Franco Ambrosetti
Encyclopedia
Franco Ambrosetti is a Swiss
jazz
trumpeter, flugelhorn
ist and composer born in Lugano, Switzerland, perhaps most noteworthy for his many albums released on the jazz recording label Enja Records
. Ambrosetti's father, Flavio, was a saxophonist who once played sax opposite Charlie Parker
. Franco worked professionally with his father frequently in a group which also included George Gruntz
, among others.
Franco has classical piano
training and is also a self-taught trumpeter. Ambrosetti has worked with several American
and Europe
an musicians in recordings and at jazz festivals and concerts, including Kenny Clarke
, Dexter Gordon
, Phil Woods
, Cannonball Adderley, Joe Henderson
, Michael Brecker
, Mike Stern
, Hal Galper
and Romano Mussolini
. Ambrosetti also holds a Masters Degree in economics
from the University of Basel
.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
trumpeter, flugelhorn
Flugelhorn
The flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
ist and composer born in Lugano, Switzerland, perhaps most noteworthy for his many albums released on the jazz recording label Enja Records
Enja Records
Enja Records is a German jazz record label based in Munich, Germany. It was founded by jazz enthusiasts Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber in 1971....
. Ambrosetti's father, Flavio, was a saxophonist who once played sax opposite Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
. Franco worked professionally with his father frequently in a group which also included George Gruntz
George Gruntz
George Gruntz is a Swiss jazz pianist, organist, harpsichordist, keyboardist and composer most noteworthy for his work with artists such as Phil Woods, Roland Kirk, Don Cherry, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin and Mel Lewis.From 1972 to 1994 he served as artistic director for...
, among others.
Franco has classical piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
training and is also a self-taught trumpeter. Ambrosetti has worked with several American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an musicians in recordings and at jazz festivals and concerts, including Kenny Clarke
Kenny Clarke
Kenny Clarke , born Kenneth Spearman Clarke, nicknamed "Klook" and later known as Liaqat Ali Salaam, was a jazz drummer and an early innovator of the bebop style of drumming...
, Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and an Academy Award-nominated actor . He is regarded as one of the first and most important musicians to adapt the bebop musical language of people like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell to the tenor saxophone...
, Phil Woods
Phil Woods
Philip Wells Woods is an American jazz bebop alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader and composer.-Biography:...
, Cannonball Adderley, Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. In a career spanning more than forty years Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day and recorded for several prominent labels, including Blue Note.-Early life:From a very large family with five sisters and nine...
, Michael Brecker
Michael Brecker
Michael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...
, Mike Stern
Mike Stern
Mike Stern is an American jazz guitarist. After playing for a few years with Blood, Sweat & Tears, he landed a gig with Billy Cobham and then broke through with Miles Davis' comeback band from 1981 to 1983, and again in 1985. Since then, he launched a solo career, releasing more than a dozen albums...
, Hal Galper
Hal Galper
-Biography:He studied classical piano as a boy, but switched to jazz which he studied at the Berklee College of Music from 1955 to 1958. He hung out at Herb Pomeroy's club, The Stable, hearing local Boston musicians like Jackie Byard, Alan Dawson and Sam Rivers. Galper started sitting in and became...
and Romano Mussolini
Romano Mussolini
Romano Mussolini was the fourth and youngest son of Benito Mussolini, fascist dictator of Italy from 1922 to 1943...
. Ambrosetti also holds a Masters Degree in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
from the University of Basel
University of Basel
The University of Basel is located in Basel, Switzerland, and is considered to be one of leading universities in the country...
.
As leader
- Swiss All Stars (1964)
- A Jazz portrait of Franco Ambrosetti (1965)
- The Jazz Live situation (1972)
- Steppenwolf (1975)
- Franco Ambrosetti quartet (1976)
- Sleeping gypsy (1979)
- Close encounter (1980)
- Heartbop (1981)
- Wings (1983)
- Tentets (1985)
- Movies (1986)
- Movies too (1987)
- Flavio e Franco Ambrosetti (1988)
- Music for Symphony and Jazz Band (1990)
- Gin and Pentatonic (1992)
- Live at the Blue Note (1992)
- Switzerjazz
- Light breeze (1997)
- Iseo Jazz 98 : La via di Armstrong (1998)
- Grazie Italia (2000)
- European leagcy (2003)
- Liquid gardens (2006)
- The wind (2007)
As sideman
- Night in Fonorama (Franco Tonani, 1964)
- Flavio Ambrosetti quintet (Flavio Ambrosetti, 1967)
- The band (George GruntzGeorge GruntzGeorge Gruntz is a Swiss jazz pianist, organist, harpsichordist, keyboardist and composer most noteworthy for his work with artists such as Phil Woods, Roland Kirk, Don Cherry, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin and Mel Lewis.From 1972 to 1994 he served as artistic director for...
, 1977) - The George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band (George Gruntz, 1977)
- First prize (George GruntzGeorge GruntzGeorge Gruntz is a Swiss jazz pianist, organist, harpsichordist, keyboardist and composer most noteworthy for his work with artists such as Phil Woods, Roland Kirk, Don Cherry, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin and Mel Lewis.From 1972 to 1994 he served as artistic director for...
, 1989) - China (Alfredo Golino, 1989)
- There's no way out (Mark Hauser, 1994)
- Mock-lo-motion (George GruntzGeorge GruntzGeorge Gruntz is a Swiss jazz pianist, organist, harpsichordist, keyboardist and composer most noteworthy for his work with artists such as Phil Woods, Roland Kirk, Don Cherry, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin and Mel Lewis.From 1972 to 1994 he served as artistic director for...
, 1995) - Kaleidoscope(Paul HellerPaul HellerPaul Heller is an American film producer residing in Southern California. His best movies known include Enter the Dragon, Dirty Harry, My Left Foot, The Annihilation of Fish, Skin Games, Hot Potato, The Promise, The Barony, Black Belt Jones, and David and Lisa.-Film Production:His debut as a film...
, 1996) - Antonio Farao Quartet featuring Franco Ambrosetti (Antonio FaraoAntonio FaraòAntonio Faraò is an Italian post-bop jazz pianist.He attended the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan where he earned an intermediate degree in 1983. He won the X1 Music Review's New Talent Prize in 1987. He won several other international competitions before his debut album in 1999. He followed...
, 1996) - Undiscovered hit (« Jazz Fantasy », 1998)
- Tribute to someone (Giorgio Azzolini, 1998)
- The Horizon (Philip Stökli, 1998)
- Serious fun (George GruntzGeorge GruntzGeorge Gruntz is a Swiss jazz pianist, organist, harpsichordist, keyboardist and composer most noteworthy for his work with artists such as Phil Woods, Roland Kirk, Don Cherry, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin and Mel Lewis.From 1972 to 1994 he served as artistic director for...
, 1999) - Face to face (Chico FreemanChico FreemanChico Freeman is a modern jazz tenor saxophonist and trumpeter and son of jazz saxophonist Von Freeman...
, 1999) - Live at the Dolder Grand Hôtel Zurich (« The Winners » , 2000)
- Italian Trumpet summit (jam session de trompettistes, 2001)
- The music of Sting (« Jazz Fantasy », 2004)
- Live in Milan (Enrico Intra, 2009)