Tenor Banjo
Frank Vignola – Rising Jazz Guitar Music Star
Frank Vignola is considered to be among the top rank of guitarists on the jazz guitar music scene today! Born on December 30, 1965 on Long Island, New York, he began playing guitar at the age of five. As his proficiency grew, he spent many hours listening to the music of legendary jazz guitarists Django Reinhardt, Joe Pass, and Johnny Smith. Frank gained a spiritual sort of inspiration from these guitarists’ recordings while also making an intricate study of the complexities of these guitar masters’ styles – slowing down his vinyl records to analyze many a solo. Frank’s first teacher was his father, a semi-professional banjo player. Later, Frank became the star pupil of guitarist Jimmy George, who was one of the original Dion and the Belmonts. At age 12, Frank took up the tenor banjo and swiftly burst upon the music scene in a way that would portend many of the accolades and milestones to come in his career as a jazz guitarist.
Though obviously steeped in the traditional schools of jazz music, especially in the formative years, Frank would ultimately take inspiration from a wide arc of the musical spectrum. Guitarists such as Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery and Lonnie Johnson are obvious influences, but one might be surprised to learn that rocker Jimi Hendrix has also received the close scrutiny of Frank’s ear. Louis Armstrong, Lester Young, Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Thad Jones and Duke Ellington have all had inspirational impact on his guitar music. Frank attended the Cultural Arts Centre on Long Island, New York and graduated from there with honors. While he was there he played in various progressive rock groups and at the age of 15 Frank won a competition sponsored by the McDonalds Corporation to appear in their State Jazz Band.
While still in his teens, Frank experienced the most effective music education possible – right on the bandstand as a working musician! Soon named among the top ranked musicians in New York, Frank performed and toured with such headliners as Max Morath and Leon Redbone. At age 23, he decided to lead his own group and formed his version of the famed Quintet of the Hot Club of France. Their debut at the New York cabaret, Michael’s Pub, was a smash success and launched his career as a guitarist “in the spotlight.” Tours of Europe, recording sessions, and an exclusive recording contract with the Concord Jazz record label would all follow in quick succession in a few short years. Frank would go on to perform and/or record with such varied artists as Chet Atkins, Madonna, Jon Faddis, Woody Allen, Ringo Starr, The Manhattan Transfer, Frank Wess, Elvin Jones, Lionel Hampton and countless other legends from the golden age of jazz.
More recently, Frank Vignola has been the guitarist with the Mark O’Conner Trio’s tribute to Stephane Grappelli and was also performing every Monday night with the Les Paul Trio at the Iridium in New York City until Les Paul passed away. Frank has also been performing with John Lewis’ group Evolution. Fortunately for aspiring guitarists, Frank has gone on to publish numerous instructional guitar tab book/CDs and DVD courses that teach his harmonic and melodic concepts as well as the guitar techniques that he uses when he plays.
About the Author
Peabody Conservatory trained guitarist Steven Herron helps people succeed at becoming better guitar players. His company ChordMelody.com features an enormous, unique selection of
jazz guitar tab
as well as guitar books and instructional DVDs by
Frank Vignola
himself.
Introduction to Tenor Banjo and Tenor Guitar with Dear Old D
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Come to the River: An Early American Gathering $10.48 Based on the hit crossover program by Jeannette Sorrell that premiered in 10 sold-out concerts in Cleveland in 2009. From the driving rhythms of New England dances, to the spiritual heights of an old-time Revival Meeting, this recording explores the rich tapestry of early American folk music, performed on period instruments by artists who are steeped in the folk tradition as well as historical per… |
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Myriad $11.30 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed…. |
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Learning Tenor Banjo $19.22 Four-string banjo players tend to be fiercely devoted to one type of banjo or the other, so a separate video was produced for each instrument. The tenor banjo has a shorter neck and higher, sharper sound than the plectrum, good for being heard in a band situation. This banjo lesson on DVD includes theory, basic chord formations, picking and strumming exercises, plus other invaluable knowledge nece… |
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Learning Tenor Banjo [VHS] $29.95 Buddy Wachter teaches essentials of pick technique: proper wrist and hand positions, the tremolo, accents and dynamics, developing speed and control, and ten basic strums. Learn movable chords and left-hand exercises for strength and coordination, plus chord theory and basic positions for major, minor, 7th, augmented and diminished chord formations. Invaluable knowledge to enable you to move on to… |
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Mel Bay’s Tenor Banjo Video Approximately 30 minutes. This great new tenor banjo chord video makes it possible to learn all the essential chords.Learning becomes much more interesting when you can see and hear each chord. Joe Carr teaches the chord shapes and positions that are used by all the leading professionals. Watching Joes hand positions and listening to each note in the chord will improve your ear and enable you to l… |
June 10, 2010 8:52 am 
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