release Turn Out the Stars, won a Juno Award and features Basso playing over rich string arrangements by Phil Dwyer. In 1994 Mr. Basso became a member of the Order of Canada.