The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents

Musician's Corner: Franck Amsallem

And The Music of Michel Legrand 

Air Date: 10/26/2025 on 90.5 WICN 9am-12pm ET
 

A very long time ago, when I was a young man coming of age, I saw a film about a young man coming of age. It is a touching story - a gawky teen falls in love with a beautiful woman whose heart has been broken by tragedy. Such a story calls for a special soundtrack.
 
As pianist Franck Amsallem tells it, this quintessentially American movie, The Summer of '42, released in 1971, is graced with a masterful score by French composer Michel Legrand.  On the next edition of the Sunday Jazz Brunch, I am honored to talk with Mr. Amsallem about his new album, The Summer Knows, in which he performs the title song from this movie, with David Wong on bass and Kush Abadey on drums.
 
The Summer Knows is not a song that is necessarily written like those we are familiar with from the Great American Songbook. Mr. Amsallem explains how the use of a motif, common in many songs, is used here by Mr. Legrand, something that is typical of  French composers. But the way that the motif is modified and altered throughout the song is very interesting and somewhat unusual. Mr. Amsallem explains this just before we hear the song.
 .................................................................................................................................................

Tune in at 10:15 am ET 

to hear this edition of Musician's Corner
.................................................................................................................................................
The bass playing of Mr. Wong is mentioned as a catalyst for the song, which is confirmation for me that the bass in a piano trio, in particular, is the pulse and heartbeat of the music, pushing it, driving it, pressing the others to reach deeper. You will hear it. 
 
We'll also listen to one of the original numbers on the CD, Cotton Trails. Mr. Amsallem describes how the song is constructed, in an unusual manner, but very much in the style of Thelonious Monk, one of Mr. Amsallem's favorite pianists. As soon as you hear the opening of the song, you'll recognize the influence of Mr. Monk.
 
You don't want to miss this insightful and thoughtful Musician's Corner interview, on the next edition of the Sunday Jazz Brunch.
 
Best,
 
Marty 
 
Photo of Franck Amsallem by Jean-Louis Neveu
Photo of Michel Legrand - public domain  

HOUR ONE: Contemplative Morning

Charles Lloyd\Figure In Blue 2025\Desolation Sound
Ted Rosenthal Trio\Rhapsody In Gershwin - Radio 2014\Someone to Watch Over Me
Kelly Green\Corner of My Dreams 2025\Corner of My Dreams

Carmen Bradford\Carmen Sings Carmen 2025\Round Midnight
Mark Sherman\Bop Contest 2025\Skylark
Stevie Holland\Talk to Your Tomatoes 2025\Blossom
Charles Lloyd-The Water Is Wide-03 Black Butterfly 2000

Affinity Trio\New-Outlook 2025\Shadow Catcher feat Eric Jacobsen tpt
Mark Seales\People-and-Places 2025\For You My Dear
Bill Coon\Standard Elegance 2025\Here's That Rainy Day
Bob James & Dave Koz-Just Us 2025-06 The Naked Ballet

HOUR TWO: New For You

Shirley Horn-May The Music Never End-06 Watch What Happens 2003
Take 6\The Standard\Windmills of Your Mind
Natalie Cole\Snowfall on the Sahara-09 His Eyes, Her eyes (1999)
Opie Bellas-Live for Life-05 The Summer Knows 2002

MUSICIAN'S CORNER: FRANCK AMSALLEM
Franck Amsallem\The Summer Knows 2025\The Summer Knows 
Franck Amsallem\The Summer Knows 2025\Cotton Trails

Todd Zimberg\Not a Tango 2025\Chasing Butterflies
Jim Witzel\Very Early Remembering Bill Evans 2025\Beautiful Love
Pete Mills\For the Record 2025\Z is for Zadie

HOUR THREE: Brazil/World/Groove

Sacha Boutros-Sacha- Paris After Dark 2025-05 Et Si Tu N'existais Pas (Featuring Stéphane Belmondo)
Franck Amsallem\The Summer Knows 2025\Blue Gardenia
Ithamara Koorax with Eumir Deodato Spirit VOZ
Unity Quartet\Samba of Sorts 2025\Jogral 

Catina Deluna\Lado B Brazilian Project 2\03 03 Na Volta Que O Mundo Dá
Brian Simpson-Midnight Groove 2025-03 Lost in the Moment
Solid Jackson - Bernstein & Meldhau\M.T.B. 2025\Ditty For Dewey
Liz Cole\I Want To Be Happy 2025\I Want to Be Happy

Lindsey Webster\Reasons 2022\12 Stay With Me (Soul Jazz Mix) (feat. Randy Brecker)
Leslie Odom Jr\Leslie Odom Jr\Autumn Leaves
Lori Bell-Lori Bell-09 Love Dance 
Kombo - Pedley and Pondel-This is the Good One 2023-10 Let's Do This 

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