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Birdland's Guitar Night comes to Groton Hill! Frank Vignola, guitar Vinny Raniolo, guitar Gary Mazzaroppi, bass Lead by guitarist Frank Vignola and featuring guitarist Vinny Raniolo and bassist Gary Mazzaroppi, the Birdland Guitar Trio features some of New York City’s top jazz musicians. Every Wednesday night they grace the stage of the prestigious Birdland Jazz Club featuring special guests of some of the top names in jazz from Bria Skonberg, Catherine Russell, Ken Peplowski, Mike Stern, Karrin Allyson, Houston Person, Pasquale Grasso and many others. Considered one of the most extraordinary guitarists performing before the public today, Frank Vignola is one of the most popular and sought after guitarists on the international music scene. 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. Vignola has recorded over 30 albums as a leader and has been a guest on hundreds of recordings. Vignola has written over 18 educational music books, recorded the critically acclaimed, “Vignola Plays Gershwin” CD, and recorded 2 DVD’ for Mel Bay Publications. As a touring guitar musician, performer, and educator, Vinny Raniolo is best known for his accompanying skills and is a very high demand rhythm guitarist. His dynamic playing has brought him to 14 countries on three continents – and still growing – having performed in some of the world’s most illustrious venues, including the Sydney Opera House in Australia, The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, New York’s Lincoln Center and the world’s oldest indoor concert hall, Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy. While keeping a busy touring schedule in a variety of musical settings, Vinny has also become a familiar figure on Public Television. Featured previously on three popular shows, including the heavily programmed Tommy Emmanuel and Friends, in Frank Vignola’s Four Generations of Guitar as the youngest generation in the lineage of jazz guitarists with veteran Bucky Pizzarelli and in the Music Gone Public series. One of the most respected jazz bassists on the east coast, Gary Mazzaroppi has toured extensively with the Lionel Hampton Big Band for five years. Since then, he has accompanied many jazz artists including Red Norvo, Herb Ellis, Stan Getz, Joe Morello, Buddy Rich, Jim Hall, Barney Kessel, Clark Terry, Charlie Byrd, and Mark O’Connor.
