I’m really looking forward to some upcoming gigs in early February 2020 with French pianist/vocalist, Franck Amsellem.  All of which are in the Liverpool area where I have been resident since July 2018. Franck grew up in Nice, France and immigrated to Boston, USA in 1981 to study at the internationally renowned Berklee School of Music. He then moved to New York City to pursue a Master degree in 1986, which is where we met. We both played in and wrote charts for many NYC big bands as well as did many small group gigs (including plenty of weddings and bar mitzvahs!) up until I moved to the UK in 1996.

Franck returned to France in 2001, with his American wife and young daughter. He and I have visited each other many times since, playing gigs together in our respective locales. Among these include Franck’s guesting with my nonet at London’s fabled jazz club, Pizza Express, in Soho in 2011.

Franck and I were both both charter members of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop led by legendary composer and valve trombonist, Bob Brookmeyer in 1988-1989, an organisation that is still going to this day. Franck also produced and wrote the liner notes for my debut CD “The Suspect” (www.hepjazz.com) which featured trumpeter, Tom Harrell.

Amsallem has recorded ten CD’s under his own name and has recorded and/or played with the likes of Charles Lloyd, Gerry Mulligan, Harry Belafonte, Roy Hargrove, Joshua Redman and Ron Carter. In addition to his brilliant and unique abilities as a pianist and composer/arranger,  Franck’s vocal talents came to the fore on his 2009 CD, “Amsallem Sings.” Which was followed by his 2014 release “Amsallem Sings Volume 2,” both of which are on the FRAM label. Do look out for some exquisite vocal duetting with Tina May at our 8 February performance at the annual Southport Jazz Festival.

The rest of the quartet includes bassist, Steve Berry, an original member of  Loose Tubes as well as appearances with  Mike Walker, John Surman and Art Farmer, to name a few. Manchester based drummer, Dave Walsh, has appeared with Chet Baker, Charlie Haden and Italian pianist, Enrico Pieranunzi.  In addition, both Berry and Walsh hold prominent posts in jazz education at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Leeds College of Music, respectively. This gives one comfort in knowing that the younger players are getting excellent guidance (from seasoned and accomplished players and not  just jazz “academics”) in order to forge their way forward in the music.

Vocalist, Tina May, will be joining the group at the Southport Jazz Festival. Tina has recorded with legendary American pianist, Ray Bryant, Scott Hamilton and Nikki Iles. Tina and I  have recorded three CD’s together on the HEP label, two of which were for octet and the third with my big band. Our programme will include two songs that we wrote together “Ella’s Serenade” (for Ella’s centenary in 2017) and “Lucky Lady” (for a Guys and Dolls retrospective in 2019) with Tina’s lyrics and my music.

You can find the details of our upcoming gigs here.

Hope to see you there…Frank x