Franck Amsallem

Lore & Background

Amsallem began piano at age 7 and studied classical saxophone at a local conservatory. As a youth, he attended the Nice Jazz Festival, hearing Thad Jones, Count Basie, Charles Mingus, Bill Evans, Sonny Stitt, and Stan Getz. He started gigging at 14. A full scholarship brought him to Berklee College of Music from 1981 to 1984, where he studied with Herb Pomeroy and Michael Gibbs.

After moving to New York City in 1986, he earned a Master's in Jazz composition at the Manhattan School of Music and studied with Bob Brookmeyer from 1986 to 1990. He participated in the BMI Jazz Composers' Workshop and collaborated with musicians including Gerry Mulligan, Joe Chambers, Gary Peacock, Bill Stewart, Josh

Reader's Guide

Franck Amsallem's significance lies in his dual career as a performer and composer, bridging American and European jazz traditions. His work with major figures such as Gerry Mulligan, Bob Brookmeyer, and the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra (which performed his composition 'Obstinated' in 1989) established him as a versatile musician. His compositions appear in the Real Book Vol. III and the European Real Book, indicating their adoption as standards. Amsallem has received notable awards, including a 1989 National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and the 2010 FAJE Award. His teaching at institutions like Roosevelt University, the 92Y in New York, and the Paris Conservatory (CNSM) has influenced a generation of jazz students. His discography as a leader includes 11 albums, and his sideman work spans recordings with Tim Ries, Danny Gatton, and others. His legacy is that of a transnational artist who has contributed to jazz composition, performance, and education on both sides of the Atlantic.

Did You Know?

• Amsallem started gigging at age 14 and by high school was playing in dance bands throughout the Cote d'Azur.
• His composition 'Obstinated' was performed by the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra in 1989.
• He has recorded 11 albums as a leader.
• His compositions are included in the Real Book Vol. III and the European Real Book.

Early Life & Musical Formation

Franck Amsallem entered the world in 1961 in Oran, then French Algeria, the son of Elie and Sylviane Cohen Amsallem. Though his birthplace sat on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, his formative years unfolded in Nice, France, where a young pianist first touched the keys at age seven. Alongside his piano studies, he added the classical saxophone to his repertoire at the local conservatory, broadening his instrumental palette early on. A defining chapter of his youth arrived when he was old enough to attend the Nice Jazz Festival and witness, in person, titans such as Thad Jones, Count Basie, Charles Mingus, Bill Evans, Sonny Stitt, and Stan Getz perform on stage. Those live encounters left an indelible mark on his musical imagination. By 1976, at just fourteen, he was already gigging professionally, spinning through dance bands along the Cote d'Azur. His talent caught the eye of documentary filmmakers when he was spotlighted in the INA production La Leçon de Musique, appearing as a student of John Lewis. In 1981, a full scholarship from France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs carried him to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied composition and arranging under Herb Pomeroy and Michael Gibbs through 1984.

New York Years & Professional Breakthrough

In 1986 Amsallem made the move to New York City, enrolling at the Manhattan School of Music to pursue a master's degree in jazz composition. There he fell under the mentorship of Bob Brookmeyer, studying with him from 1986 through 1990 while simultaneously continuing his classical piano training with Phillip Kawin. He also participated in the BMI Jazz Composers' Workshop, guided by Manny Albam and Brookmeyer. The New York scene quickly opened its doors: he played alongside or collaborated with a remarkable roster including Gerry Mulligan, Gary Peacock, Bill Stewart, Joshua Redman, Maria Schneider, Charles Lloyd, Roy Hargrove, Ravi Coltrane, and Harry Belafonte, among many others. A pivotal moment arrived in 1990 when his debut album as a leader, Out a Day, was recorded at Clinton Recording Studios in Manhattan with Peacock on bass and Stewart on drums. The international jazz press responded enthusiastically, and the Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings bestowed its highest possible rating of four stars. His composition Obstinated had already been performed by the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra in 1989, signaling that his writing was gaining real traction in the big-band world.

Return to Paris & Later Career

After nearly two decades in the American jazz world, Amsallem returned to France in 2001 and made Paris his home base. In the French capital he forged new creative partnerships, collaborating and recording with local luminaries such as Stéphane Belmondo, Elisabeth Kontomanou, and Sara Lazarus. In 2009 he released Amsallem Sings, a solo piano album on which he also took on the vocal role, marking a new dimension in his artistic output. His big-band ambitions continued to flourish when he was invited to conduct and compose for the WDR Big Band in 2011. His touring footprint stretched across the globe during that period, taking him through South America, Europe, and Asia, with stops at the Java Jazz Festival, solo concerts in Vietnam, and performances in the Emirates. For over a decade he has been a frequent presence at the legendary Duc des Lombards jazz club in Paris. In 2019 his quartet, anchored by Cuban saxophonist Irving Acao, released Gotham Goodbye on the jazz&people label to unanimous critical praise. Most recently, his 2024 trio recording The Summer Knows (un été 42), made in New York with bassist David Wong and drummer Kush Abadey, extends his ongoing explorations.

Awards, Recognition & Teaching Legacy

Throughout his career, Amsallem has accumulated a distinguished list of honors reflecting both his compositional gifts and his standing in the jazz community. He received a 1989 Composition Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the 1989 Fondation de la Vocation Award in France, the 1991 ASCAP award for young composers, second prize at the 1992 Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition, and the 2010 FAJE Award from the French American Jazz Exchange. At Berklee he was honored with both the Count Basie Award and the Oscar Peterson Award. His compositions have earned a permanent place in the Real Book Vol. III and the European Real Book, testaments to their influence on working musicians. As an educator, he has taught or led workshops at Roosevelt University, New York's 92Y, Paris's CNSM and CRR, and the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, among other institutions worldwide. To date he has recorded eleven albums as a leader and appears as a sideman on numerous projects, including recordings with Danny Gatton, Tim Ries, and the Prism Quartet. His work as a writer and conductor for ensembles such as the Köln Radio Jazz Orchestra, the Orchestre National de Jazz, and the Mancini Institute further underscores his range across chamber, big-band, and symphonic-jazz settings.