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FRANK VIGNOLA - 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. Muriel Anderson's All Star Guitar Night benefits the Music For Life Alliance
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