Frank Isola

Frank Isola (b.February 20, 1925 - d. December 12, 2004 in Detroit, Michigan) was an American jazz drummer.

Isola was born and raised in Detroit and was heavily influenced by Gene Krupa. He played in the U.S. military during World War II (1943–45), and then studied and performed in California with Bobby Sherwood and Earle Spencer. He then moved to New York City, where he played with Johnny Bothwell and Elliot Lawrence in 1947. Following this he played with Stan Getz (1951–53) and Gerry Mulligan (1953–54), as well as with Mose Allison, Eddie Bert, Bob Brookmeyer, Jimmy Raney, Johnny Williams and Tony Fruscella.

In a 2010 JazzWax interview by Marc Myers with Mose Allison quoted in the 2016 liner notes for the CD reissue of the Stan Getz The Soft Swing album by Phono, Allison credits Isola with introducing him to Getz in 1956.:

JazzWax: In 1956, how did you meet Stan Getz?

Mose Allison: I used to go to these jam sessions at night at a loft on 34th St. that belonged to trombonist Clyde Cox. Many of the guys who were there were from the South. At these sessions, I met drummer Frank Isola, who put me in touch with Stan.^[1]

In 1957, Isola quit the music business after about 15 years of activity. However, he was spotted working as a drummer at Captain Hornblower's in Key West, Florida, in the late 1980s. Isola was also active in the Cass Corridor area of Detroit in the 1970s playing jazz standards with pianist Bobby McDonald and others at Cobb's Corner Bar.

Discography

With Mose Allison

• Back Country Suite (Prestige, 1957)

With Stan Getz

• The Complete Roost Recordings (Blue Note, 1950–54 [1997])
• Stan Getz Plays (Norgran, 1952 [1955])
• Interpretations by the Stan Getz Quintet (Norgran, 1953)
• Stan Getz and the Cool Sounds (Verve, 1953–55, [1957])

With Gerry Mulligan

• Paris Concert (Pacific Jazz, 1955)

References

• Frank Isola at Allmusic
• Richard Cook & Morton, Brian: The Penguin Guide To Jazz on CD, 6th Edition, London, Penguin, 2002 ISBN 0-14-017949-6.