UNC Jazz Press

(Level IV) Moving in and out of a double time feeling, Bud Will Back Shortly is a swinging ballad that features your tenor sax soloist. Unision sax writing. Woodwind doubles, trumpets double on flugel.  8 Brass

View all charts by Frank Amsallem

Franck Amsallem was born in 1961 in Oran (Algeria), and then grew up in Nice, France. He moved to the USA to hone his skills and learn at Berklee College in 1981. Moving to NY in 1986, he studied composition for jazz orchestra with Bob Brookmeyer at the Manhattan School of Music, and classical piano with Phil Kawin. He then won 2nd price at Jacksonville’s Great American Jazz competition.

 

In 1990, at 28 years of age with the help of the Fondation de la Vocation and of a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, Franck records “Out A Day” a trio with Gary Peacock and Bill Stewart. Critics are laudatory; “There is every reason to expect excellence from this young pianist, still in his twenties, who prepared with such discipline for his first recording opportunity. The promise of good things to come is based on the considerable appeal of this recommended CD (Cadence)”. “We are in danger of gushing and embarrassing ourselves. Sample this wonderful recording at all costs (Penguin guide to jazz on CDS)”.

 

He then recorded “Regards” (****DownBeat), “Is That So”, a duo with Tim Ries reinforced by the equal participation of Leon Parker, “Years Gone By”, with Daniel Humair, “On Second Thought” a live recording where everything comes together successfully without a hitch. In the fall of 2003, now living in Paris, Franck returns to the trio format with "Summer Times". In the fall pf 2005, Nocturne released "A week in Paris", a Billy Strayhorn tribute featuring Elisabeth Kontomanou and Stephane Belmondo.

 

Franck has performed in many of the big festivals, from Juan les Pins to Pori, Nice to Molde. He has also backed Gerry Mulligan, Charles Lloyd and Harry Belafonte, recorded with Bobby Watson, Roy Hargrove or Joshua Redman, and performed in the bands of Maria Schneider and Joe Chambers. He has composed numerous pieces for big band, and for string and chamber orchestra. "I love the variety of situations, learning as you go along, challenging every solution, nothing ever preset."