Franck Amsallem

Franck Amsallem is a French jazz pianist, arranger, composer and also singer. He was born in 1961 in Oran, then in French Algeria, but grew up in Nice, France.

He started learning the piano at age 7 and also took up the classical saxophone at the local conservatory. In 1981, as a young adult he moved to America, and received a full-time scholarship at the Berklee College of Music with Herb Pomeroy, and Michael Gibbs and at the Manhattan School of Music with Bob Brookmeyer, while continuing his classical piano studies with Philip Kawin and playing jazz in and around New York. He has collaborated with Gerry Mulligan, Joe Chambers, Gary Peacock, Bill Stewart, Joshua Redman, Maria Schneider, Jerry Bergonzi, Charles Lloyd, Bobby Watson, Kevin Mahogany, Herb Pomeroy, Bob Brookmeyer, Bob Belden, Sonny Fortune, Sara Lazarus, Elisabeth Kontomanou, Tim Ries, Stephane Belmondo, Rick Margitza, Blood, Sweat & Tears, and Harry Belafonte, among many others.

In 1989, Amsallem's composition "Obstinated" was performed by the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, now known as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. He has since written, conducted and recorded big band music for the Köln Radio Jazz Orchestra (WDR), the Orchestre National de jazz (France), chamber cross-over music for the Prism Saxophone Quartet, Chicago's chamber ensemble Fulcrum Point and cross-over symphonic pieces as well as big band music for the Mancini Institute. He has taught or given workshops at New York's 92Y, Paris' CNSM, CRR, the Royal conservatory in Den Haag, and in Israel, Bulgaria, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland. He has recorded a total of 8 CDs under his name, and often performs all around the world (United States, Holland, Israël, Émirates, Algéria, China, South Africa, Portugal, South and Central América, Vietnam, Indonésia, Sénégal). Amsallem has received several distinguished awards including a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship in composition, the ASCAP award for Young composers, a FAJE Award (French American Jazz Exchange) and the Fondation de la Vocation Award from France. Franck's new cd is a solo showcasing his singing along with his piano playing. He returned to Paris to live and work in 2001.

Recordings

 * 1992 Out a Day, OMD with Gary Peacock and Bill Stewart
 * 1992: New York Stories Blue Note with Danny Gatton, Bobby Watson, Joshua Redman and Roy Hargrove.
 * 1993 Regards, Freelance Records with Tim Ries, Scott Colley and Bill Stewart.
 * 1996 Is That So, Sunnyside Records with Tim Ries and Leon Parker.
 * 1997 Another Time, Challenge/A (reissue "Out a Day"), with Tim Ries, Riccardo Del Fra and Daniel Humair.
 * 1998 Years Gone By, Challenge/A with Tim Ries, Riccardo Del Fra and Daniel Humair.
 * 2000 On Second Thought [live], Naïve with Tim Ries, Johannes Weidenmuller and Marc Miralta.
 * 2003 Summer Times, Nocturne/Sunnyside Records with Johannes Weidenmuller and Joe Chambers.
 * 2004 Out a Day, Nocturne (reissue)
 * 2005 A Week in Paris, Nocturne with Elisabeth Kontomanou, Stephane Belmondo, Rick Margitza, Darryl Hall and Dre Pallemaerts.
 * 2009 Amsallem Sings, Fram, solo w/vocals

Awards

 * 1989: Fondation de la Vocation Award (France)
 * 1989: National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship to compose works for string orchestra.
 * 1990: ASCAP Award For Young Composer
 * 2010: FAJE Award (French American Jazz Exchange)

Source

 * Richard Cook & Brian Morton : The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings, 8th Edition, London, Penguin, 2006 ISBN 0-14-102327-9
 * John Swenson : The Rolling Stones Jazz Record Guide, 1999