BMG today releases the stunning live video performance of Michel Petrucciani performing ‘Take The A Train’. The rare video is taken from Petrucciani’s performance at the 1993 Montreux Jazz Festival and appears on the upcoming release “Michel Petrucciani: The Montreux Years”- out April 7 and available to pre-order now. ‘Take The A Train’ appears on Petrucciani’s 1992 solo album ‘Promenade With Duke’, which he recorded at the age of 30 and pays a vibrant tribute to his father who first gave him the desire to play the piano.
 
Born in the South of France in 1962, Michel Petrucciani came from a totally musical family (his father Tony is a guitarist, and his brothers Louis and Philippe are respectively double bassists and guitarists). He was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta - or “glass bone disease” and only ever grew to 99cm. Despite his health condition, Petrucciani went on to become one of the most accomplished jazz pianists of his generation and became a musical prodigy.  
 
At the age of 13, Petrucciani gave his first professional concert performance at the Cliousclat festival in which he joined American jazzman Clark Terry onstage when he was down a pianist. In 1981, his first appearance at the Paris Jazz Festival left the audience at the Théâtre de la Ville in shock, a new star of the piano was born.
 
The following year, Michel decides to leave, by challenge, to the conquest of America. He crossed the seas and landed in New York. A friend gives him the address of a musician living on the west coast. After a fortnight, he found himself in California in Charles Lloyd's retreat without knowing what a great saxophonist he was and that he had discovered, in the 1960s, a young pianist named Keith Jarrett. In the 80s Petrucciani became the first European artist to sign with the American jazz label Blue Note Records, the most prolific, influential, and respected jazz label of the 20th century.
 
The French boy wonder of jazz piano has collaborated with some of jazz’s most celebrated performers including Wayne Shorter, Roy Haynes, Jim Hall, John Abercrombie and Jack DeJohnette. Petrucciani was awarded the prestigious Prix Django Reinhardt in 1984 and during the same year his album ‘100 Hearts’ won a Grand Prix Du Disque, the French equivalent of a Grammy Award. In 1994 Petrucciani was made a knight by François Mitterrand, the French president at the time.
 
A collection of Petrucciani’s most memorable performances at The Montreux Jazz Festival from 1990 - 1998, fans of the legendary jazz pianist can relive some of his biggest recordings on Michel Petrucciani: The Montreux Years. Encapsulating his time at the festival, the release opens with 1997’s “35 Seconds of Music and More” and “Estate” from the 1982 album of the same name. Delving further into Petrucciani’s repertoire, Michel Petrucciani: The Montreux Years includes the 1991 hit “Rachid” and “Little Peace in C for U”.
 
Available on pre-order now and released on Friday 07 April, Michel Petrucciani: The Montreux Years is the ninth instalment of The Montreux Years series, which began with musical titans Nina Simone and Etta James, followed by Marianne Faithfull and Muddy Waters, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Monty Alexander and Paco De Lucía. Having received critical acclaim worldwide, ‘Nina Simone: The Montreux Years’ and ‘John McLaughlin: The Montreux Years’, reached #1 on the UK Official Jazz & Blues Chart in 2021 and were hailed by the likes of the New York Times and JazzFM.
 
LP TRACKLISTING  
 
SIDE A

    35 Seconds of Music and More (Live - Montreux Jazz Festival 1998) 06:07

    Estate (Live - Montreux Jazz Festival 1990) 10:13

    Little Peace in C for U (Live - Montreux Jazz Festival 1998) 02:53

 
SIDE B

    Autumn Leaves (Live - Montreux Jazz Festival 1996) 06:31

    My Funny Valentine (Live - Montreux Jazz Festival 1996) 08:53

 
SIDE C

    Miles Davis Licks (Live - Montreux Jazz Festival 1990) 07:59

    Summertime (Live - Montreux Jazz Festival 1993) 07:14

    Take The 'A' Train (Live - Montreux Jazz Festival 1993) 04:51

 
SIDE D

    So What (Live - Montreux Jazz Festival 1996) 05:16

    You Are My Waltz (Live - Montreux Jazz Festival 1993) 05:01

    Rachid (Live - Montreux Jazz Festival 1990) 10:06

 
CD TRACKLISTING  
 

    35 Seconds of Music and More (Live from the Montreux Jazz Festival 1998)

    Estate (Live from the Montreux Jazz Festival 1990)

    Little Peace in C for U (Live from the Montreux Jazz Festival 1998)

    Autumn Leaves (Live from the Montreux Jazz Festival 1996)

    My Funny Valentine (Live from the Montreux Jazz Festival 1996)

    Miles Davis Licks (Live from the Montreux Jazz Festival 1990)

    Summertime (Live from the Montreux Jazz Festival 1993)

    Take The ‘A’Train (Live from the Montreux Jazz Festival 1993)

    So What (Live from the Montreux Jazz Festival 1996)

    You Are My Waltz (Live from the Montreux Jazz Festival 1993)

    Rachid (Live from the Montreux Jazz Festival 1990)