Franco Ambrosetti grew up in the Italian-speaking community in Switzerland but by the time he was 20 he had moved to Milan, becoming a regular on the Milan jazz club scene. Originally influenced by such as Clifford Brown and Lee Morgan, he grew into one of Europe's leading stylists on both trumpet and fluegelhorn. No less a person than Miles Davis called him the only white trumpet player who could play like a black man. Franco Ambrosetti had his American debut in 1967 at the Monterey Jazz Festival as a sideman with his father Flavio, then a famous alto sax player. In later years Franco received Special Awards from the Montreux Festival and was voted "Best European Jazz Musician" in Italy. A leading German newspaper called him "the most elegant hard bop trumpeter Europe has ever known." An ENJA recording artist since the 70s, Franco has collaborated with international greats like Phil Woods, Dexter Gordon, Cannonball Adderley, Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker, John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Miroslav Vitous and many others. For many years he was also the general manager of "Ambrosetti Technologies," the company founded by his father. With his project "European Legacy" Ambrosetti points at the multicultural vibes in European jazz tradition. All the tunes are written by European jazz musicians like (Canadian-born) Kenny Wheeler, George Gruntz and Franco himself as well as his bandmates but also by legends of the chanson like Edith Piaf and Charles Aznavour. "This music is soaked with inspirations, memories, emotions and flavors that come from our (European) musical culture," says Franco. "The differences are in the colors, in the shades, in the moods, in the vibrations." With the dense rhythm work of Frenchman François Moutin and French/Swiss Daniel Humair and the great solos by Franco, his son Gianluca and Italian pianist Dado Moroni, this album proves that the European legacy swings as hard as anything. This is modern jazz in its purest and most thrilling form. -
ejazznews.comArtist: Franco Ambrosetti
Album: European Legacy
Year: 2003
Label: Enja
Runtime: 60:49
Tracks:1. Consolation (Kenny Wheeler) 3:02
2. Waltzing With Flavia (Franco Ambrosetti) 6:10
3. Tu Te Laisse Aller (Charles Aznavour) 2:10
4. Suenos (Furio Di Castri) 8:11
5. Leontine (Dado Moroni) 2:55
6. Don't Be Silli (Franco Ambrosetti) 3:11
7. Flagellation, Too (Daniel Humair/Gianluca Ambrosetti) 1:28
8. L'Irriducibilita (Gianluca Ambrosetti) 5:09
9. Danny And Dado In Arlen (Dado Moroni) 4:03
10. Spherical Harmonics (Gianluca Ambrosetti) 6:16
11. Hymne a l'Amour (Edith Piaf) 3:00
12. Si, Lo Sapero (Franco Ambrosetti) 7:57
13. The Smart Went Crazy (George Gruntz) 5:06
14. Giro Giro Tondo (Traditional) 2:04
Personnel:Franco Ambrosetti (Trumpet and Flugelhorn)
Gianluca Ambrosetti (Soprano Saxophone)
Dado Moroni (Piano)
Francois Moutin (Double Bass)
Daniel Humair (Drums)
