Franco Ambrosetti

Franco Ambrosetti (player and composer), son of Flavio Ambrosetti, is born december 10, 1941 in Lugano (Switzerland). He studied piano from 1952 until 1959, then he taught himself the trumpet from 1959. In recent years he also plays fluegelhorn. He made his professional debut in 1961, when at the age of 20 he made his first public appearance. In the early mid '60s he led a group in Zürich. In 1968 earned a master's degree in economics from the University of Basel. He recorded with George Gruntz in '64 and also with Gato Barbieri under leadership of the bass player Giorgio Azzolini. In 1966 he won the first prize for trumpet at Vienna International Jazz Competition under the direction of Mr. Fiedrich Gulda. The US debut is with father's quintet in '67 (Flavio Ambrosetti, leader alto-sax player in the 50's and 60's) performing at Monterey Jazz Festival. From 1963 to 1970 he played with his father's quintet. In 1972 he formed The Band with his father, George Gruntz (pianist and composer), Daniel Humair (drummer). This group later became known as the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band with whom he performs regularly. Freelancer in Europe from the '70s, Ambrosetti played in many different countries with Phil Woods, Dexter Gordon, Cannonball Adderley, Joe Henderson, Michael Braker-Mike Stern, Hal Galper, Kenny Clarke, etc. He also recorded as leader with sidemen including Michael Brecker, Kenny Kirkland, John Scofield, Ron Carter, Bennie Wallace, Phil Woods, Dave Holland, Kenny Barron, Victor Lewis, Seamus Blacke. He leads a quartet with Italian top musicians like Alfredo Golino, Antonio Farao and Dado Moroni.

Franco Ambrosetti today is active as a free-lance soloist (mainly in Europe and in the U.S.) as well as a leader of his own group continuing his longtime collaboration with close friends such as George Gruntz, Daniel Humair and J.F. Jenny Clarke.