Biography
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Born
4 February 1927
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Born In
Orangetown, Rockland County, New York, United States
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Died
14 August 1969 (aged 42)
Tony Fruscella (February 4, 1927, Orangeburg, New York – August 14, 1969, New York City) was an American jazz trumpeter. He died of liver cirrhosis in 1969.
Fruscella played in an Army band early in his career. He served as a sideman for numerous jazz musicians in the 1950s, including Charlie Barnet, Lester Young, Gerry Mulligan (1954) and Stan Getz (1955). He played with Don Joseph later in the 1950s, but by the early 1960s his problems with drug abuse and alcoholism sidelined him from active performance.
He was married to singer Morgana King. The marriage ended in divorce after nine years. They had a daughter Graysan (1950–2008) and have a grandson, Morgan
Tony Fruscella released only one record as a leader during his lifetime, 1955's I'll Be Seeing You (with Allen Eager and Danny Bank) on Atlantic Records. Several reissues of live material and studio outtakes followed his death.
"What about that guy Tony Fruscella who sits crosslegged on the rug and plays Bach on his trumpet, by ear, and later on at night there he is blowing with the guys at a session, modern jazz." Jack Kerouac
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