Frank Rosolino

by Scott YanowThe horrible way that Frank Rosolinos life ended (killing himself after shooting his two sons) has largely overshadowed his earlier musical accomplishments. One of the top trombonists of the 1950s, Rosolinos fluid and often-humorous style put him near the top of his field for awhile.He was a guitarist when he was ten, but switched to trombone as a teenager. After serving in the military, Rosolino played with the big bands of Bob Chester, Glen Gray, Gene Krupa (1948-1949), Tony Pastor, Herbie Fields, and Georgie Auld. However, all of those experiences were just preludes to his high-profile association with Stan Kenton (1952-1954), which gave him fame. Rosolino recorded frequently in Los Angeles as a member of the Lighthouse All-Stars (1954-1960), a freelancer, and as a studio musician. His song Blue Daniel became a jazz standard, and Rosolino was a popular attraction as a brilliant trombonist and a comical singer. He was with Supersax for a period in the 1970s. Rosolinos shocking ending was a surprise to even his closest associates.