| PRESS
- "
How versatile is Frank Vignola? He's collaborated with Lionel Hampton
and Madonna, covers Mozart and Black Sabbath on the same record and
is one of Les Paul's favorite guitarists."
- Joan Anderman, Boston Globe
- "For
me, the standout musician in the ensemble was guitarist Frank Vignola,
who can play more musically at ridiculous tempos than just about anyone
I've heard. Vignola had the crowd in the palm of his hand for every
solo."-
The Jazz Session Jason Crane, Tanglewood Jazz Festival
|
| BIOGRAPHY
Frank is
one of the most accomplished, multi-dimensional players walking the
planet today. Monster player, composer and improviser, Frank plays proficiently
in every genre, from jazz to bluegrass, and works with everyone and
their brother. Frank’s pedigree is a mile long, but a quick Google
will illustrate why he is considered one of the best on the planet.
Whether he is featured on a Donald Fagen recording, a jam with David
Grisman, as Les Paul's right hand man or leading his own groups throughout
the years, he has proved himself to be in the elite creating his own
unique sound.
Born on suburban Long Island, Vignola was raised in the New York area.
The Italian-American started playing the guitar at the age of five and
grew up admiring a variety of guitarists. Far from a jazz snob, Vignola
never listened to jazz exclusively and was also a major fan of rock,
R&B, and pop. The guitarists that he admires range from Django and
George Barnes to rock icons like Frank Zappa and Eddie Van Halen. As
a young adult, Vignola studied at the Cultural Arts Center of Long Island
and went on to enjoy an enormous amount of sideman gigs in the 1980s
including recording and touring with the likes of Madonna, Leon Redbone,
Ringo Starr as well as coming into his own as a leader in 1988 with
his famed Hot Club of France tribute which was hailed in the NY Times
as one of the top ten acts in 1988 and forged the way for the many Django
Hot Club groups that followed. The New Yorker was 27 when, in 1993,
he signed with Concord Jazz and recorded his first Concord session as
a leader, Appel Direct. Many more Concord releases followed in the 1990s
as well as 3 releases for the Telarc label as co-leader of the group
Travelin' Light. The early 2000's found Vignola recording for Acoustic
Disc, Hyena Records as well as making featured appearances on Atlantic,
Sony and Warner Brothers Records with the likes of Donald Fagen, Queen
Latifah, Mark O Connor and Wynton Marsalis. Mr. Vignola has also recorded
several DVD's for Mel Bay Records. "Gypsy Jam" features Jimmy
Rosenberg and "Favorite Solo's" features Frank with one of
his guitar heroes, Bucky Pizzarelli. Frank has written 18 guitar instruction
books for Mel Bay Publications and has recorded several CDROM educational
products for Truefire.com. He has performed hundreds of clinics and
masterclasses at major universities and colleges throughout the country
including Julliard and Boston University. |
