Frank Vignola (born December 30, 1965) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

guitarist. He has played in the genres of

swing Swing or swinging may refer to: Apparatus * Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth * Pendulum, an object that swings * Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus * Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse * Swing rid ...

, fusion, gypsy jazz, classical, and

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...

Career

Vignola grew up on

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

, New York. His father played

accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German ''Akkordeon'', from ''Akkord''—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a reed ...

and

banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...

and his brother plays

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

. When he was five, he picked up the guitar, learning from his father and from records by Django Reinhardt, Bucky Pizzarelli,

Joe Pass Joe Pass (born Joseph Anthony Jacobi Passalaqua; January 13, 1929 – May 23, 1994) was an American jazz guitarist. Pass is well known for his work stemming from numerous collaborations with pianist Oscar Peterson and vocalist Ella Fitzgerald, an ...

, and

Johnny Smith Johnny Henry Smith II (June 25, 1922 – June 11, 2013) was an American cool jazz and mainstream jazz guitarist. He wrote "Walk, Don't Run" in 1954. In 1984, Smith was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. Early life During the Great Dep ...

. At 12 he started on the banjo, and two years later he won a national championship in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. On Long Island, he studied guitar at the Cultural Arts Center. Early in his career, he went to used record stores to buy albums by musicians whose work he didn't know, so that he could study their music. In 1987, when he was 23, he formed the Hot Club Quintet, named after the

Quintette du Hot Club de France The Quintette du Hot Club de France ("The Quintet of the Hot Club of France"), often abbreviated "QdHCdF" or "QHCF", was a jazz group founded in France in 1934 by guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli and active in one form ...

. In the early 1990s, he was in New York City, playing in groups with Max Morath,

Andy Stein Andy Stein is an American saxophone and violin player. He is a member of The Guys All-Star Shoe Band on the radio show ''A Prairie Home Companion'' and the movie. He was a founding member of the country rock band Commander Cody and His Lost Plan ...

, Herman Foster,

Joe Ascione Joe Ascione (March 14, 1961 – March 11, 2016) was an American jazz drummer. Ascione grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He began playing drums at age 2. His parents bought him his first drum set at age 4, and he was playing professionally by the ...

, and tuba player

Sam Pilafian James Samuel Pilafian (October 25, 1949 – April 5, 2019) was an American tuba player and educator. Biography Pilafian participated in the National Music Camp in Interlochen, MI and was the second tuba player to win the concerto competition. ...

. He formed the Concord Jazz Collective with veteran guitarists

Howard Alden Howard Vincent Alden (born October 17, 1958) is an American jazz guitarist born in Newport Beach, California. Alden has recorded many albums for Concord Records, including four with seven-string guitar innovator George Van Eps. Early life How ...

and

Jimmy Bruno Jimmy Bruno (born July 22, 1953) is an American jazz guitarist from Philadelphia. Biography Born in Philadelphia, Bruno started playing guitar at the age of 7. He began his professional career at the age of 19, touring with Buddy Rich. He played ...

. The roster of musicians he has worked with includes Leon Redbone,

Ken Peplowski Ken Peplowski (born May 23, 1959) is an American jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, and known primarily for playing swing music. For over a decade, Peplowski recorded for Concord Records. In 2 ...

, Susannah McCorkle,

Charlie Byrd Charlie Lee Byrd (September 16, 1925 – December 2, 1999) was an American jazz guitarist. Byrd was best known for his association with Brazilian music, especially bossa nova. In 1962, he collaborated with Stan Getz on the album '' Jazz Samba' ...

, Joey DeFrancesco, Gene Bertoncini,

Johnny Frigo Johnny Frigo (December 27, 1916 – July 4, 2007) was an American jazz violinist, bassist and songwriter. He appeared in the 1940s as a violinist before working as a bassist. He returned to the violin in the 1980s and enjoyed a comeback, recordin ...

, Bucky Pizzarelli, Wynton Marsalis,

David Grisman David Grisman (born March 23, 1945) is an American mandolinist. His music combines bluegrass, folk, and jazz in a genre he calls "Dawg music". He founded the record label Acoustic Disc, which issues his recordings and those of other acoustic mu ...

, Jane Monheit, Mark O'Connor, and

Donald Fagen Donald Jay Fagen (born January 10, 1948) is an American musician best known as the co-founder, lead singer, co-songwriter, and keyboardist of the band Steely Dan, formed in the early 1970s with musical partner Walter Becker. In addition to his w ...

. He has written over fifteen instructional books for Mel Bay, produced several instructional DVDs, and teaches courses on the internet. He appeared on the PBS television programs ''Tommy Emmanuel and Friends'' and ''Four Generations of Guitar''. In May 2017, Frank Vignola was in a serious

ATV ATV may refer to: Broadcasting * Amateur television *Analog television Television stations and companies * Ràdio i Televisió d'Andorra * ATV (Armenia) * ATV (Aruba), NBC affiliate * ATV (Australian TV station), Melbourne * ATV (Austria) * AT ...

accident when he was thrown into a tree and sustained many injuries. In November 2017, friend and fellow guitarist Tommy Emmanuel posted an update on Vignola's status, stating that he would be unable to play the guitar and may only recover after many surgeries and a long period of physical therapy. However, as of May 2018 he had recovered and was again performing.

Discography

As leader

* ''Appel Direct'' (

Concord Jazz Concord Jazz is a record company and label founded in 1973 by Carl Jefferson, the former owner of Jefferson Motors Lincoln Mercury dealership in Concord, California. The label was named after the city in the East San Francisco Bay area, and the j ...

, 1993) * ''Makin' Whoopee'' with Sam Pilafian (Telarc, 1993) * ''Let It Happen'' (Concord Jazz, 1994) * ''Concord Jazz Guitar Collective'' with

(Concord Jazz, 1995) * ''Cookin' with Frank and Sam'' (Concord Jazz, 1995) * ''Look Right, Jog Left'' (Concord Vista 1996) * ''Deja Vu'' (Concord Vista, 1999) * ''Django Lives'' with Hot Club USA (Koch, 1999) * ''Without a Doubt'' with

Mark Egan Mark Egan (born January 14, 1951 in Brockton, Massachusetts, United States) is an American jazz bassist and trumpeter known for his membership in the Pat Metheny Group and the Gil Evans Orchestra. He is co-founder of the jazz fusion band, Elem ...

Frank Wess Frank Wellington Wess (January 4, 1922 – October 30, 2013) was an American jazz saxophonist and flutist. In addition to his extensive solo work, Wess is remembered for his time in Count Basie's band from the early 1950s into the 1960s. Critic ...

(Koch, 2000) * ''Off Broadway'' ( Nagel-Heyer, 2000) * ''Autumn Leaves at Astley's'' with Gene Bertoncini (True Track, 2001) * ''Hot Swing!'' with Mark O'Connor (OMAC, 2001) * ''Blues for a Gypsy'' ( Acoustic Disc, 2001) * ''Meeting of the Grooves'' with Gene Bertoncini (Azica, 2002) * ''Stringin' the Blues: A Tribute to Eddie Lang'' with Bucky Pizzarelli, Howard Alden,

Al Viola Alfred Viola (June 16, 1919 – February 21, 2007) was an American jazz guitarist who worked with Frank Sinatra for 25 years. He played the mandolin on the soundtrack of the film ''The Godfather''. Biography Viola grew up in an Italian fami ...

, Marty Grosz (

Jazzology Jazzology Records is an American jazz record company and label. It is part of the Jazzology group of labels owned and operated by the George H. Buck Jr. Jazz Foundation. Jazzology Records was founded in 1949 by George H. Buck, Jr. That year he ...

, 2003) * ''Moonglow'' with Bucky Pizzarelli (Hyena, 2005) * ''Vignola Plays Gershwin'' ( Mel Bay, 2006) * ''MaMaVig'' with Jamie Masefield, Gary Mazzaroppi (self-produced, 2007) * '' The Living Room Sessions'' with

(Acoustic Disc, 2007) * ''Standards'' (Self-Released, 2009) * ''Just Between Frets'' with Tommy Emmanuel (Solid Air, 2009) * ''Gypsy Grass'' with The Vignola Collective (Dare, 2009) * ''100 Years of Django'' (Azica, 2010) * ''Jam Session'' with Mark O'Connor, Chris Thile (OMAC, 2010) * ''An Evening With...'' with Vinny Raniolo (2011) * ''First Time Together!'' with David Grisman, Martin Taylor (Acoustic Disc, 2012) * ''Beloved Earth Songs'' with Vinny Raniolo (2013) * ''Swing Zing!'' with Vinny Raniolo (2015) * ''Frank 'n' Dawg: Melody Monsters'' with David Grisman (Acoustic Disc, 2017)

As sideman

With Leon Redbone * ''Sugar'' (Private Music, 1990) * ''Up a Lazy River'' (Blue Thumb, 1992) * ''Whistling in the Wind'' (Private Music, 1994) * ''Any Time'' (Blue Thumb, 2001) * ''Live October 26, 1992 the Olympia Theater Paris, France'' (Rounder, 2005) With others *

Karrin Allyson Karrin Allyson (pronounced ''KAR-in''; born Karrin Allyson Schoonover on July 27, 1963) is an American jazz vocalist. She has been nominated for five Grammy Awards and has received positive reviews from several prominent sources, including the ' ...

, ''Fujitsu-Concord 27th Jazz Festival'' (Concord 1996) *

, ''Du Hot Club de Concord'' (Concord, 1995) *

John Bunch John Bunch (December 1, 1921 – March 30, 2010) was an American jazz pianist. Early life Born and raised in Tipton, Indiana, a small farming community, Bunch studied piano with George Johnson, a Hoosier jazz pianist. By the age of 14, he ...

, ''Plays the Music of Ivring Berlin (Except One)'' (Arbors, 2008) * John Bunch, ''Do Not Disturb'' (Arbors, 2010) *

Alexis Cole Alexis Cole is an American jazz singer. Career Cole was born in Queens, New York. Her father and grandmother were both jazz singers and pianists. She grew up in South Florida, where she studied Musical Theater at the New World School of the Arts ...

& Bucky Pizzarelli, ''A Beautiful Friendship'' (Venus, 2015) * Joey DeFrancesco, ''Joey DeFrancesco's Goodfellas'' (Concord Jazz, 1999) *

Empire Brass Empire Brass is a brass quintet from the United States. The group was founded in 1971. The original members met at Tanglewood Music Center (in Lenox, Massachusetts) in 1970. Description and history The quintet chose its name after performing in ...

, ''Braggin' in Brass'' (Telarc, 1991) *

Vincent DiMartino Vincent "Vinnie" DiMartino (born October 9, 1972) is an American motorcycle builder, best known for his work from 2002 to 2007 at Orange County Choppers (OCC), the subject of the American TV show ''American Chopper''. In August 2007 DiMartino left ...

Allen Vizzutti Allen Vizzutti (born September 13, 1952) is an American trumpeter, composer and music educator. Biography Born and raised in Missoula, Montana, Vizzutti learned the trumpet from his father, Lido Vizzutti. At age 16, Vizzutti won the concerto co ...

Bobby Shew Bobby Shew (born March 4, 1941) is an American jazz trumpet and flugelhorn player. Biography He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. After leaving college in 1960, Shew was drafted into the U.S. Army and played trumpet and toured ...

, ''Trumpet Summit'' (Summit, 1995) *

Peter Ecklund Peter Ecklund (September 27, 1945 – April 8, 2020) was an American jazz cornetist. Career In 1967, Ecklund received a degree from Yale University. He went on tour with singer Paula Lockheart and started a jazz band, in addition to working with ...

, ''Peter Ecklund and the Melody Makers'' (Stomp Off, 1988) * Peter Ecklund, ''Strings Attached'' (Arbors, 1996) * Tommy Emmanuel, ''Tommy Emmanuel & Friends Live from the Balboa Theatre'' (KPB 2011) * Tommy Emmanuel, ''Accomplice One'' (CGP, 2018) *

Lars Erstrand Lars Erstrand (27 September 1936 Uppsala, Sweden – 11 March 2009) was a Swedish vibraphonist. Career Erstrand began his musical life on piano, but after hearing Lionel Hampton he changed to vibraphone. During the 1960s he joined a band led by c ...

, ''Beautiful Friendship'' (Sittel, 1992) *

, ''Morph the Cat'' (Reprise, 2006) *

, ''Johnny Frigo's DNA Exposed!'' (Arbors, 2001) *

, ''At Jazz Alley'' (Acoustic Disc, 2008) * Marty Grosz, ''Marty Grosz and the Keepers of the Flame (and the Imps)'' (Stomp Off, 1987) *

JaLaLa Jalala ( ur, جلالہ, Jalālah) is a village and union council in Mardan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is ...

, ''That Old Mercer Magic!'' (Dare, 2009) *

Jon-Erik Kellso Jon-Erik Kellso (born May 8, 1964, Dearborn, Michigan) is an American jazz trumpeter and session musician. Kellso began playing jazz music very young in life, and also received some formal training in classical idioms. Some of the jazz musician ...

, ''Chapter I'' (Arbors, 1993) *

Barbara Lea Barbara Lea (April 10, 1929 – December 26, 2011) was an American jazz singer. Music career Lea was born and raised in Detroit. Her father was a clarinetist before becoming attorney general of Michigan. He changed the family name from LeCocq t ...

, Bob Dorough, Dick Sudhalter, ''Hoagy's Children: Songs of Hoagy Carmichael Volume One'' (Audiophile, 1994) * George Masso, Dan Barrett, ''Let's Be Buddies'' (Arbors, 1994) * Susannah McCorkle, ''From Broadway to Bebop'' (Concord Jazz, 1994) * Jane Monheit, ''The Lovers, the Dreamers and Me'' (Concord 2008) * Jane Monheit, ''Home'' (EmArcy, 2010) * Mark O'Connor, ''In Full Swing'' (Odyssey, 2003) * Mark O'Connor, ''Live in New York'' (OMAC, 2005) * Orphan Newsboys, ''Laughing at Life'' (Stomp Off, 1991) * Bucky Pizzarelli, ''Don't Blame Me'' (Acoustic Disc, 2007) * Bucky Pizzarelli, ''So Hard to Forget'' (Arbors, 2008) *

Nicki Parrott Nicki Parrott (pronounced pa-ROTT) is a jazz vocalist and bass player from Australia. Background Parrott took piano lessons when she was four years old, then learned flute. When she was fifteen, she started playing double bass, and after grad ...

, ''Sentimental Journey'' (Venus, 2015) * Nicki Parrott, ''Yesterday Once More: The Carpenters Song Book'' * Sam Pilafian, ''Travelin' Light'' (Telarc, 1991) *

, ''Goin' Places'' (Stomp Off, 1987) *

Dick Sudhalter Richard Merrill Sudhalter (28 December 1938 – 19 September 2008)Biography ''AllMusic'' was an American jazz trumpeter and writer. Biography Born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, Sudhalter was inspired to pursue a musical career by his ...

, ''Melodies Heard...Melodies Sweet'' (Challenge, 1999) *

Lucy Woodward Lucy Woodward is an English-American singer-songwriter. She has recorded for Atlantic Records, Atlantic, Verve Records, Verve, and GroundUP Music, GroundUP and has sung background vocals for Rod Stewart, Barbra Streisand, Snarky Puppy, Celine Di ...

, ''Hooked!'' (Verve, 2010)

References

External links

Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vignola, Frank 20th-century American guitarists 21st-century American guitarists American jazz guitarists 1965 births Living people Concord Records artists Smooth jazz guitarists Gypsy jazz guitarists American jazz educators Guitarists from New York (state) American male guitarists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Nagel-Heyer Records artists Jazzology Records artists