BIOGRAPHY |
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b.
Ravenna, Italy, September 10, 1931 Fourteen years old Franco Manzecchi started
to play as a selftaught drummer in the band of his six years older brother
Gino who played trumpet and initiated Franco to hear the first oversea
discs from the american soldiers in & after 2nd world war: Louis
Armstrong, Harry James, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Cab Calloway,
Tommy Dorsey etc. Discovered the music of Charlie Parker in 1949 and went
in the same year to Bologna; played professionaly in dance
orchestras, stayed there for six years, worked then for
one year in Vienna (Austria) with Friedrich Gulda and Fatty
Feorge and took the travel throu Switzerland to Paris (France) in
early '57. Then began his career of one of the best in-demand drummers
of the french capital: the first two years as new orleans and swing drummer
who had the opportunity to accompaign Tony Scott, Mezz Mezzrow, Allan
Eager, Don Byas, Albert Nicholas, Nelson Williams, Pony Poindexter, Peanuts
Holland, Michel Hausser and Bill Coleman who took him on tour
throu Portugal, also did Friedrich Gulda with whom he had still
contact. Went with René Franc to Germany and Michel Tysblatt
to Algier (Africa). Then under the apprenticeship of then in Paris living
bop drummer Kenny Clarke who gave Franco the possibility
two work with Bud Powell and french top-bassist Pierre Michelot
at the legendary "Blue Note" for two weeks, Franco developed
his skills as bopdrummer. Worked then in the trio of organ player Lou
Bennett with Jimmy Gourley on guitar in the "Blue Note"
again which led to a tour in Germany, performed with Guy Lafitte, Sonny
Grey, Jay Jay Johnson, Sonny Criss, Kenny Drew, Lucky Thompson and
Quincy Jones, came along with french starpianist Jack
Diéval in 1961 with whom he toured extensevely throu whole Europe
and middle-east and featured guest stars like Eric Dolphy with
Donald Byrd and Nathan Davis, Art Simmons & Jimmy
Woode, Sonny Stitt, Albert Mangelsdorff and Dionne Warwick
the following five years. But also worked meanwhile with Chet Baker
in Paris and Belgium, Johnny Griffin, Michel Hausser again, Toshiko
Akiyoshi, Dizzy Reece, Charles Tolliver, Woody Shaw & Larry
Young, Percy Heath & Milt Jackson (TV), Sahib Shihab,
Eddy Louiss, René Urtreger, Martial Solal, René Thomas, Stephane Grappelli,
the "Alvin Alley Ballet" and the "Swingle
Singers". Furthermore Franco was in studio with Lou Bennett to feature
the legendary Rhythm'n'Blues star saxophonist King Curtis. In 1966 he became member of the trio of blind
Tenorsaxophonist and flutist Michel Roques (along with Benoit
Charvet on bass), one of the most appreciated progressive ensembles
in France with whom he played major Festivals in Paris, Antibes, Bilzen
and Montreux in the following seven years, still finding time to play
with Hank Mobley, Rhoda Scott, Joe Henderson, Herb Geller,
Freddie Redd, Dexter Gordon, Slide Hampton, Hal Singer, Lee Konitz, Hampton
Hawes, Johnny "Hammond" Smith, Mal Waldron, Memphis Slim
in Marocco (Africa) in 1965, once again with Lou Bennet featuring
Philip Catherine on guitar at the Prague Jazz Festival and some
days later with Stuff Smith and Jan Hammer at the Jazz Jamboree
in Warsaw (Poland) in 1966 and last but not least in the Montreux-Festivalband
in 1969 under the leadership of Clark Terry and Ernie Wilkins
with the best european jazzmusicians, not to forget the wonderful experience
of recording the highly acclaimed & legendary "Anna Livia Plurabelle"
of Composer André Hodeir with Jean-luc Ponty and Michel
Portal with second drummer Daniel Humair. Played then in the
70ties a lot in Italy again with Lou Bennet, Johnny Griffin again and
mainly on Festivals in Italy with Marian Mc Partland, Teddy Wilson,
Ted Curson, Barney Kessel, Art Farmer, Bobby Jones, Byard Lancaster and
Horace Parlan but also with singer Etta Cameron in South France. In 1975 Franco went on a six week tour to West Africa
with french group "The Swingers" led by trombone player
Francois "Frick" Guin, performed at the Pescara Jazz
Festival in Italy with Chet Baker featuring Jack Walrath and
Pat LaBarbera and played again with Dexter Gordon &
René Urtreger in Paris, moved then with his german wife Mimi and 1969
born son Patrick to Konstanz (Germany) at the end of 1976 after having
been operated at the heart - Patrick is now a drummer as well. Franco
became the honor member of the Jazzclub Konstanz in 1978. Played occasionally
in Paris with organ player Patrice Galas and guitarist Marc
Fosset with whom he featured Johnny Griffin once again in early
1979 and gave a concert in Paris with altosaxophonist Chris Woods
a few days before he died in Konstanz. The drummer Elvin Jones gave
a memorial concert in Lustenau (Austria) three days later. |
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