Introduction
Franco Ambrosetti (born 10 December 1941) is a Swizz jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer.
Early life
Franco Ambrosetti was born on December 10, 1941, in Lugano, Switzerland. His father, Flavio Ambrosetti (1919-2012), was a notable saxophonist who once played opposite Charlie Parker.
Ambrosetti studied classical piano during 1952—59 and self-taught on the trumpet, which he began playing in 1959 when he was 17.
Career
Ambrosetti was most influenced by Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard.
He has been an executive at his family's auto-parts supply business for many years. He studied economics at the University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland, but despite his vocation, he has been a professional musician since he turned 21.
Ambrosetti played locally in Switzerland, was a member of his father's group (1963-70), and recorded with pianist George Gruntz as early as 1964. He was an original member of Gruntz's Concert Jazz Band.
He led his first record date in 1965 and first appeared in the United States in 1967. He recorded an impressive string of albums for Enja Records during 1978—90, such as Close Encounter (1979), Heart Bop (1981), Tentets (1985), and Movies (1987). One of his later albums is the successful classic Music for Symphony and Jazz Band(released 1991). The other players on this album were Ed Schuller (bass), Alfredo Golino (drums), Simon Nabatov (piano), Vladislav Sendecki (piano), Daniel Schnyder(saxophone), and Greg Osby (alto saxophone).
Over the years, he has worked in Europe and America with many celebrated American and European jazz musicians in recordings and at jazz festivals and concerts, including Phil Woods, Dexter Gordon, Cannonball Adderley, Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker, John Scofield, and Kenny Barron, Kenny Clarke, Hal Galper, Romano Mussolini, Mike Stern, among others.
Discography
As leader
- A Jazz Portrait of Franco Ambrosetti (Durium, 1965)
- The Jazz Live Situation (Dire, 1973)
- Jazz a Confronto 11 (Horo, 1974)
- Steppenwolf (PDU, 1975)
- Franco Ambrosetti Quartet (PDU, 1976)
- Close Encounter (Enja, 1978)
- Sleeping Gypsy with Don Sebesky (Gryphon 1980)
- Heart Bop (Enja, 1981)
- Wings (Enja, 1984)
- Tentets (Enja, 1985)
- Movies (Enja, 1987)
- Movies Too (Enja, 1988)
- Music for Symphony and Jazz Band (Enja, 1991)
- Live at the Blue Note (Enja, 1993)
- Light Breeze (Enja, 1998)
- Grazie Italia (Enja, 2000)
- European Legacy (Enja, 2003)
- Liquid Gardens (Enja, 2006)
- The Wind (Enja, 2007)
- Locomotion (Sound Hills, 2007)
- After the Rain (Enja, 2015)
- Cheers (Enja, 2017)
- The Nearness of You (Unit, 2018)
- Long Waves (Unit, 2019)
As sideman
With George Gruntz
- Drums and Folklore (SABA, 1967)
- For Flying Out Proud (MPS, 1978)
- First Prize (Enja, 1989)
- Serious Fun (Enja, 1990)
- Blues 'n' Dues Et Cetera (Enja, 1991)
- Living Transition (AMIGA, 1988)
- Happening Now! (Hat ART, 1988)
- Mock-Lo-Motion (TCB, 1995)
- Renaissance Man (TCB, 2002)
- Tiger by the Tail (TCB, 2006)
With Mina
- Uiallalla (PDU, 1989)
- Ti Conosco Mascherina (PDU, 1990)
- Caterpillar (PDU, 1991)
- Sorelle Lumiere (PDU, 1992)
- Mina Canta I Beatles (PDU, 1993)
- Mazzini Canta Battisti (PDU, 1994)
- Canarino Mannaro (PDU, 1994)
- Pappa Di Latte (PDU, 1995)
- Cremona (PDU, 1996)
- Napoli (PDU, 1996)
- Sconcerto (PDU, 2001)
- Veleno (PDU, 2002)
- Bula Bula (PDU/Sony, 2005)
- L'Allieva (PDU/Sony, 2005)
- Caramella (PDU, 2014)
With others
- Flavio Ambrosetti, Jazz Stars (Dire, 1968)
- Antonio Farao, Expose (Dischi Della Quercia, 1996)
- Paul Heller, Kaleidoscope (Mons, 1996)
- Enrico Intra, Live in Milan (Albore, 2009)
- Quincy Jones, The 75th Birthday Celebration (Eagle, 2009)
- Dado Moroni, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen, Bluesology (Dire, 1981)
- Dino Betti van der Noot, Here Comes Springtime (Soul Note, 1985)
- Miroslav Vitous, Remembering Weather Report (ECM, 2009)