Frank Rosolino
Encyclopedia
Frank Rosolino was an American
jazz
trombonist
.
, Frank Rosolino studied the guitar with his father from the age of 9. He took up the trombone at age 14 while he was enrolled at Miller High School where he played with Milt Jackson
in the school's stage band and small group. Having never graduated, Rosolino joined the 86th Division Army Band during World War II
.
Perhaps most influential of all was the street education Rosolino received after returning to Detroit following his period in the Army during which he sat in at the Mirror Ballroom or the Bluebird where other to-be-renowned musicians also congregated, the Jones brothers (Hank
, Thad
, and Elvin
), Tommy Flanagan
, Kenny Burrell
, Paul Chambers
and later at the 3 Deuces on 52nd Street
in New York City
with Charlie Parker
. During these years Rosolino was also performing with the big band
s of Bob Chester
, Glen Gray
, Tony Pastor
, Herbie Fields
, and perhaps most notably 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. 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
among others. 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 also a regular on The Steve Allen Show
and a guest artist on The Tonight Show
and The Merv Griffin Show
. Rosolino was also a talented vocalist, renowned for his wild form of scat-singing. He recorded one vocal album, Turn Me Loose!, featuring both his singing and trombone playing. He can also be seen performing in the half hour syndicated program The Jazz Scene, hosted by Oscar Brown, Jr.
It was during the 1970s that Rosolino performed and toured with Quincy Jones and the Grammy Award winning group Supersax
.
Rosolino committed suicide after shooting his two sons in 1978.
Other albums
On DVD
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
trombonist
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
.
Biography
Born in Detroit, MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Frank Rosolino studied the guitar with his father from the age of 9. He took up the trombone at age 14 while he was enrolled at Miller High School where he played with Milt Jackson
Milt Jackson
Milton "Bags" Jackson was an American jazz vibraphonist, usually thought of as a bebop player, although he performed in several jazz idioms...
in the school's stage band and small group. Having never graduated, Rosolino joined the 86th Division Army Band during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Perhaps most influential of all was the street education Rosolino received after returning to Detroit following his period in the Army during which he sat in at the Mirror Ballroom or the Bluebird where other to-be-renowned musicians also congregated, the Jones brothers (Hank
Hank Jones
Henry "Hank" Jones was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. In 1989, The National Endowment for the Arts honored him with the NEA Jazz Masters Award...
, Thad
Thad Jones
Thaddeus Joseph Jones was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader.-Biography:Thad Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan to a musical family of ten . Thad Jones was a self taught musician, performing professionally by the age of sixteen...
, and Elvin
Elvin Jones
Elvin Ray Jones was a jazz drummer of the post-bop era. He showed interest in drums at a young age, watching the circus bands march by his family's home in Pontiac, Michigan....
), Tommy Flanagan
Tommy Flanagan
Thomas Lee Flanagan was an American jazz pianist born in Detroit, Michigan, particularly remembered for his work with Ella Fitzgerald...
, Kenny Burrell
Kenny Burrell
Kenneth Earl "Kenny" Burrell is an American jazz guitarist. His playing is grounded in bebop and blues; he has performed and recorded with a wide range of jazz musicians.-Biography:...
, Paul Chambers
Paul Chambers
Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers, Jr. was a jazz bassist. A fixture of rhythm sections during the 1950s and 1960s, his importance in the development of jazz bass can be measured not only by the length and breadth of his work in this short period but also his impeccable time, intonation, and virtuosic...
and later at the 3 Deuces on 52nd Street
52nd Street (Manhattan)
52nd Street is a long one-way street traveling west to east across Midtown Manhattan.-Jazz center:The blocks of 52nd Street between Fifth Avenue and Seventh Avenue were renowned in the mid-20th century for the abundance of jazz clubs and lively street life...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
. During these years Rosolino was also performing with the big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
s of Bob Chester
Bob Chester
Bob Chester was an American jazz and pop music bandleader and tenor saxophonist.Chester's stepfather ran General Motors's Fisher Body Works. He began his career as a sideman under Irving Aaronson, Ben Bernie, and Ben Pollack. He formed his own group in Detroit in 1939, with a Glenn...
, Glen Gray
Glen Gray
Glen Gray Knoblauch, better known as Glen Gray, was a jazz saxophonist and leader of the Casa Loma Orchestra....
, Tony Pastor
Tony Pastor (bandleader)
Tony Pastor was an Italian American novelty singer and tenor saxophonist, who played tenor sax with John Cavallaro , Irving Aaronson , Austin Wylie , Smith Ballew , Joe Venuti, Paul Fredricks, Vincent Lopez, and Artie Shaw's first and second orchestras...
, Herbie Fields
Herbie Fields
Herbie Fields was a jazz musician. He attended New York's famed Juilliard School of Music and served in the U.S. Army from 1941–1943.-Career:...
, and perhaps most notably Gene Krupa
Gene Krupa
Gene Krupa was an American jazz and big band drummer and composer, known for his highly energetic and flamboyant style.-Biography:...
and Stan Kenton
Stan Kenton
Stanley Newcomb "Stan" Kenton was a pianist, composer, and arranger who led a highly innovative, influential, and often controversial American jazz orchestra. In later years he was widely active as an educator....
. After a period with Kenton he settled in Los Angeles where he performed with Howard Rumsey
Howard Rumsey
Howard Rumsey is a Californian bassist primarily known for his leadership of the Los Angeles group the Lighthouse All-Stars in the 1950s.-Life:...
's Lighthouse All-Stars (1954–1960) in Hermosa Beach. 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
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
, Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
, Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress in a career spanning six decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local radio to singing with Benny Goodman's big band, she forged a sophisticated persona, evolving into a multi-faceted artist and...
, Mel Tormé
Mel Tormé
Melvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
, Michel Legrand
Michel Legrand
Michel Jean Legrand is a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, and pianist...
, and Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
among others. He can also be seen performing with Shelly Manne
Shelly Manne
Shelly Manne , born Sheldon Manne in New York City, was an American jazz drummer. Most frequently associated with West Coast jazz, he was known for his versatility and also played in a number of other styles, including Dixieland, swing, bebop, avant-garde jazz and fusion, as well as contributing...
's group in the film I Want to Live!
I Want to Live!
I Want to Live! is a 1958 film noir produced by Walter Wanger and directed by Robert Wise which tells the heavily fictionalized story of a woman, Barbara Graham, convicted of murder and facing execution. It stars Susan Hayward as Graham, and also features Simon Oakland, Stafford Repp, and Theodore...
(1958) starring Susan Hayward
Susan Hayward
Susan Hayward was an American actress.After working as a fashion model in New York, Hayward travelled to Hollywood in 1937 when open auditions were held for the leading role in Gone with the Wind . Although she was not selected, she secured a film contract, and played several small supporting...
, and also in Sweet Smell of Success
Sweet Smell of Success
Sweet Smell of Success is a 1957 American film noir made by Hill-Hecht-Lancaster Productions and released by United Artists. It was directed by Alexander Mackendrick and stars Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison and Martin Milner. The screenplay was written by Clifford Odets, Ernest Lehman...
(1957) with Burt Lancaster
Burt Lancaster
Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster was an American film actor noted for his athletic physique and distinctive smile...
and Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama...
. He was also a regular on The Steve Allen Show
The Steve Allen Show
The Steve Allen Show is an American variety show hosted by Steve Allen from June 1956 to June 1960 on NBC, from September 1961 to December 1961 on ABC, and in first-run syndication from 1962 to 1964....
and a guest artist on The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
and The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, September 20, 1965 to September 26, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS and again in...
. Rosolino was also a talented vocalist, renowned for his wild form of scat-singing. He recorded one vocal album, Turn Me Loose!, featuring both his singing and trombone playing. He can also be seen performing in the half hour syndicated program The Jazz Scene, hosted by Oscar Brown, Jr.
It was during the 1970s that Rosolino performed and toured with Quincy Jones and the Grammy Award winning group Supersax
Supersax
Supersax was a Charlie Parker tribute band formed by Med Flory and Buddy Clark that debuted in 1972. Their music consisted of harmonized arrangements of Charlie Parker's music played by a saxophone section , rhythm section, and a brass instrument...
.
Rosolino committed suicide after shooting his two sons in 1978.
As Leader
- The Frank Rosolino Sextet (LP only - Affinity - AFF61), 1954
- I Play Trombone, 1956
- Free for All (Specialty SP-2161, OJCCD 1763-2), 1958
- Turn Me Loose, 1961
- Fond Memories of Frank, 1996
- Thinking About You, 1976
- Conversations, 1973 (CD re-issue 2009)
- Trombone Heaven ("Live" in Vancouver), 1978
- Frank Talks, 1998
- Complete Recordings of the Frank Rosolino Quartet featuring Sonny Clark, 2005
- Last Recording, 2006
- Let's Make It - Frank Rosolino Quintet, 2008
As a sideman
- Stan Kenton New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm (Capitol Jazz CDP 7 92865 2),1952
- Zoot SIMS & Frank ROSOLINO (Vogue VG 655622), 1953
- Benny Carter Jazz Giant (Contemporary 1957
- The Music of Bob Cooper - Coop! (Contemporary C-7544, OJCCD-161-2), 1958
- Stan Levey Stanley the Steamer (Bethlehem BCP 1017, Affinity CD AFF 768) 1954-55
- Howard Roberts Quartet Something's Cookin (Capitol/EMI ST 2241), 1965
- Tutti's Trombones (Bainbridge - BCD2049), 1970
- Moacir SantosMoacir SantosMoacir Santos was a Brazilian composer, multi-instrumentalist and music educator. Baden Powell de Aquino and Wilson das Neves both studied under him...
MaestroMaestro (Moacir Santos album)Maestro is an album by Brazilian composer Moacir Santos recorded in 1972 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Jason Ankeny awarded the album 3½ stars stating "For his Blue Note debut, Maestro, Brazilian composer Moacir Santos assiduously avoids his homeland's...
(Blue Note, 1972) - Conversation (RCA TPL1-1509[LP only]), 1973
- Horace SilverHorace SilverHorace Silver , born Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silva in Norwalk, Connecticut, is an American jazz pianist and composer....
Silver 'n BrassSilver 'n BrassSilver 'n Brass is an album by jazz pianist Horace Silver released on the Blue Note label in 1975 featuring performances by Silver with Tom Harrell, Bob Berg, Ron Carter, Al Foster, Bob Cranshaw, and Bernard Purdie with an overdubbed brass section arranged by Wade Marcus featuring Oscar Brashear,...
, 1975 - Horace SilverHorace SilverHorace Silver , born Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silva in Norwalk, Connecticut, is an American jazz pianist and composer....
Silver 'n WoodSilver 'n WoodSilver 'n Wood is an album by jazz pianist Horace Silver released on the Blue Note label in 1975 featuring performances by Silver with Tom Harrell, Bob Berg, Ron Carter and Al Foster with an overdubbed horn section conducted by Wade Marcus featuring Buddy Collette, Fred Jackson, Jr., Jerome...
, 1976 - Paulinho Da CostaPaulinho Da CostaPaulinho da Costa is a Brazilian percussionist born in Rio de Janeiro, considered one of the most recorded musicians of modern times. Playing over two hundred percussion instruments, he has participated in thousands of recording sessions, Grammy Award-winning albums, hit songs, soundtracks, radio...
Agora (Pablo 2335 747, OJCCD 630-2) 1976 - June Christy 1977 (Storyville/ STCD 4168) 1977
- First Flight Don Menza with Alan Broadbent, Frank Strazzeri and others, 1977
- Supersax
Other albums
- Trombomania! (Affinity CD AFF 761)[dual set with Kai Winding/JJ Johnson], 1956
- Buddy Rich This One's for Basie (Norgran MGN-1086/Verve 817 788-2) 1956
- Helen Humes 'Tain't Nobody's Biz-ness If I Do (Contemporary S-7571/OJCCD-453-2) 1959
- Mel Tormé Torme (Verve 823 010-2)
- Mel Tormé Swings Shubert Alley (Verve - 821 581-2)
- Mel Tormé The Duke Ellington and Count Basie Songbooks (Verve 823 248-2)
On DVD
- Jazz Scene USA (Hosted by Oscar Brown, Jr.) 1962
- "I love Cheez-Its" produced in 1965