Frank Rosolino: Too Marvelous for Words

Track

Too Marvelous for Words

Artist

Frank Rosolino (trombone)

CD

Turn Me Loose! (Collectables 6159)

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Musicians:

Frank Rosolino (trombone), Victor Feldman (piano), Chuck Berghofer (bass), Irv Cottler (drums).

Composed by Johnny Mercer & Richard Whiting

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Recorded: Los Angeles, November 26, 1961

Albumcoverfrankrosolino-turnmeloose

Rating: 88/100 (learn more)

After breaking in by scatting on Gene Krupa's "Lemon Drop" (1949), Frank Rosolino emerged during a stint with Stan Kenton as jazz's most exuberant trombonist. But singing remained central to Rosolino's shtick, providing disarming levity between instrumental levitations. If vocal shenanigans made him hard to take seriously, well, that seemed to be part of the plan. As in the opera Pagliacci (1892), Rosolino's life was tragedy set against the façade of commedia dell'arte. Here, 17 years to the day before his gruesome filicide-suicide, Rosolino sings merrily, plays masterfully and hides malevolently behind a Ring-a-Ding death mask, too devious for words.

Reviewer: Alan Kurtz

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