Franck Amsallem

Who is Franck Amsallem?

Franck Amsallem is an award-winning 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. Early in his studies he was able to hear such artists as Thad Jones, Count Basie, Charles Mingus, Bill Evans, Sonny Stitt and Stan Getz live at the Grande Parade du Jazz in Nice, France. By high school, he was playing in dance bands throughout the Cote d'Azur and featured in a INA documentary titled "La Lecon de Musique" as a student of John Lewis. In 1981, as a young adult he received a full scholarship to study at the Berklee College of Music with Herb Pomeroy, and Michael Gibbs and in 1986 he moved to NYC to attend the Manhattan School of Music to study with Bob Brookmeyer. He also continued his classical piano studies with Phillip Kawin while playing jazz in and around New York. He has since accompanied or 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.