Frank Rosolino
Frank Rosolino (middle) at the Village Lounge, Lake Buena Vista, FL in 1978
Frank Rosolino (middle) at the Village Lounge, Lake Buena Vista, FL in 1978
Background information
Born(1926-08-20)August 20, 1926
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
DiedNovember 26, 1978(1978-11-26) (aged 52)
Van Nuys, California
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Trombone
Years active1945 - 1978

Frank Rosolino (August 20, 1926 – November 26, 1978) was an American jazz trombonist.[1]

Biography

Rosolino was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States,[1] He performed with the big bands of Bob Chester, Glen Gray,[1] Tony Pastor, Herbie Fields, Gene Krupa, and Stan Kenton. After a period with Kenton he settled in Los Angeles, where he performed with Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars (1954–1960) in Hermosa Beach.[2]

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, between nightclub engagements, Rosolino was active in many Los Angeles recording studios where he performed with such notables as Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Tony Bennett, Peggy Lee, Mel Tormé, Michel Legrand, and Quincy Jones. In the mid-to-late 1960s he and fellow trombonist Mike Barone, billed as "Trombones Unlimited," recorded for Liberty Records several albums of pop-style arrangements of current hits, such as the 1968 album Grazing in the Grass. He can also be seen performing with Shelly Manne's group in the film I Want to Live! (1958) starring Susan Hayward, and also in Sweet Smell of Success (1957) with Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis. He was a regular on The Steve Allen Show and a guest artist on The Tonight Show and The Merv Griffin Show. Rosolino was a talented vocalist, renowned for his wild form of scat-singing, notably on Gene Krupa's hit record, "Lemon Drop".[1]

During the 1970s, Rosolino performed and toured with Quincy Jones and the Grammy Award winning group Supersax.[1]

Rosolino's private life was highly troubled. On November 26, 1978, Rosolino shot both of his sons, 11 year old Justin, and 7 year old Jason, as they slept. Justin died instantly; Jason survived, but was blinded.[1] Rosolino fatally shot himself in the head immediately after shooting his sons.[3][4]

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Francy Boland

With June Christy

With Terry Gibbs

With Quincy Jones

With Stan Kenton

With Skip Martin

With Shorty Rogers

With Pete Rugolo

With Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars

With Supersax

With Mel Torme

With others

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 373/4. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
  2. ^ "Frank Rosolino: Biography" AllMusic.
  3. ^ Lees, Gene (1988). Meet Me at Jim & Andy's: Jazz Musicians and Their World. Oxford University Press. pp. 115–119. ISBN 0195046110.
  4. ^ Owen Cordle (May 2007). "Frank Rosolino The Last Recording". Jazz Times. Retrieved September 22, 2016.

External links

Authority control databases
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