- Frank Rosolino
Frank Rosolino (
August 20 1926 -November 26 1978 ) was an Americanjazz trombonist.Born in
Detroit, Michigan , in a family that included brothers Russell and Gasper, Rosolino studied the guitar with his father starting at age 9. Frank took up the trombone at age 14, and graduated from Miller High School, while playing in the Cass Tech Symphony Orchestra, a fine music program that also produced Donald Byrd. Following service in the U.S. Army's 86th Division duringWorld War II , he played with thebig band s ofBob Chester ,Glen Gray , Tony Pastor, Herbie Fields, andGene Krupa . He became famous during a stint in the most popular ofStan Kenton 's progressive big bands, (1952-1954), and settled in Los Angeles, where he worked with everybody in the business: Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars (1954-1960),Terry Gibbs ,Shorty Rogers ,Benny Carter ,Buddy Rich ,Dexter Gordon ,Carl Fontana , Jean "Toots" Thielemans,Stan Levey ,Shelly Manne ,Pete Christlieb , Bobby Knight,Conte Candoli ,Med Flory , Donn Tremmer,Mel Tormé ,Louis Bellson ,Marty Paich ,Zoot Sims ,Quincy Jones , andTutti Camarata . He attempted to maintain his popularity in the 1970s through high-profile associations with non-jazz bands, includingTower of Power and Brass Machine, but most fans remember this period in his career through his association with Med Flory's Supersax. It was also during this time that Frank went on a very successful tour in Japan with Supersax.Rosolino was also a talented vocalist, renowned for his wild form of
scat-singing , and recorded one vocal album,Turn Me Loose! , featuring both his singing and trombone. He often sang novelty songs onThe Tonight Show and the secondSteve Allen Show , produced for Westinghouse. He was also featured singing and playing in an episode of the Allen-produced half-hour syndicated programThe Jazz Scene , hosted byOscar Brown, Jr. .Frank's third wife, and the mother of their two sons, committed suicide in February 1972 in
Los Angeles, California , and he was overheard telling his girlfriend that her suicide forced him to contemplate his own death. He died in 1978 inVan Nuys, California , committing suicide after shooting both sons, Justin, 9, and Jason, 7, his only children. Jason survived, blinded, and was adopted by his mother's cousin, Claudia Eien, and her husband Gary.Frank Rosolino also had a daughter: his oldest child, Felecia Rosolino.Fact|date=December 2007 After his death, she moved to New Zealand, where her real mother lived.Fact|date=December 2007 She is not mentioned in many biographies of Frank Rosolino.
Frank also had another daughter named Parris Rosolino that was born to Leslie Ann Bashore in 1963. She currently resides in Washington State and is actively working on prosecuting the women that confessed to her that she shot Frank and her two brothers Justin and Jason.
The International Trombone Association established its first award for jazz trombone in Frank's memory, and he continues to be remembered as one of the greatest jazz trombone players of all time.
External links
* [http://www.jazzmasters.nl/rosolino.htm Frank Rosolino at Jazz Masters]
* [http://www.trombone-usa.com/rosolino_frank.htm Frank Rosolino at Trombone Page of the World]
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