artist info

Frank Vignola and Pasquale Grasso are two of the most celebrated jazz guitarists performing today. Grasso, an Italian-born virtuoso known for his pianistic approach and bebop mastery, is a regular performer at Frank Vignola's Guitar Night.

The two guitarists have developed a close musical synergy, blending Vignola's encyclopedic knowledge of the American Songbook and swing with Grasso's modern, fluid lines inspired by bebop piano legends like Bud Powell.

Frank Vignola is one of the most extraordinary guitarists performing before the public today. His stunning virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world's top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, John Lewis, Tommy Emmanuel, Lionel Hampton, the Boston Pops, the New York Pops, and guitar legend Les Paul, who named Vignola to his "Five Most Admired Guitarists List" for the Wall Street Journal.

His dynamic genre-spanning music has brought him to 21 countries on three continents - and still growing – performing in some of the world's most illustrious venues, including the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, New York's Lincoln Center, The Blue Note, and the world's oldest indoor concert hall, Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy.

Pasquale Grasso - In his interview for Vintage Guitar magazine's February 2016 cover story, Pat Metheny was asked to name some younger musicians who'd impressed him. "The best guitar player I've heard in maybe my entire life is floating around now, Pasquale Grasso," said the jazz-guitar icon and NEA Jazz Master. "This guy is doing something so amazingly musical and so difficult. He has somehow captured the essence of that language from piano onto guitar in a way that almost nobody has ever addressed. He's the most significant new guy I've heard in many, many years."

His unique innovative style is hypnotizing to watch as his nimble fingers appear to change the 6 guitar strings into 88 piano keys. When not performing solo or with his trio, Grasso has been a frequent collaborator with vocalist Samara Joy. He was a special guest on several songs on Joy's two-time Grammy award winning album Linger Awhile.

Grasso has also graced prestigious stages worldwide including Montreal Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center and The Monterey Jazz Festival.