Michel Petrucciani facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michel Petrucciani
|
|
|---|---|
Petrucciani performing in 1991
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born | 28 December 1962 Orange, France |
| Died | 6 January 1999 (aged 36) New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1975–1999 |
| Labels | Owl, Blue Note, Dreyfus |
Michel Petrucciani (born December 28, 1962 – died January 6, 1999) was a famous French jazz pianist. From birth, he had a rare genetic disease called osteogenesis imperfecta. This condition made his bones very fragile and caused him to be short. Even with these challenges, he became one of the best jazz pianists of his time. He achieved great success despite his health and short life.
Contents
The Life of Michel Petrucciani
Early Years and Music
Michel Petrucciani came from a musical family. His father, Tony, played guitar. His brothers, Louis and Philippe, also played instruments. Michel was born with osteogenesis imperfecta. This disease caused his bones to break over 100 times before he was a teenager. It also caused him pain throughout his life.
Michel's father and brother sometimes carried him. He could not walk far on his own. Michel felt his disability helped him focus on music. He said it saved him from being "ordinary."
When he was very young, Michel saw Duke Ellington playing piano on TV. He decided he wanted to be a pianist too. At age four, his father bought him a toy piano. Michel broke it with a toy hammer. He later said the piano keyboard looked like teeth laughing at him. Soon after, his father bought him a real piano.
Michel was always musical. He started learning classical piano at age four. By age nine, he was playing music with his family. The musician who influenced him most was Bill Evans. Michel started listening to Evans around age ten. His playing style, with its rich harmonies and beautiful melodies, was inspired by Evans.
Becoming a Star
Michel gave his first professional concert at age 13. He was still very fragile then. People had to carry him to and from the piano. His hands were normal size, but he needed special aids to reach the piano pedals.
Michel felt he needed to go to Paris to start his music career. His father was very protective and worried about him. Michel made his first trip to Paris when he was fifteen. There, he played with famous musicians like Kenny Clarke and Clark Terry.
His big breakthrough happened at the Cliousclat jazz festival. Clark Terry needed a pianist. When Michel was carried onto the stage, Terry thought it was a joke. Michel was only about three feet tall. But he amazed everyone with his incredible talent. Terry said, "He was a dwarf, but he played like a giant."
Michel's time in Paris helped him become famous. He played in a trio with Kenny Clarke. After Paris, he briefly returned home. Then he began living independently. He started recording with Owl Records. He became friends with the owner, Jean-Jacques Pussiau. Michel always seemed to be in a hurry to record. He would say, "I don't want to lose time."
Moving to New York
In 1982, Michel traveled to California, U.S. He visited retired saxophonist Charles Lloyd. Lloyd had stopped playing music. But after hearing Michel play, Lloyd was so inspired. He agreed to tour with Michel. Lloyd said, "You triggered me. I heard this beauty in you."
Michel and Lloyd's tour was a huge success. They toured the U.S. and then internationally. In 1985, Lloyd carried Michel onto the stage at Town Hall in New York City. He sat him on his piano stool for a historic jazz performance. This moment was even filmed for a movie called One Night with Blue Note.
Michel and Lloyd's performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival became an album. They won an award in 1982. But Michel often felt frustrated by awards. He thought people gave him awards because they believed he would die young.
Michel moved to New York City in 1984. He lived there for the rest of his life. This was his most productive time as a musician. In 1986, he recorded the album Power of Three with Wayne Shorter and Jim Hall. He also played with other jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie.
Michel also loved playing solo piano. He believed a pianist was not complete until they could play alone. He started doing solo concerts in 1993. He said he learned so much about the piano and connecting with the audience. He loved playing alone. After that, playing with a group felt easy.
Michel's Personality and Style
Michel's bone condition seemed to shape his personality and playing. He was often in pain. Yet, he was known for being cheerful and playful. He loved humor and laughter. He believed laughter was "worth a whole lot of medicine."
Michel was very confident. One time, he was with other musicians. They wondered what to play. Michel asked if anyone knew "Giant Steps." When no one answered, he said, "Well, I do!" Then he played a solo version very fast. It was amazing.
He also had a quirky side. In a documentary, he humorously said, "I am very short!" The owner of Owl Records, Jean-Jacques Pussiau, used to carry Michel. Pussiau recalled that Michel would sometimes bite his ear.
Michel was determined to enjoy life as much as possible. He lived by this idea. Just one week before he died, he was celebrating New Year's Eve with friends all night.
Musically, Michel is often compared to Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett for his lyrical style. He is also compared to Oscar Peterson for his amazing skill.
Later Life and Legacy
Michel had a son named Alexandre, who also inherited his bone condition. He also had a stepson, Rachid. In 1994, he received a high honor in Paris called the Order of the Légion d'honneur.
In his last years, Michel's busy lifestyle became very hard on him. He performed over 100 times a year. In 1998, the year before he died, he performed 140 times. He became too weak to use crutches and needed a wheelchair.
Michel Petrucciani died from a lung infection a week after his 36th birthday. He was buried in Le Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. His tomb is near that of the famous composer Frédéric Chopin.
In 2009, a French music channel honored Michel with a special event. This was close to the 10th anniversary of his death.
Discography
As leader
- Flash (Bingow, 1980)
- Michel Petrucciani (Owl, 1981)
- Date with Time (Celluloid, 1981)
- Estate (IRD, 1982)
- Darn that Dream (Celluloid, 1982)
- Toot Sweet with Lee Konitz (Owl, 1982) – live
- Oracle's Destiny (Owl, 1983) – recorded in 1982
- 100 Hearts (Concord/The George Wein Collection, 1984) – recorded in 1983
- Note'n Notes (Owl, 1984)
- Live at the Village Vanguard (Concord, 1985) – live recorded in 1984
- Cold Blues (Owl, 1985)
- Pianism (Blue Note, 1986) – recorded in 1985
- Power of Three with Wayne Shorter and Jim Hall (Blue Note, 1987) – live recorded in 1986
- Michel plays Petrucciani (Blue Note, 1988) – recorded in 1987
- Music (Blue Note, 1989)
- The Manhattan Project with Wayne Shorter, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Gil Goldstein and Pete Levin (Blue Note, 1990)
- Playground (Blue Note, 1991)
- Live (Blue Note, 1991) – live
- Promenade with Duke (Blue Note, 1992)
- Conversation with Tony Petrucciani (Dreyfus, 1992)
- Marvellous (Dreyfus, 1994)
- Conference De Presse with Eddy Louiss (Dreyfus, 1994)
- Au Theatre Des Champs-Élysées (Dreyfus, 1994) – live
- Flamingo with Stéphane Grappelli (Dreyfus, 1996) – recorded in 1995
- Michel Petrucciani (Dreyfus, 1996)
- Both Worlds (Dreyfus, 1997)
- Solo Live in Germany (Dreyfus, 1998) – live recorded in 1997
Posthumous releases
- Trio in Tokyo with Steve Gadd and Anthony Jackson (Dreyfus, 1999) – live recorded in 1997
- Conversations With Michel with Bob Malach (Go Jazz, 2000) – recorded in 1988–89
- Dreyfus Night in Paris with Marcus Miller, Biréli Lagrène, Kenny Garrett and Lenny White (Dreyfus, 2004) – live recorded in 1994
- Piano Solo - The Complete Concert In Germany (Dreyfus, 2007) – live recorded in 1997
- Michel Petrucciani & NHOP (Live) (Dreyfus, 2009)[2CD] – live recorded in 1994
- Both Worlds Live North Sea Jazz Festival (Dreyfus, 2016)[2CD + DVD-Video] – live at North Sea Jazz Festival plus bonus CD including live at Montreux Jazz Festival
- One Night In Karlsruhe (Jazzhaus, 2019) – live recorded in 1988
- Solo in Denmark (Storyville Records, 2022) – live recorded on June 23, 1990, at the Silkeborg Riverboat Jazz Festival in Denmark
Compilation
- The Complete Recordings Of Michel Petrucciani: The Blue Note Years 1986-1994 (Blue Note, 1998)
- Concerts Inedits (Dreyfus, 1999)[3CD]
- Days of Wine and Roses: 1981-1985 (Owl, 2000)[2CD]
- So What: Best of Michel Petrucciani (Dreyfus, 2004)
As sideman
With Steve Grossman
- Quartet (Dreyfus Jazz, 1999) – recorded in 1998
With Charles Lloyd
- Montreux 82 (Elektra Musician, 1983) – live recorded in 1982 at Montreux Jazz Festival
- A Night in Copenhagen (Blue Note, 1985) – live recorded in 1983
- One Night with Blue Note Volume 4 (Blue Note, 1985) – live
With Joe Lovano
- From the Soul (Blue Note, 1992) – recorded in 1991
Tributes
- A mosaic of a piano by Édouard Detmer was placed in his honor in Paris. It is on the Place Michel-Petrucciani.
- Michel recorded a piano solo on "Why Do You Do Things Like That?" for Patrick Rondat's album On the Edge. This album was dedicated to Michel.
- "Waltz For Michel Petrucciani" is a song by the Finnish jazz Trio Töykeät. It is on their album Kudos and is dedicated to him.
- Christian Jacob's album Contradictions features his interpretations of eleven of Petrucciani's songs as a tribute.
- "Simply Marvellous (Celebrating the Music of Michel Petrucciani)" is a jazz album from 2012. It was made by Tommaso Starace and features nine of Petrucciani's most famous songs.
- "To Mike P." is a song by Italian jazz pianist Nico Marziliano. It is dedicated to Michel.
See also
In Spanish: Michel Petrucciani para niños
