It's inspiring how he never let being Italian slow him down or get in the way of his dreams. Don't let people tell you you can't.

He left this world at only 36, but he made his time here count. 23 years after his passing & 12 years after this was uploaded, I am in awe of his skill & talent. Thank you Mr. Petrucciani.

We saw Michel perform in Manchester in 1996.I wasn't aware of his disability before the concert. When he was carried on to the stage and sat at the piano we were surprised.
My wife who was sat with me had a brother with the same condition  as Michel. The concert was unbelievable and we both were tearful for the whole session. It was the most unforgettable evening ever.

I remember his name from listening to Jazz FM with my father in London in the 90s. I had no idea he had physical challenges. It's very moving to witness him play so incredibly, able to transcend the physical and fly with pure expression. I have no idea why YouTube suggested this video to me, I haven't been looking at jazz piano. My father died last week and this unlocked such a specific memory of our time together.

Michel Petrucciani is my favorite jazz pianist. I heard him on the radio and found a triple cd album which I have been listening to for years. I was sad when he died, but have come to realize that I should just be glad that he lived.

this comment is to help the algorithm understand that i appreciate this.

My man got short arms and short legs, but a heart and a soul that have the size of the Himalaya

The heart of jazz improvisation is here - how something so often heard as Round About Midnight turns into a new magical world full of secret passages and bright windows. Beautiful.

Petrucciani signature. An incredibly sophisticated harmonization, yet still enjoyable for non musically skilled ears, and a developped sense of melody. This guy is an absolute genius.

Youtube recommended this for me in 2019.
I didn't ask for this, but this is great.

The composition of this. The humor and bravery it takes to open with the 12 gongs of the clock. Incredible.

There’s still hope for humanity that Michel’s music is alive and well in the hearts of soo many of us.

Michel Petrucciani (French pronunciation: ​[miʃɛl petʁutʃani]; Italian: [petrutˈtʃaːni]; 28 December 1962 – 6 January 1999)[1] was a French jazz pianist. From birth he had osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic disease that causes brittle bones and, in his case, short stature. He became one of the most accomplished jazz pianists of his generation despite having pain in his arms.

Osteogenesis imperfecta seemed to contribute greatly both to Petrucciani's personality and his playing style. By his own account, he was in almost constant physical pain.[7] Yet, he was known for his cheerful, playful, even cavalier personality. He said, "I love humor, I love to laugh, I love jokes, I love silliness, I love that, I think it's great, I think laughter is worth a whole lot of medicine."[7]

In 1994, he was granted the Order of the Légion d'honneur in Paris.

In the late 1990s, Petrucciani's lifestyle became increasingly taxing. He was performing over 100 times per year, and in 1998, the year before he died, he performed 140 times. He became too weak to use crutches and had to resort to a wheelchair. His final manager said, "He was working too much – not only recording and doing concerts, but he was always on television, and he was always doing interviews. He got himself overworked, and you could see it. He pushed too much." In his later years Petrucciani was known to drink heavily.[3]

Petrucciani died from a pulmonary infection a week after his 36th birthday. He was interred in Le Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, one tomb away from Frédéric Chopin.[3]

On 12 February 2009, the French music channel Mezzo broadcast a special event paying homage to Petrucciani on the 10th anniversary of his death.

Michel Petrucciani is a master on piano. His music sounds a bit classical music but with Jazz feeling. It's almost like hearing a great piece from Chopin but with the freedom and spontaneous of Jazz. What a genius!

I like the fact that Mr P says “I’m going to play it anyway”. This is one of the best manifestations of what jazz music is - total freedom in challenging circumstances.

Watching this for the first time, randomly popped up, around midnight right now too. Good job YouTube. Actually something I didn’t know I wanted

This guy makes you question the existence of limits.  Great voicings and what an incredible sounding piano!!!

This is not for ears, this is for soul.

An incredible musician taken far too early. Have just read that his grave is beside Chopin.

I'm 62, how I have I not run across this before?   My lord; this is sublime.