Biographies» Frank Rosolino (~jazzmasters.nl)

FRANK ROSOLINO (Trombonist)

Born: August 20, 1926, Detroit, Michigan, USA,
Died: November 26, 1978, Los Angeles, California

(Thanks to: Eugene E. Grissom / Professor Emeritus)

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Frank Rosolino will be remembered and respected throughout the contemporary jazz world for his mastery of the trombone, his uncanny ability to fit and work successfully with a wide range of musical ideas, and perhaps last but not entirely forgotten, his wit and capacity for comic entertainment. There has seldom been a time when any single aspect of this amazingly complex individual was submerged for any great length of time. He was always the superb performer, upfront individually as a musician or commercially as an entertainer.

Albums» Frank Rosolino - Free for All (1991)

Frank Rosolino – Free for All (1991)

Album review by David Rickert ~all·about·jazz
First the bad news: Frank Rosolino took the life of his two children and then shot himself in 1978 after a lifelong battle with depression. The good news: in 1959 he recorded Free For All a wonderfully spirited set that belies the psychological problems that plagued the trombonist throughout his life.

Rosolino spent the first part of career honing his chops in the Stan Kenton Band, like many of the West Coast musicians of the time. He developed an agility and melodic sense equal to that of any trumpet player. After a stint with the Lighthouse All-Stars, Rosolino was given the opportunity to record this quintet session with fellow West Coasters, which features the usual mix of originals and standards.