Frank Froeba

• Born: 1907 08, New Orleans, LA
• Died: February 16, 1981, Miami, FL
• Active: '40s, '50s
• Genres: Jazz
• Instrument: Piano

Biography

As Froba, Froeba, or misprinted variations such as "Freba" and "Frob," Frank Froeba's discography is impressive in both size and scope. While it may have seemed as if the change to Froba and a hiatus in Miami meant a distancing from jazz, the pianist's recording career continued to include material that discographer Tom Lord considered to be jazz, eventually numbering some 91 records done between 1924 and 1978. Those first recording sessions were done when he was only 17 -- he may have been young then, but not inexperienced as he was around 15 when he began gigging with bandleaders such as Johnny Wiggs and John Tobin. Decades later, continual upswings in swing interest have, of course, contributed vastly to the marketability of elderly players such as Froeba, who regularly takes part in projects paying tribute to former overlord Benny Goodman. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide