I grew up in Chicago always thinking my brother, Art Sares, was one of the greatest trombonist ever. He had been compared to Tommy Dorsey as one of the great lyrical trombone players of the world. While clearly there is family bias at play here, he was indeed a special player and that's documented but this piece is not about him. I had my own favorites as well, and growing up in the 50's, I leaned toward the West Coast jazz scene with its laid back, swinging feel. This "Cool" jazz was soothing to my ears, though I admit to sometimes listening to some pretty good Hard Bop stuff as well, particularly Gene Ammons. Of course, the Bird prevailed. Shorty Rogers' music and arrangements, in particular, resonated and the sounds of Bud Shank's alto and John Graas's French horn were something to behold. While my friends were listening to Fats Domino, Bill Haley, and Peggy Lee, I was digging on June Christy, Anita O'day, J.J. Johnson, Herb Ellis, Hampton Hawes, Jimmy Giuffre, Conte and Pete Condoli, Curtiss Counce, Gerry Mulligan, Shelly Manne, Bob Brookmeyer and all the rest. Of course I was weaned on Woody's Third Heard and Stan Kenton's big bands. Hell, I remember Kenton's scary background music in "Blackboard Jungle" and Shorty's driving work throughout the "Wild One." "Blues for Brando" is a cult classic. You might say I was before my time...

But there was one guy whose playing stopped me in my tracks. His name was Frank Rosolino, one of the finest trombone players ever and, as many have attested to, one very sweet man....one of the best-loved on the jazz scene. He was a hep jokester with a great wit. He literally bubbled with laughter, energy and mischief. But on the horn, he was all business. He had a full sound, great technique, great ideas (my God could he improvise), and a deep lyricism. As J.J. Johnson once said, "Frank Rosolino was a towering genius and a trombone virtuoso of the jazz genre. His style was unique and instantly recognizable." Quite simply, he was one of the all time greats in the world of jazz trombone whose playing had a quality that penetrated to the listener's core. As well, he had a spiritual quality that was almost palpable; it resonated with his fellow musicians and associates. I can't count the number of exams I studied in college while Frank, Shorty, Art Pepper, Gerry, Zoot and others played softly in the background, or how I got myself emotionally psyched listening to the coolest of the cool and their relaxed West Coast sound. But there was something about Frank's sound that was more soulful than the others...more spiritual in nature. Perhaps it was his genius-like ability to improvise fluidly so well........or maybe, just maybe................it had something to do with escaping from certain realities the nature of which only Frank was aware but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Born in Detroit in 1926, Frank Rosolino took up the trombone at age 14 after having studied guitar with his father Gaspar when he was nine. He graduated from Miller High School, while playing in the Cass Tech Symphony Orchestra. Frank was one of a number-of fine jazz musicians to come out of Cass Tech in Detroit, an excellent high school in which only the exceptional could enroll. Donald Byrd and Milt Jackson were others.

Following service in the U.S. Army during World War 11 (like so many other great musicians of the 50's), he played for a number of big bands including Glen Gray, Herbie Fields, Gene Krupa, and Tony Pastor. He made his first real mark while playing in the more popular of Stan Kenton's progressive big bands (1952-1954) where he was given great exposure as a soloist. He then settled in Los Angeles and worked with just about anybody who was anybody. Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars in Hermosa Beach, the great Carl Fontana, Jean "Toots" Thielmans, Don Menza, Shelly Manne. While with the All-Stars, he played with other Kenton veterans for a number of years. He recorded often in this period, but rarely as a leader; he was quite upset that "Free for All" (which I am listening to as I write this piece and which he considered his best album), was never released. It has since been released and captures the essence of his music.

The studio scene started for him in Hollywood. Actually, while working at the Lighthouse, he was doing lot's of studio work as well working both day and night and enjoying every minute of it. There was a lot of jazz being played on recording sessions and he left himself open for any opportunity that presented itself. Eventually he started getting into motion picture work and live television. He was in the famous Sinatra movie, "The Man With The Golden Arm," with Shorty Rogers' orchestra, and in "The Sweet Smell of Success" staring Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtiss. He also did "I Want To Live" starring Susan Hayward; "the score by Johnny Mandel almost made you cry