After learning to play the drums from his father, Ceccarelli started out playing in the salons of the Hotel Royal Nice Promenade des Anglais at the age of fifteen, where he played with some musicians at tea dances on weekends. He was spotted by a lady who was the wife of John Tosan, and was presented to the brothers John Rob alias Jean-Claude and James Fawler alias Gerard Roboly, and on their request participated on rehearsals with the French band rock Les Chats Sauvages, who was looking for a new drummer, and was hired at age 16 in May 1962, which corresponds to the beginning of his long career.
After almost two years, several tours and many recordings with this band, he left in January 1964 to resume the position of drummer in the band the Casino Sporting Club Monaco, and playing with many entertainers in studio and on tour, including Claude François, he turned to jazz. He had always wanted to be able to play with the jazz greats of the time, and could do so when becoming an active studio musician.
From the late 1960s, he collaborated with arranger and trumpeter Ivan Jullien with whom he recorded the album including 'Synthesis' (1978). It also participates in the short-lived group Troc (1972) with Jannick Top and Alex Ligertwood and sign two fusion style albums, one on the label Bingow, recorded between 1972 and 1973, the other for the Carla label in 1977. In 1974, he played in the orchestra of Jean-Claude Naude and participated on the album A New Kind of Band.
In 1979, he began a career in the United States alongside Bunny Brunel and Chick Corea, and met Dee Dee Bridgewater in 1987, with whom he continued a long lasting collaboration. He founded the 'Trio Sud' with Sylvain Luc and Jean-Marc Jafet in 2000.
He has recorded as leader since the 1976, and released the album Avenue Des Diables Blues (2005) within his own trio.
He created the group Troc in November 2011 with Jannick Top (bass), Alex Ligertwood (vocals), Eric Legnini (keyboards) and Claude Engel (guitar).
Ceccarelli is the official sponsor of the festival 'Jazz at any time', started in 1998 to Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse, where he participates with his trio every year from first, and was also sponsor of Nice Jazz Festival in 2013.
Honors
1998: Great Jazz Award, Sacem (French copyright management society), lifetime achievement
Solo
1976: Rythmes (Music De Wolfe)
1977: Ceccarelli (Carla), with Janick Top, featuring Christian Escoudé and Didier Lockwood
1981: André Ceccarelli (Disques JMS), with Richard Galliano, Michel Graillier and Didier Lockwood
1985: Project One (Sonotec/Globo Records France), with Bernard Arcadio
1986: Africa (Patchwork), with Bernard Arcadio
1986: Made in Sax (Patchwork), with Bernard Arcadio
1990: Dance on Me (Phonogram), with Jean-Marc Jafet and Thierry Eliez
1992: Hat Snatcher (Polygram), A. C. Trio with Jean-Marc Jafet and Thierry Eliez, featuring Didier Lockwood and Jean-Paul Ceccarelli
1994: 3 around the 4 (Verve), with Thierry Eliez and Jean-Marc Jafet
1995: From the Heart (Verve), with Jean-Michel Pilc, featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater
1997: West Side Story (BMG France), A. C. Quartet with Rémi Vignolo, Antonio Faraò and Sylvain Beuf, featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater, Richard Galliano, Bireli Lagrene and Régis Ceccarelli
1999: 61:32° (BMG France), with Sylvain Beuf, Antonio Faraò, Rémi Vignolo, featuring Stéphane Belmondo, Sylvain Luc, Thierry Eliez and Minino Garay
2004: Carte Blanche (Dreyfus), with Bireli Lagrene, Didier Lockwood, John McLaughlin, Richard Galliano and Sylvain Luc
2005: Avenue Blues Devils (Dreyfus Jazz), A. C. Trio with Bireli Lagrene and Joey DeFrancesco
2007: Golden Land (Cam Cine TV Inc)
2008: Sweet People (CAM Jazz), with Julian Oliver Mazzariello and Sylvain Beuf
2009: Le Coq Et La Pendule – Hommage A Claude Nougaro (Plus Loin Music), with Diego Imbert and Pierre-Alain Goualch, featuring David Linx
2011: Ricordo (La Cigogne)
2014: Twenty (Bonsaï), with Jean-Michel Pilc and Thomas Bramerie
As co-leader
1983: The Game (JMS), within 'Couturier Celea Quintet' including with Jean-Paul Celea, François Couturier, François Jeanneau and Philippe Macé
1986: Rock (Patchwork), with Bernard Arcadio and Jean-Claude Chavanat
1988: New-Music (MCT Music), with Bernard Arcadio and Jean-Claude Chavanat
1991: Sail Away (Musidisc), with Tom Harrell, Kenny Werner and Paul Imm
1993: Init (Phonogram), with François Moutin and Nguyên Lê, featuring Bob Berg
2006: Golden Land (Cam Jazz), with Enrico Pieranunzi, Hein Van de Gein, David El-Malek and Elizabeth Kontomanou
2013: Ultimo, composition written for symphony orchestra and usual trio
2013: A We Garo (Just Looking Productions)
Within Troc
1971: Old Man River (Cy)
1973: Barter (Cy)
2011: Barter 2011 (Universal)
Within CCPP including Marc Chantereau, Christian Padovan and Slim Pezin
1975: CCPP (Flamophone)
Within Bad News Travels Fast, including with Bernard Arcadio, Jean-Claude Chavanat and Tony Bonfils
1979: Ordinary Man (Casablanca)
1979: Look Out (Casablanca)
With Trio Sud
2000: Sud
2002: Trio Sud (the album is credited as the Sylvain Luc)
2008: Young and Fine
Within Ligne Sud Trio, including Christian Gaubert and Jannick Top
2013: Ligne Sud Trio (Cristal)
His debut with Les Chats Sauvages
1962: Les Chats Sauvages (Pathé)
1962: Avec Dick Rivers (Pathé)
1963: N° 3 (Pathé), with Mike Shannon
1962: Last Kisses, with Mike Shannon (EP 45 t - EA 631)
1963: Come on Girls, 10 tracks, third album of the band (AB 33 t - ST 1170)
1963: John, c'est l'Amour, with Mike Shannon (EP 45 rpm - EA 644)
