Artist description Franck has release five CD's as a leader, as well as a collaboration on Blue Note Records. (New-York Stories). His new recording is entitled On Second Thought (Naive Y 226105) a live Radio-France broadcast.

Music Style JAZZ

Musical Influences Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock etc...

Similar Artists Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock

Artist History French Pianist Franck Amsallem was born October 25, 1961, in Oran, Algeria, raised in Nice, France, and has lived in the USA since 1981. An accomplished and versatile musician, he has worked with such musicians as Gerry Mulligan, Charles Lloyd, Joshua Redman, Bobby Watson, Ernie Watts, Sonny Fortune, Gary Bartz, Rick Margitza, Roy Hargrove, Randy Brecker, Kenny Wheeler, Bob Brookmeyer, RonCarter, Gary Peacock, Bob Belden, Joe Roccisano, Joe Chambers, Jay Leonhart, Harry Belafonte, Blood Sweat and Tears, Kevin Mahogany, Judy Niemack, Jeannie Bryson, Bireli Lagrene, Didier Lockwood, Daniel Humair and Aldo Romano. Franck toured Brazil with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet,and appeared at major festivals in France, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, Finland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Palestine, the Ukraine, and in festivals such as Nice, Toulon, Albi, Bruges, Sofia, Antibes, Montpellier, Pori and Clermont-Ferrand, la Martinique, and has been three times invited to perform at the Martial Solal show, a Radio-France live broadcast. Franck's debut recording as a leader "OUT A DAY" (OMD 1532), with a trio featuring Gary Peacock and Bill Stewart earned him outstanding reviews and featured articles from leading jazz reviews. Franck's second CD under his name "REGARDS", (FRL- CD 020) a collaboration with saxophonist Tim Ries on the Freelance label quickly earned unanimous critical acclaim in the international jazz press. He then recorded "NEW YORK STORIES" (CDP 7 98959) for Capitol/Blue Note, a collaboration with Joshua Redman, Roy Hargrove, Bobby Watson and Danny Gatton. "IS THAT SO" (Sunnyside SSC 1071D), his third release, a recording featuring saxophonist Tim Ries and percussionist Leon Parker, is available on the Sunnyside record label. Recently released to critical acclaim: "YEARS GONE BY" with Riccardo Del Fra and Daniel Humair, recorded in Paris (Challenge AL73145). Franck's next release is a live Radio-France broadcast from the 1998 Montpellier Jazz Festival. After graduating from the Nice conservatory in 1981, Franck moved to the US to expand his horizons. For three consecutive years, he received a full scholarship from the French Ministere de la Culture to study at the Berklee College of Music, where he performed with Herb Pomeroy and the Concert Jazz Orchestra. He then graduated from the Manhattan School of Music with a Masters Degree in Composition. Franck was an active participant in the BMI Jazz Composition Workshop, under Bob Brookmeyer's direction, his music performed by the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra at the Village Vanguard. Franck's compositions for big band have also been performed at the Aspen and Wolftrap music festivals. He recently premiered his composition "Nuits" for string orchestra with the orchestre de chambre de Flandre-Wallonie and Bireli Lagrene as a soloist. This program has also been performed by the Romanian Virtuosi in Bucarest and Rousse (Bulgaria), and the American Jazz Philarmonic in Los Angeles. Franck has been commissioned by the Paris-based Orchestre National de Jazz, Metropolitan Opera trumpeter Mark Gould, the Prism Saxophone Quartet, Steve Burns and the Fulcrum Point Ensemble (Performing Arts Chicago) and the Manhattan New Music Project. Franck has appeared as a guest conductor with the Grenoble Jazz Orchestra at the Village Gate, the Mc Gill University big band in Montreal for the CBC, the Cote d'Opale Big Band and produced jazz recordings for various labels. A second prize winner at Jacksonville's Great American Jazz Piano Competition, Franck also won the ASCAP Young Composers for his composition "Arabesque", as well as a jazz composition fellowship from the NEA, and the Fondation de la Vocation award from president de la republique François Mitterand.

Group Members Franck Amsallem, Gary Peacock, Bill Stewart, Tim Ries, Riccardo Del Fra, Daniel Humair, Scott Colley, Leon Parker, Johannes Weidenmuller and Marc Miralta

Instruments Piano, Bass, Drums and Sax

Albums "Out A Day" "Regards" " Is That So?" " Years Gone By" " On Second Thought" and "New York Stories"

Location Brooklyn, New-York - USA

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