French pianist Franck Amsallem was born October 25, 1961, in Oran,
Algeria. He was 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, Ron Carter, Gary
Peacock, Bob Belden, Joe Roccisano, Joe Chambers, Jay Leonhart, Blood,
Sweat & Tears, Kevin Mahogany, Judy Niemack, Bireli Lagrene, Didier
Lockwood, Daniel Humair and Aldo Romano.
Franck toured Brazil with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, appeared at
major European festivals as a solo artist, and performed for several
weeks at La Villa jazz club in Paris. He has collaborated for the past
ten years with saxophonist Tim Ries. Their quartet performed in France,
Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, Finland, Hungary, the Ukraine,
and in festivals such as Nice, Toulon, Clermont-Ferrand and Pori.
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 feature articles from leading jazz publications.
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. His most recent release, Is That So (SSC 1071D), a
recording featuring saxophonist Tim Ries and percussionist Leon Parker,
is available on the Sunnyside record label.
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, and his music was performed by the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra
at the Village Vanguard.
Franck's compositions for big bands have also been performed at the
Aspen and Woltrap music festivals. He recently premiered his
composition "Nuits" for string orchestra with Bireli Lagrene as a
soloist and has been commissioned by the Paris-based Orchestre National
de Jazz, the Prism Saxophone Quartet, the Jazz Composers Collective, and
the Manhattan New Music Project. Franck has appeared as a guest
conductor with the Grenoble Jazz Orchestra at the Village Gate, the
McGill University big band in Montreal for the CBC, the Cote d'Opale Big
Band and has produced several CD's involving up-and-coming French
artists in New York.
A second prize winner at Jacksonville's 1992 Great American Jazz
Piano Competition, Franck also won the ASCAP Young Composers for his
composition "Arabesque," as well as a composition fellowship from the
NEA, and the 1989 Fondation de la Vocation award from president François
Mitterand.
Coming up in 1997: Years Gone By with Riccardo Del Fra, Tim
Ries and Daniel Humair, recorded in Paris.
