Tony Fruscella

Tony Fruscella ( born February 4, 1927 in Orange, New Jersey; † August 14, 1969 in New York City ) was an American jazz trumpeter of the bebop and hard bop. He played with Lester Young and Stan Getz.

Life

Fruscella played at the high school with Phil Woods and after military service briefly with Charlie Barnet. In the first half of the 1950s, then with Lester Young, Gerry Mulligan ( Newport Festival 1954) and Stan Getz. Height of his musical work is the only published under his own name album for Atlantic Records in 1955 with Chauncey Welsch, Allen Eager and Danny Bank. Except with the saxophonist Eager and Brew Moore, he also often played the cornet player Don Joseph. After that he was no longer musically active: alcohol and drug addiction ruined his health and his career ended prematurely. Most recently, he was often in hospitals or in prison. He died of cirrhosis of the liver.

Fruscella was married to the actress and singer Morgana King.

Disco Graphical Notes

• The Complete Works, 1948-59 ( Jazz Factory, 1999); CD Box
• Tony Fruscella & Brew Moore ( Fresh Sound, 1954) with Bill Triglia, Teddy Kotick, Bill Henie
• Tony Fruscella ( Atlantic Records, 1955)