Franck Avitabile
Encyclopedia
Franck Avitabile is a jazz pianist who has a master's degree in mathematics from the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon
.
At nine, he began to study music at the Lyon Conservatoire, including Bach
, Mozart and Debussy
. At seventeen, he became interested in jazz, particularly Keith Jarrett
and Chick Corea
. Later, he became the only musician for whom Michel Petrucciani
ever produced a record. He is also the composer of 60 published compositions.
, France
, son of Alain, an urban architect, who had arrived from Algeria
in 1965, and of Francine, born Badak, a civil servant and daughter of a political refugee, who had come from Yugoslavia
in 1948. His paternal grandfather is Italian, from Agerola, Naples
.
1976 :
Shows a fascination for music and astonishingly quickly develops his natural abilities; reproduces TV theme tunes on a toy piano
.
1980–1988 :
Enters the Conservatoire de Région (CN.R. Lyon) after six months of private lessons. His musical teaching (Mme Thomasson, Mme Poncet) focusses exclusively on the classical repertoire: Mozart, Bach, Brahms, Foret, Debussy.
1985 :
Parents divorce ; moves into the Saint-Paul quarter of Lyon, above a Jazz Club run by the pianist Tchangodeï.
1988 :
Discovers new horizons with the release of two CD : Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett, can’t stop listening to it. Finds his classical apprenticeship too strict, where personal interpretations seemed impossible. Having gained his diploma in musical training, he takes a class in introductory improvisation for classical pianists with Mario Stanchev.
1990–1994 :
Accepted into the C.N.R Jazz Class. Listens and learns the repertoire of the keyboard masters, impressing successive panels of judges; picking up the gold medal in 1994. The previous year he wins the Rive de Giers Big Band Competition with a duet, piano and drums (C. Perrot).
1993–1995 :
Accepted into l’École Normale Supérieure de Lyon for a Masters Degree in Fundamental Informatics, obtaining a Masters in Discreet Mathematics, a D.E.A. (online recognition of series-parallel posets) and a Ph D scholarship.
Takes an internship for two months at The IRCAM
around the Sieves of Iannis Xenakis
.
Goes to live for three months in New York
to do an internship at CUNY (City University of New York, USA) with the Russian researcher Victor Pan, who had completely forgotten he was coming! He jams frequently at the Blue Note and Small’s, which had just opened, takes lessons (and a big reality check) with Fred Hersch and discovers the music of Bud Powell under the fingers of a young unknown pianist.
1995 :
Joins the Collectif Mu, a gathering of young Jazz musicians (Mâcon), founder of Crescent Jazz Club in tribute to John Coltrane
.
Records a first tribute to Bud Powell
. Fifty copies will be burned unofficially at Cryo Interactive thanks to the kindness of a friend working in the development of video games.
1996 :
His departure for military service (Paris, Versailles
) allows him for the first time to have enough time to concentrate entirely on music, and to prepare and gain entry to the Conservatoire de Paris. He finishes two years later having raced through his studies at breakneck speed and excelling, gaining a special exemption from the Director. Unanimous winner of the First Prize.
In December wins the competition of Vanves (92) presided by Martial Solal
, with the prize being the production of an album, Lumières, and a thousand copies made. In the company of the double bassist Louis Petrucciani (met during a Roy Haynes master class) and the young drummer Thomas Grimmonprez, it contains Franck’s first compositions.
1997 :
Participates in the project Silent Call, by Riccardo Del Fra with François Jeanneau, Benjamin Henocq and a string orchestra at the Auditorium des Halles and at the jazz festival in La Défense (92).
France Music Radio broadcasts a live concert of the Franck Avitabile Trio, in a program titled “Les surprises de Martial Solal”. On this occasion, the latter asks Louis Petrucciani if his brother Michel knows Franck. The response is negative.
The magazine Jazzman cites his name amongst the hundred new talents and awards a *** to Lumières, maximum marks at the time for a non-commercial album : « More than technique already well asserted, Avitabile has got music within him. Intense and personal. »
1998 :
Michel Petrucciani
listens to a bad cassette copy of Lumières in his brother Louis’ car, in the middle of the night. The latter, an enthusiast, convinces Francis Dreyfus to sign him and decides to sponsor and produce his first disc.
Finding the compositions needing more work, Michel Petrucciani proposes constructing the album around Bud Powell and giving it the title ‘In Tradition’. Franck, hungry for his precious advice, doesn’t need much persuading. On release it is a critical and commercial success.
First magazine covers : Jazz Notes, Blablah Thema, and record of the month on FIP radio, who fall in love with the young unknown artist.
Wins Second Grand Prize for the Martial Solal International Jazz Piano Competition in Paris which helps to finance his Steinway
.
1998–2000 :
Resident at the Cité Internationale des Arts, on the banks of the Seine in the Saint-Paul quarter (Paris 4°).
1999 :
Wins a Django
d’Or in the Best Prospect category.
The death of Michel Petrucciani affects Franck who since then has played one of the pianists compositions at every concert.
This year is highlighted by the number of concerts and festivals, including the Parc Floral de Paris, Nice Jazz Festival, San Sebastian Jazz Festival in Spain, Le Printemps des Arts in Monaco... Stops his teaching activities (Limay, 78) to concentrate entirely on being a concert pianist and composer.
An anecdote that made the front cover of Lyon’s newspaper Le Progrès: It happened on July 6 at Troisgros, the famous three stars restaurant. No sound mixing or concert involved, but a feast of delights for Avitabile, a lunch with a very tasty story. A few days earlier the young jazzman had been interviewed on the French radio Europe 1 by Dominique Souchier, a journalist from the town of Roanne. He didn’t know that one of his most faithful listeners was none other than the ex minister Jean Auroux. The Mayor of Roanne then learned that the big hope of French jazz had composed a piece called Troisgros. Avitabile added that he dreamt of going for lunch at the famous restaurant (of the same name). The next day, the town’s first magistrate offered Avitabile to come to Troisgros in Roanne, which he gladly did!
2000–2001 :
Records his second opus for Dreyfus Jazz : Right Time in the company of the legendary Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (last album of N.H.Ø.P) on double bass and Roberto Gatto on drums. He publishes several compositions. The album receives **** reviews in the American publications Down Beat, Jazz Times, All About Jazz, Jazz Journal International, as it does in France. First concerts abroad: Bologna (Italy), Warsaw (Poland), Grenada (Spain), Portimao (Portugal).
Concerts with Wynton Marsalis
, Herlin Riley, Leon Parker at Jazz in Marciac, Steve Grossman in Paris and live on France Musique. With a Jazz trio at Ramatuelle, l’Opéra de Lyon, the Château de Grignan, and the Théâtre de Hyères. He is promoted to Talent in Midem and appears on the news at 1pm and 8pm on TF1 French Television.
2001 :
Jazzman magazine publishes a long interview with Franck about his system of discreet reharmonisation which allows you to hear an old record like a brand new composition. He is named artist of the month.
Records an album The Paris Jazz Quintet in Holland for TCB Record (Swiss label), directed by Alex Tassel & Guillaume Naturel, with André Ceccarelli on drums.
2002 :
The producer and director Claude Berri
calls him for original music in his film Une Femme de Ménage (Jean-Pierre Bacri, Emilie Duquenne). Records improvisations around the music of the composer Frédéric Botton.
2002 :
Records a third opus for Dreyfus Jazz : Bemsha Swing with the old double bassist Rémi Vignolo and the Belgian drummer Dré Pallemærts, who make up his working trio. Introduced to a new concept of trompe l’œil. Concerts in Switzerland, Greece, Belgium, Canada, France.
2002 :
Violently attacked just before the release of Bemsha Swing leaving him completely unable to work for fifteen days.
2003 :
Mezzo TV broadcasts a documentary on the life of Franck Avitabile, ‘88 touches de plaisir’ directed by Patrick Savey. The magazine Télérama attributes TT to this programme.
2004–2008 :
Decisive encounter at Manège Theatre (Maubeuge) with the electric bass guitar player Pino Palladino and the drummer Manu Katché following the withdrawal of the guitarist Dominic Miller to go on tour with Sting. Formation of the group Manu Katché Tendances, with about a hundred or so concerts worldwide. Franck also plays with a Fender Rhodes and a Nordlead, the repertoire subtly flirting with electro jazz.
2004 :
“Victoire
du Jazz” Awarded in category Revelation of the Year (Frank Tenot Prize). Deuville.
2005–2006 :
Records his fourth and fifth opus for Dreyfus Jazz from two successive piano solo albums: Just Play and Short Stories. Both obtain the CHOC from Jazzman magazine. Télérama even awards - for the first time - all four clefs (ffff) for the second solo album. The newspaper Le Monde dedicates a full page to him on his birthday. RTL Radio describes the first solo album as astounding. Guest of Philippe Lefait, France 2 (Les Mots de Minuit). Franck manages to establish more and more his independence and prominence in the highly competitive and cluttered French Jazz pianists scene.
2007 :
Arièle Butaux commissions a Quintet entitled Opus 52 to Franck who collaborates with the Modigliani String Quartet for a first performance at the Petit Palais (Paris). A movement from the Schumann Quintet is also on the programme.
2007–2009
First gigs with Aldo Romano
and Diego Imbert for a repertoire based on Michel Petrucciani. His trio continues working together with Franck’s original compositions.
2008 :
First solo tour of China and the Piano aux Jacobins festival. Beijing, Shanghai.
Moves to Issy les Moulineaux (92) and marries privately.
DVD release of the Dreyfus Night recorded at the Monte Carlo
Jazz Festival. In the company of Steve Grossman, Bireli Lagrène, André Ceccarelli, Rosario Guliani, Diego Imbert, …
2009 :
Records his sixth album for Dreyfus Jazz, Paris Sketches with electric bass guitarist Pino Palladino and the drummer Manu Katché. It’s the first time that an entire album is constructed solely from Franck’s compositions. Guest on the Arte Television show One Shot Not. This opus firmly establishes Avitabile as a superb composer, few of his French contemporaries have got his sense of melody.
2010 :
Ambassador of Cavalaire sur Mer Jazz Festival.
Franck has played in around thirty countries. He has performed with Pino Palladino, Manu Katché, Jan Garbarek, Wynton Marsalis, Steve Grossman, Bireli Lagrène, Martial Solal, Bendik Hofseth, Trygve Seim, Niels-Henning Ørsted-Pedersen, Aldo Romano, Laurent Vernerey, Lisa Ekdahl, Sheila Jordan, Elise Caron, Kim Thompson, Herlin Riley, Leon Parker, Alex Tassel, Guillaume Naturel, Minino Garay, André Ceccarelli, Daniel Humair, Stéphane Huchard, George Brown, Roberto Gatto, Tony Rabeson, Riccardo Del Fra, Cesarius Alvim, Eric Le Lann, Sylvain Luc, Louis Winsberg, Olivier Louvel, Stefano di Battista, Rosario Giuliani, Manuel Rochman, Baptiste Trotignon, Daniel Huck, David Linx, Jean Loup Longnon, Yves Rousseau, Maria Schneider, Rick Margitza, Gene Perla, Gildas Boclé, Diego Imbert, Frank Agulhon, Lemon Minassian, Christophe Monniot, Jérôme Regard, David Sauzay, Hadrien Feraud, Henri Texier, Yodelice, Géraldine Laurent
, Marcela Roggeri, Modigliani String Quartet, Louis Petrucciani...
École Normale Supérieure de Lyon
The École Normale Supérieure de Lyon is a highly selective grande école located in Lyon, France. As one of France's three Écoles normales supérieures, ENS Lyon is associated with a strong French tradition of excellence and public service...
.
At nine, he began to study music at the Lyon Conservatoire, including Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
, Mozart and Debussy
Claude Debussy
Claude-Achille Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions...
. At seventeen, he became interested in jazz, particularly Keith Jarrett
Keith Jarrett
Keith Jarrett is an American pianist and composer who performs both jazz and classical music.Jarrett started his career with Art Blakey, moving on to play with Charles Lloyd and Miles Davis. Since the early 1970s he has enjoyed a great deal of success in jazz, jazz fusion, and classical music; as...
and Chick Corea
Chick Corea
Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever...
. Later, he became the only musician for whom Michel Petrucciani
Michel Petrucciani
Michel Petrucciani was a French jazz pianist.-Biography:...
ever produced a record. He is also the composer of 60 published compositions.
Chronology
Avitabile was born in LyonLyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, son of Alain, an urban architect, who had arrived from Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
in 1965, and of Francine, born Badak, a civil servant and daughter of a political refugee, who had come from Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
in 1948. His paternal grandfather is Italian, from Agerola, Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
.
1976 :
Shows a fascination for music and astonishingly quickly develops his natural abilities; reproduces TV theme tunes on a toy 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...
.
1980–1988 :
Enters the Conservatoire de Région (CN.R. Lyon) after six months of private lessons. His musical teaching (Mme Thomasson, Mme Poncet) focusses exclusively on the classical repertoire: Mozart, Bach, Brahms, Foret, Debussy.
1985 :
Parents divorce ; moves into the Saint-Paul quarter of Lyon, above a Jazz Club run by the pianist Tchangodeï.
1988 :
Discovers new horizons with the release of two CD : Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett, can’t stop listening to it. Finds his classical apprenticeship too strict, where personal interpretations seemed impossible. Having gained his diploma in musical training, he takes a class in introductory improvisation for classical pianists with Mario Stanchev.
1990–1994 :
Accepted into the C.N.R Jazz Class. Listens and learns the repertoire of the keyboard masters, impressing successive panels of judges; picking up the gold medal in 1994. The previous year he wins the Rive de Giers Big Band Competition with a duet, piano and drums (C. Perrot).
1993–1995 :
Accepted into l’École Normale Supérieure de Lyon for a Masters Degree in Fundamental Informatics, obtaining a Masters in Discreet Mathematics, a D.E.A. (online recognition of series-parallel posets) and a Ph D scholarship.
Takes an internship for two months at The IRCAM
IRCAM
IRCAM is a European institute for science about music and sound and avant garde electro-acoustical art music. It is situated next to, and is organizationally linked with, the Centre Pompidou in Paris...
around the Sieves of Iannis Xenakis
Iannis Xenakis
Iannis Xenakis was a Romanian-born Greek ethnic, naturalized French composer, music theorist, and architect-engineer. He is commonly recognized as one of the most important post-war avant-garde composers...
.
Goes to live for three months in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to do an internship at CUNY (City University of New York, USA) with the Russian researcher Victor Pan, who had completely forgotten he was coming! He jams frequently at the Blue Note and Small’s, which had just opened, takes lessons (and a big reality check) with Fred Hersch and discovers the music of Bud Powell under the fingers of a young unknown pianist.
1995 :
Joins the Collectif Mu, a gathering of young Jazz musicians (Mâcon), founder of Crescent Jazz Club in tribute to John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
.
Records a first tribute to Bud Powell
Bud Powell
Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell was an American Jazz pianist. Powell has been described as one of "the two most significant pianists of the style of modern jazz that came to be known as bop", the other being his friend and contemporary Thelonious Monk...
. Fifty copies will be burned unofficially at Cryo Interactive thanks to the kindness of a friend working in the development of video games.
1996 :
His departure for military service (Paris, Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
) allows him for the first time to have enough time to concentrate entirely on music, and to prepare and gain entry to the Conservatoire de Paris. He finishes two years later having raced through his studies at breakneck speed and excelling, gaining a special exemption from the Director. Unanimous winner of the First Prize.
In December wins the competition of Vanves (92) presided by Martial Solal
Martial Solal
Martial Solal is a French jazz pianist and composer, who is probably most widely known for the music he wrote for Jean-Luc Godard's debut feature film À bout de souffle .-Biography:...
, with the prize being the production of an album, Lumières, and a thousand copies made. In the company of the double bassist Louis Petrucciani (met during a Roy Haynes master class) and the young drummer Thomas Grimmonprez, it contains Franck’s first compositions.
1997 :
Participates in the project Silent Call, by Riccardo Del Fra with François Jeanneau, Benjamin Henocq and a string orchestra at the Auditorium des Halles and at the jazz festival in La Défense (92).
France Music Radio broadcasts a live concert of the Franck Avitabile Trio, in a program titled “Les surprises de Martial Solal”. On this occasion, the latter asks Louis Petrucciani if his brother Michel knows Franck. The response is negative.
The magazine Jazzman cites his name amongst the hundred new talents and awards a *** to Lumières, maximum marks at the time for a non-commercial album : « More than technique already well asserted, Avitabile has got music within him. Intense and personal. »
1998 :
Michel Petrucciani
Michel Petrucciani
Michel Petrucciani was a French jazz pianist.-Biography:...
listens to a bad cassette copy of Lumières in his brother Louis’ car, in the middle of the night. The latter, an enthusiast, convinces Francis Dreyfus to sign him and decides to sponsor and produce his first disc.
Finding the compositions needing more work, Michel Petrucciani proposes constructing the album around Bud Powell and giving it the title ‘In Tradition’. Franck, hungry for his precious advice, doesn’t need much persuading. On release it is a critical and commercial success.
First magazine covers : Jazz Notes, Blablah Thema, and record of the month on FIP radio, who fall in love with the young unknown artist.
Wins Second Grand Prize for the Martial Solal International Jazz Piano Competition in Paris which helps to finance his Steinway
Steinway & Sons
Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway , is an American and German manufacturer of handmade pianos, founded 1853 in Manhattan in New York City by German immigrant Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg...
.
1998–2000 :
Resident at the Cité Internationale des Arts, on the banks of the Seine in the Saint-Paul quarter (Paris 4°).
1999 :
Wins a Django
Django
-Music:* Django Bates , British musician and composer* Django Haskins, American singer, songwriter, and guitarist* King Django, American Reggae artist* Django Reinhardt , Belgian Romani jazz guitarist...
d’Or in the Best Prospect category.
The death of Michel Petrucciani affects Franck who since then has played one of the pianists compositions at every concert.
This year is highlighted by the number of concerts and festivals, including the Parc Floral de Paris, Nice Jazz Festival, San Sebastian Jazz Festival in Spain, Le Printemps des Arts in Monaco... Stops his teaching activities (Limay, 78) to concentrate entirely on being a concert pianist and composer.
An anecdote that made the front cover of Lyon’s newspaper Le Progrès: It happened on July 6 at Troisgros, the famous three stars restaurant. No sound mixing or concert involved, but a feast of delights for Avitabile, a lunch with a very tasty story. A few days earlier the young jazzman had been interviewed on the French radio Europe 1 by Dominique Souchier, a journalist from the town of Roanne. He didn’t know that one of his most faithful listeners was none other than the ex minister Jean Auroux. The Mayor of Roanne then learned that the big hope of French jazz had composed a piece called Troisgros. Avitabile added that he dreamt of going for lunch at the famous restaurant (of the same name). The next day, the town’s first magistrate offered Avitabile to come to Troisgros in Roanne, which he gladly did!
2000–2001 :
Records his second opus for Dreyfus Jazz : Right Time in the company of the legendary Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (last album of N.H.Ø.P) on double bass and Roberto Gatto on drums. He publishes several compositions. The album receives **** reviews in the American publications Down Beat, Jazz Times, All About Jazz, Jazz Journal International, as it does in France. First concerts abroad: Bologna (Italy), Warsaw (Poland), Grenada (Spain), Portimao (Portugal).
Concerts with Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences...
, Herlin Riley, Leon Parker at Jazz in Marciac, Steve Grossman in Paris and live on France Musique. With a Jazz trio at Ramatuelle, l’Opéra de Lyon, the Château de Grignan, and the Théâtre de Hyères. He is promoted to Talent in Midem and appears on the news at 1pm and 8pm on TF1 French Television.
2001 :
Jazzman magazine publishes a long interview with Franck about his system of discreet reharmonisation which allows you to hear an old record like a brand new composition. He is named artist of the month.
Records an album The Paris Jazz Quintet in Holland for TCB Record (Swiss label), directed by Alex Tassel & Guillaume Naturel, with André Ceccarelli on drums.
2002 :
The producer and director Claude Berri
Claude Berri
Claude Berri , born Claude Berel Langmann, was one of the great all-rounders of French cinema: an actor, writer, producer, director and distributor. "Out of my failure as an actor was born my desire to direct. Then my relative failure as a director forced me to become a producer. In order to get my...
calls him for original music in his film Une Femme de Ménage (Jean-Pierre Bacri, Emilie Duquenne). Records improvisations around the music of the composer Frédéric Botton.
2002 :
Records a third opus for Dreyfus Jazz : Bemsha Swing with the old double bassist Rémi Vignolo and the Belgian drummer Dré Pallemærts, who make up his working trio. Introduced to a new concept of trompe l’œil. Concerts in Switzerland, Greece, Belgium, Canada, France.
2002 :
Violently attacked just before the release of Bemsha Swing leaving him completely unable to work for fifteen days.
2003 :
Mezzo TV broadcasts a documentary on the life of Franck Avitabile, ‘88 touches de plaisir’ directed by Patrick Savey. The magazine Télérama attributes TT to this programme.
2004–2008 :
Decisive encounter at Manège Theatre (Maubeuge) with the electric bass guitar player Pino Palladino and the drummer Manu Katché following the withdrawal of the guitarist Dominic Miller to go on tour with Sting. Formation of the group Manu Katché Tendances, with about a hundred or so concerts worldwide. Franck also plays with a Fender Rhodes and a Nordlead, the repertoire subtly flirting with electro jazz.
2004 :
“Victoire
Victoire
Victoire, Victory in French, may refer to :* La Victoire, Haiti, a municipality in the Nord Department* Station Victoire Victoire is a French feminine given name, equivalent to English Victoria...
du Jazz” Awarded in category Revelation of the Year (Frank Tenot Prize). Deuville.
2005–2006 :
Records his fourth and fifth opus for Dreyfus Jazz from two successive piano solo albums: Just Play and Short Stories. Both obtain the CHOC from Jazzman magazine. Télérama even awards - for the first time - all four clefs (ffff) for the second solo album. The newspaper Le Monde dedicates a full page to him on his birthday. RTL Radio describes the first solo album as astounding. Guest of Philippe Lefait, France 2 (Les Mots de Minuit). Franck manages to establish more and more his independence and prominence in the highly competitive and cluttered French Jazz pianists scene.
2007 :
Arièle Butaux commissions a Quintet entitled Opus 52 to Franck who collaborates with the Modigliani String Quartet for a first performance at the Petit Palais (Paris). A movement from the Schumann Quintet is also on the programme.
2007–2009
First gigs with Aldo Romano
Aldo Romano
Aldo Romano is a jazz drummer. He also started a rock group in 1971.-Biography:He moved to France as a child and by the 1950s he was playing guitar and drums professionally in Paris, but his career gained notice when he started working with Don Cherry in 1963. He recorded with Steve Lacy and...
and Diego Imbert for a repertoire based on Michel Petrucciani. His trio continues working together with Franck’s original compositions.
2008 :
First solo tour of China and the Piano aux Jacobins festival. Beijing, Shanghai.
Moves to Issy les Moulineaux (92) and marries privately.
DVD release of the Dreyfus Night recorded at the Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
Jazz Festival. In the company of Steve Grossman, Bireli Lagrène, André Ceccarelli, Rosario Guliani, Diego Imbert, …
2009 :
Records his sixth album for Dreyfus Jazz, Paris Sketches with electric bass guitarist Pino Palladino and the drummer Manu Katché. It’s the first time that an entire album is constructed solely from Franck’s compositions. Guest on the Arte Television show One Shot Not. This opus firmly establishes Avitabile as a superb composer, few of his French contemporaries have got his sense of melody.
2010 :
Ambassador of Cavalaire sur Mer Jazz Festival.
Franck has played in around thirty countries. He has performed with Pino Palladino, Manu Katché, Jan Garbarek, Wynton Marsalis, Steve Grossman, Bireli Lagrène, Martial Solal, Bendik Hofseth, Trygve Seim, Niels-Henning Ørsted-Pedersen, Aldo Romano, Laurent Vernerey, Lisa Ekdahl, Sheila Jordan, Elise Caron, Kim Thompson, Herlin Riley, Leon Parker, Alex Tassel, Guillaume Naturel, Minino Garay, André Ceccarelli, Daniel Humair, Stéphane Huchard, George Brown, Roberto Gatto, Tony Rabeson, Riccardo Del Fra, Cesarius Alvim, Eric Le Lann, Sylvain Luc, Louis Winsberg, Olivier Louvel, Stefano di Battista, Rosario Giuliani, Manuel Rochman, Baptiste Trotignon, Daniel Huck, David Linx, Jean Loup Longnon, Yves Rousseau, Maria Schneider, Rick Margitza, Gene Perla, Gildas Boclé, Diego Imbert, Frank Agulhon, Lemon Minassian, Christophe Monniot, Jérôme Regard, David Sauzay, Hadrien Feraud, Henri Texier, Yodelice, Géraldine Laurent
Géraldine Laurent
Géraldine Laurent is a French jazz alto saxophonist, born in 1975.She studied classical piano at the Niort conservatoire before changing to alto saxophone at the age of 12.She has been a member of the Christophe Joneau quartet...
, Marcela Roggeri, Modigliani String Quartet, Louis Petrucciani...
Awards
- First Prize - Vanves Piano Jazz Competition (Martial SolalMartial SolalMartial Solal is a French jazz pianist and composer, who is probably most widely known for the music he wrote for Jean-Luc Godard's debut feature film À bout de souffle .-Biography:...
, Jury President) (1996) - First Prize - Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris (1998)
- Second Grand Prize - Concours International de la Ville de Paris - Martial SolalMartial SolalMartial Solal is a French jazz pianist and composer, who is probably most widely known for the music he wrote for Jean-Luc Godard's debut feature film À bout de souffle .-Biography:...
Piano Jazz International Competition 1998 - FIP Selection (CD of the month) for the album In Tradition 1998
- Django d'Or - Best First Record Album, France 1999
- Talent MIDEM & Européen Django d'Or Nomination 2000
- INDISPENSABLE Jazz Hot Magazine for the album Bemsha SwingBemsha SwingBemsha Swing is a jazz standard co-written by Thelonious Monk and Denzil Best.The tune is 16 bars in the form of AABA. It is in 4/4 meter but is often played with a 2-feel...
2002 - Talent Jazz & Electro ADAMI 2003
- Victoire de la Musique - Revelation of the year 2004
- CHOC Jazzman Magazine for the album Just Play 2006
- Coup de coeur Télé Loisirs for the album Short StoriesShort StoriesShort Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
2006 - Best Album Jazz MagazineJazz MagazineJazz Magazine is a French magazine dedicated to jazz. It was created in 1954 by Nicole and Eddie Barclay and Jacques Souplet. Frank Ténot - who had left Jazz Hot to join Jazz Magazine - and Daniel Filipacchi became directors of the magazine soon after its creation, becoming owners in 1956...
for the album Short StoriesShort StoriesShort Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
2006 - MUST TSF Jazz Radio for the album Short StoriesShort StoriesShort Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
2006 - CHOC Jazzman Magazine for the album Short StoriesShort StoriesShort Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
2006 - FIP RadioRadioRadio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
CD of the month for the album Paris Sketches 2009
As a leader
- Tribute to Bud Powell (1996) with Patrick Maradan, Cedric Perrot
- Lumières (1997) with Louis Petrucciani, Thomas Grimmonprez
- In Tradition (1998) with Riccardo Del Fra, Luigi Bonafede
- Right TimeRight TimeRight Time is the 1976 studio album debut of influential reggae band the Mighty Diamonds. The album, released by Virgin Records after they signed the Mighty Diamonds following a search for talent in Jamaica, is critically regarded as a reggae classic, a landmark in the roots reggae subgenre...
(2000) with Niels-Henning Ørsted PedersenNiels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen- Discography :* My Name Is Albert Ayler 1963 * Kirk in Copenhagen 1963 * Ben Webster in Denmark 1965-1971 Live at Danish Radio studios, Jazzhus Montmartre and Odd Fellow Palæet - Universal Music Denmark*One Flight Up 1964 *Sunday Walk 1969 - Discography :* My Name Is Albert Ayler 1963 (with...
, Roberto GattoRoberto GattoRoberto Gatto is an Italian jazz drummer, born in Rome.He has performed with Lee Konitz, Chet Baker, Bob Berg, Tommy Flanegan, Joe Zawinul, and Joe Lovano... - Bemsha SwingBemsha SwingBemsha Swing is a jazz standard co-written by Thelonious Monk and Denzil Best.The tune is 16 bars in the form of AABA. It is in 4/4 meter but is often played with a 2-feel...
(2002) with Remi Vignolo, Dre Pallemaerts - Just Play (2005) Solo
- Short StoriesShort StoriesShort Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
(2006) Solo - Paris Sketches (2009) with Pino PalladinoPino PalladinoPino Palladino is a Welsh bass guitarist who gained fame playing primarily rock and roll, blues rock, and rhythm and blues music, although he has been lauded for his ability to play most genres of popular music, including jazz, neo soul, and funk...
, Manu KatchéManu KatchéManu Katché is a French musician of Ivorian origin, born in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés on 27 October 1958. He is a drummer and songwriter.-Career:Session musician... - On Air (2009) DVD
As sideman
- The Paris Jazz Quintet The Paris Jazz Quintet (2001)
- Be Hip Be Bop"' (2001)
- DJ CAM present Fillet of Soul (2002)
- JP Gallis The Song Seeker (2005)
- Fillet of Soul opus 2 (2005)
- Diamond Suite (2006)
- Food for Thought (2007)
Compilations
- Collector Dreyfus Jazz (1999)
- Midem presents : Talents 2000 (2000)
- Une Femme de Ménage (2002) Original Film Soundtrack
- A Child is Born (2004)
- Duc des Lombards (2004)
- 15 Years of Dreyfus Jazz (2007)
- Essential Jazz (2008)
- Classique & Jazz - Pickwick Clubstar (2008)
- Monte Carlo Jazz Festival - Dreyfus Night (2009)
- Les Legendes du Jazz (2009)
- Coffret TSF Jazz 10 ans (2010)
- Jazz Spirit (2010)