Frank Rosolino

Frank Rosolino August 20 1926 - November 26 1978 Was An American Jazz 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 During World War II He Played With The Big Bands Of Bob Chester Glen Gray Tony Pastor Herbie Fields And Gene Krupa. He Became Famous During A Stint In The Most Popular Of Stan 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" Thielmans Stan Levey Shelly Manne Pete Christlieb Bobby Knight Conte Candoli Med Flory Donn Tremmer Mel Tormé Louis Bellson Marty Paich Zoot Sims Quincy Jones And Tutti Camarata. He Attempted To Maintain His Popularity In The 1970s Through High-Profile Associations With Non-Jazz Bands Including Tower Of Power And Brass Machine But Most Fans Remember This Period In His Career Through His Association With Med Flory's Supersax. 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 In Van 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. 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. read less