Feature Artist
Frank Vignola is one of the most accomplished
players performing today.
(from www.dawgnet.com) Frank Vignola is considered by many to be among the top ranked guitarists on the music scene today.
Check out Frank's complete listing below.
17 Fellow Jazz Guitarists Guitarists
members.aol.com/ninewinds/BIOS/valentino.html
Artist Info
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Born in 1957 in a South Philadelphia neighborhood filled with a history of jazz guitarists that starts with 1920’s legend Eddie Lang continuing through to today’s jazz guitar legend Pat Martino, Johnnie studied privately as a young man with Dennis Sandole, Joe Sgro and Pat Martino.
Also during that time he studies composition at Rutgers University while doing local club dates and recording sessions at Alphs recording studio for Philly World Records. In 1984 Johnnie relocated to Los Angeles where he has been musically active in many facets such as writing, recording, scoring, performing and sound designing for TV, films and recordings. During these years he has recorded with some of today’s leading contemporary improvisers including Alex Acuna, Bennie Maupin, Vinny Golia, Wadada Leo Smith, Billy Drewes, Oscar Brashear, Andy Lester, Kermit Driscoll, Sherman Ferguson, Luis Conta, Mick Rossi and Pat Martino. At the 2000 nternational Monitor Awards in LA he was awarded the Best Sound Design Award. Now in 2001 his “Searching Souls” CD is released on Ninewinds.
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Links
George Van Eps is credited with creating the first 7 string "jazz" guitar". At one time Gretsch had a George Van Eps model 6 and 7 string production guitar.
George Van Eps created the first 7-string jazz guitar in 1938. He took his beloved Epiphone guitar to the Epiphone factory in New York and had the neck, tailpiece, and bridge replaced to accommodate an extra string, a low A tuned a perfect fifth below the low E string. Thus the seventh string did not alter the standard tuning of the instrument but enhanced it by adding the rich tones of the bass register. The 7th string opened up many opportunities for building walking bass lines while simultaneously comping chords. It also expanded the range of the instrument giving George a richer, fuller sound when playing solo guitar. Van Eps called it his "lap piano".
Here is a link
the George Van Eps iTunes music.
Artist Info click here to show or hide more info
The Seven String Guitar by Jerry Sims
History of the 7-String Jazz Guitar
(Originaly from Mal Bay Guitar Sessions)
Here is a link to a Gretsch George Van Eps 7-string from 1977.
More information available on artist's web site.
Links
- www.FrankVignola.com The Frank & Joe School The Frank & Joe Show The Frank Vignola Quintet VM Entertainment Group
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Frank Vignola's Groove Camp: truefire.com/groovecamp/groovecamp.html
Frank Vignola music available on iTunes
"Imagine Django Reinhardt's gypsy guitar flare applied to a Charlie Parker tune or a delta blues, or even the solo violin music of J.S. Bach. Well that's exactly what guitar genius frank Vignola has accomplished in this unique recording - and more. Frank's playing is steeped in the Rheinhardt tradition but, more in mportantly, it's not a prisoner there. His musical outlook is wide and varied, touching upon many jazz traditions, old and less old." - David Grisman
Frank Vignola Books Available at SheetMusicPlus.com
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Frank Vignola's Gypsy Jazz Jam Performed by Frank Vignola. For Guitar (All). Concert/documentary. Mel Bay Records. Jazz. DVD. Size 5.25x7.5. 45 min. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (20087DVD) See more info... |
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Complete Arpeggio Study Method By Frank Vignola. For Guitar (Flatpicking/Plectrum). Technique. Vignola Play Along. Jazz. Level: Intermediate. Book. Size 8.5x11. 64 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (99767) See more info... |
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Comping the Blues By Frank Vignola. For Guitar (Flatpicking/Plectrum). Accompaniment. Vignola Play Along. Jazz. Level: Intermediate. Book. Size 8.75x11.75. 16 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (99768) See more info... |
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Jazz Solos Volume 1 Improvised Solos over Standard Progressions. By Frank Vignola. For Guitar (All). Improvisation. Vignola Play Along. Jazz. Level: Beginning-Intermediate. Book/CD Set. Size 8.75x11.75. 32 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (99322BCD) See more info... |
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Play-Along Jazz Standard Chord Progressions By Frank Vignola. For Guitar (All). Accompaniment. Vignola Play Along. Jazz. Level: Beginning-Intermediate. Book/CD Set. Size 8.75x11.75. 40 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (99660BCD) See more info... |
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Rhythm Changes, Volume 1 By Frank Vignola. For Guitar (All). Improvisation. Vignola Play Along. Jazz. Level: Beginning-Intermediate. Book/CD Set. Size 8.5x11. 32 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (99319BCD) See more info... |
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Jammin' the Blues Volume 1 By Frank Vignola. For Guitar (All). Improvisation. Vignola Play Along. Jazz. Level: Beginning-Intermediate. Book/CD Set. Size 8.75x11.75. 24 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (99316BCD) See more info... |
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Jazz Solos, Volume 2 Improvised Solos over Standard Progressions. By Frank Vignola. For Guitar (All). Improvisation. Vignola Play Along. Jazz. Level: Beginning-Intermediate. Book/CD Set. Size 8.75x11.75. 24 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (99323BCD) See more info... |
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Frank Vignola's Gypsy Jazz Jam Performed by Frank Vignola. For Guitar (All). Concert/documentary. Mel Bay Records. Jazz. DVD. Size 5.25x7.5. 45 min. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (20087DVD) See more info... |
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240 2-Bar Jazz Guitar Riffs By Frank Vignola. For Guitar (Flatpicking/Plectrum). Licks and phrases. Vignola Play Along. Jazz. Level: Intermediate. Book. Size 8.75x11.75. 32 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (99769) See more info... |
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120 2-Bar ii-V Riffs By Frank Vignola. For Guitar (Flatpicking/Plectrum). Licks and phrases. Vignola Play Along. Jazz. Level: Intermediate. Book. Size 8.75x11.75. 16 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (99770) See more info... |
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Rhythm Changes, Volume 2 By Frank Vignola. For Guitar (All). Improvisation. Vignola Play Along. Jazz. Level: Beginning-Intermediate. Book/CD Set. Size 8.75x11.75. 32 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (99320BCD) See more info... |
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Bucky Pizzarelli Favorite Solos Featuring Frank Vignola. By Bucky Pizzarelli and Frank Vignola. For Guitar (All). Concert/documentary. Mel Bay Records. Jazz. DVD. Size 5.25x7.5. 60 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (21225DVD) See more info... |
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Jammin' the Blues Volume 2 By Frank Vignola. For Guitar (All). Improvisation. Vignola Play Along. Jazz. Level: Beginning-Intermediate. Book/CD Set. Size 8.75x11.75. 16 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (99317BCD) See more info... |
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Rhythm Changes, Volume 3 By Frank Vignola. For Guitar (All). Improvisation. Vignola Play Along. Jazz. Level: Beginning-Intermediate. Book/CD Set. Size 8.68x11.75. 32 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (99321BCD) See more info... |
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Three of a Kind: Frank Vignola, Bucky Pizzarelli and Howard Alden By Frank Vignola, Bucky Pizzarelli, and Howard Alden. For Guitar (All). Recordings. Victoria. Jazz. Compact Disc. Size 5.5x5. Published by Victoria Company. (VC4355) See more info... |
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Jammin' the Blues Volume 3 By Frank Vignola. For Guitar (All). Improvisation. Vignola Play Along. Jazz. Level: Beginning-Intermediate. Book/CD Set. Size 8.68x11.75. 24 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (99318BCD) See more info... |
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120 2-bar ii-V Riffs for Bass By Frank Vignola. For Electric Bass. Licks and phrases. Vignola Play Along. Jazz. Level: Beginning-Intermediate. Book. Size 8.5x11. 16 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (99773) See more info... |
More information available on company's web site.
Links
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 24 (AP) — Al Viola, a guitarist who worked with Frank Sinatra for 25 years and also played the mandolin on the “Godfather” soundtrack, died on Wednesday at his home in Studio City. He was 87.
Artist Info click here to show or hide more info
Al Viola started music early. “I was the youngest child from a big Italian family and we had all kinds of instruments at the house including guitars, mandolins and an upright player piano. My brother, who played mandolin, needed someone to accompany him so he taught me a few chords on guitar to play behind him". Al teamed up with a violinist friend of his who admired Joe Venuti. They used to play duets like Venuti and Eddie Lang around the neighborhood in Brooklyn, performing at Chinese restaurants. "My mother thought I was robbing the bank because I was bringing home twenty-two dollars a week during the depression!”
(source: www.alviola.com)
During a 4 ½ year period in the Army (1942 – 1945), Al met up with pianist Page Cavanaugh. “Page and I were both in the Army band stationed in Sacramento. We also worked together in a dance band along with bassist Lloyd Pratt.” After their discharge, Viola, Page and Pratt formed the Page Cavanaugh Trio, moved to Los Angeles and soon became a very popular attraction. We recorded for RCA Victor, appeared in Five movies, toured the United States, Canada, and Europe doing theaters and clubs, such as “King Cole Room” at the Trocadero and Ciro’s. “There was a special chemistry between the three of us. Page would play an intro, I’d be right there and in less than ten minutes we’d have an arrangement. The trio was a purely instrumental group at first until our manager insisted that we sing. Our whispering unison vocals caught on with songs like ‘The Three Bears’ and ‘Walkin My Baby Back Home.’”
“The first time I met Frank Sinatra was in the late 40’s when he came in to hear the Page Cavanaugh Trio. He liked us so much that he took the Trio to New York with him to perform at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel followed by an appearance at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City". In 1949 Al quit the Trio and stayed in Los Angeles to pursue studio work as a freelance musician. During that time Al worked with some of the big bands such as Harry James, Ray Anthony, Les Brown, and Nelson Riddle. Additionally, Al did work with some jazz groups; Buddy Collette, Red Callendar, Bobby Troup, Terry Gibbs, Shelley Mann and Leroy Vinegar and continued his studies at the California Academy of Music studying classical guitar, harmony and theory. Studio work was plentiful, recording with Frank Sinatra, June Christie, Julie London, Steve Lawrence, Neil Diamond, Linda Ronstadt, Natalie Cole, Hadda Brooks and Film/TV scores like Billy Jack, Blazing Saddles, Cool Hand Luke, West Side Story, The Godfather, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf.
"When I was working with Bobby Troup one of Sinatra’s buddies heard me and told me that Frank needed a guitar player. I joined Sinatra right after he did Wee Small Hours for Capitol Records around 1954-55". In 1962 as part of the Bill Miller Sextet, Al went on a ten week world tour with Sinatra. Al continued to work with Frank Sinatra on most of his recordings, television specials and his appearances in Las Vegas and Concerts. In 1973, Al accompanied him to the White House when he performed there.
“What I enjoyed most about working with Frank is that he was unpredictable. When I accompanied him, I couldn’t quite predict where he was going, which made it challenging and exciting! He always surprised me on stage. Although he wasn’t known as a jazz singer, he ad-libbed like one and wouldn’t sing a song the same way, twice. I consider myself very fortunate since he seemed to like the way I played behind him. I have traveled the world on tour with Frank Sinatra and enjoyed every minute of it.”
More information available on artist's web site.






















