Michel Petrucciani is an outstanding French jazz pianist. Despite his physical disability (he had osteogenesis imperfections - a genetic disease that destroys bone tissue that stopped his growth), he became a well-known improviser who created his own eclectic style with the perfect technique and repertoire, characterized by romantic melodism. Although Petrucciani often collaborated with renowned musicians, including jazz saxophonists Lee Konitz and Charles Lloyd, he is better known for his solo performances using original compositions and jazz standards.
Michel Petrucciani: biography
Born 12/28/1962 in Orange (France0, in a musical Italian family. As a child, he played drums in a group with his father, guitarist Tony Petrucciani, and brother Louis, bassist. Michel's congenital disease, also known as "crystal man" disease, accompanied by numerous bone fractures, was the reason for his short stature - he was only 91 cm in height and weighed almost 50 kg.
From childhood, Petrucciani showed a talent for music. By the time he learned to speak, he was already humming Wes Montgomery's solo. The pianist who had the greatest influence on Michelle was Bill Evans, whom he first heard at the age of ten. With this early acquaintance his multilayer jazz harmonies, lyrical style and articulation of the melody were always strongly associated. Michel Petrucciani, whose biography in music began with studying playing the classical piano at the age of four, at nine already created compositions with his family.
First success
When Michel was thirteen, he gave his first professional concert. The boy had to be brought to the stage, and he used a special device to press the pedals of the piano. The physical handicap did not affect the musician’s hands, and, as they say, he played with amazing energy and enthusiasm.
At the age of fifteen, musician Michel Petrucciani went to Paris. There he played with Kenny Clark in 1977 and in 1978 with Clark Terry. The breakthrough occurred at the Kliuskla Jazz Festival. Clark Terry lost the pianist, and when Michelle was led to the stage, Terry thought it was a joke. Petrucciani's height did not exceed 90 cm. But his performance impressed Terry and the rest of the festival participants, it was incredibly talented and virtuoso. Clark said he was deeply moved by his game. He was a dwarf, but played like a giant.
Traveling to Paris left mixed impressions, but undoubtedly contributed to Michel's musical and personal transformation. According to him, "everything was mainly about drugs and strange women, but I was lucky to get out unscathed." Petrucciani's behavior in France was largely immature and uncertain, despite his considerable talent. He wore a cap and often acted assertively and toughly, referring to people familiarly.
The start of a musical career
After Paris, pianist Michel Petrucciani returned home for a short time. He began his professional career living with drummer Aldo Romano. Michelle recorded on Owl Records and made friends with its owner, Jean-Jacques Pousse. The latter later recalled that Petrucciani always seemed to be in a hurry, saying that he did not want to lose time. But Michel wanted to become independent from Romano too, with whom he did not feel free. He had to run. He needed to go as far as he could. And he went to California.
Relocation to the USA
Michel Petrucciani ended up in the United States in 1982, where he came to visit saxophonist Charles Lloyd, who had left jazz. Lloyd stopped performing when listeners began to consider his musicians more fashionable than himself. After listening to Petrucciani's play, the saxophonist was so inspired that he agreed to go on a concert tour with him. Lloyd said to Michel: “I was not going to speak again. You provoked me. "I heard this beauty in you and told myself that I should take you all over the world, because it was so beautiful, as if it was a call of providence."
The performances of Petrucciani and Lloyd on the west coast were a huge success, and they continued them abroad. On February 22, 1985, with Michel in his arms, Lloyd entered the stage of the City Hall in New York and sat him down at the piano to play a historical concert in the history of jazz. The shooting of the movie One Night with Blue Note was also held there. Film director John Charles Jopson later recalled that this moment moved him to tears.
The performances of Petrucciani and Lloyd at the Jazz Festival were compiled into an album that won Prix d'Excellence in 1982. But mostly Michel expressed contempt and disappointment about the awards. In his opinion, they fell upon him in such numbers, as people thought that he would die young.
Work in New York
The pianist Michel Petrucciani moved to New York in 1984 and spent the rest of his life there. This was one of the most fruitful stages of his career. The musician signed with Jim Hall and Wayne Shorter, releasing the album Power of Three. In 1986, Petrucciani recorded the concert album with the same musicians. He also performed with the famous figure of the USA jazz scene Dizzy Gillespie.
Michel Petrucciani preferred to record solos. He said: “I believe that the pianist is not held until he can perform independently. I started giving recitals in February 1993, when I asked my agent for a year to cancel my trio performances in order to play nothing but recitals ... I had a wonderful time performing alone, rediscovering the piano and learning something new every night. I learned so much about the tool and about direct communication with the audience. It was an incredible experience. "I really loved to play solo - after that, going on stage as a member of the group and playing with other people was nothing!”
Michel Petrucciani: personal life
In his personal life, he had five significant relationships: with Erlinda Montagno (marriage), Eugenia Morrison, Marie-Laura Ropersch, Italian pianist Gilda Butta (marriage lasted three months and ended in divorce) and Isabelle Mele (with whom he shared the grave). In a marriage with Marie-Laura, his son Alexander was born, who inherited his fortune. In addition, he had a stepson Rashid Ropersh.
In 1994, jazz pianist Michel Petrucciani was awarded the Legion of Honor in Paris.
Last years
In the late 1990s, the lifestyle of Petrucciani became more and more complicated. Musically, he moved at a frantic pace. The pianist performed more than a hundred times a year, and in 1998, a year before his death, he gave 140 concerts. His social life was also becoming more expensive - he began to drink more and experiment with cocaine. Michelle was too weak to use crutches, and began to move in a wheelchair. According to the last manager, Petrucciani, he worked too much - not only made notes and gave concerts, but he was always on television and always gave interviews. He overworked, and that was obvious. He demanded too much of himself.
Death and creativity
Michel Petrucciani died immediately after his 36th birthday from a lung infection. He was buried at the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.
Wayne Shorter summed up the main features of Michel Petrucciani’s character and style as follows: “A lot of people, tall and normal, walk around, they have everything with which they were born, with normal lengths of legs, arms and everything else. They are symmetrical in every respect, but they live as if they are armless, legless, brainless, and live their lives constantly complaining. I never heard Michelle complain. He looked in the mirror and did not complain about what he saw there. Michel Petrucciani was a great musician - great because he was a great man, he had the ability to feel and give others that feeling, and he gave it to other people through his music. ”