Acclaimed Artists Set to Perform At Scranton
Guitarist Frank Vignola (pictured), will join cornetist Warren Vache in a performance on Oct. 23 at The University of Scranton's Houlihan-McLean Center.
Accomplished jazz musicians Warren Vache, cornetist, and Frank Vignola, guitarist, will perform together at The University of Scranton on Friday, Oct. 23, at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center (Mulberry St. at Jefferson Ave.). Admission is free and the concert is open to the public.
Vignola's varied influences and loves range from Django Reinhardt to Eddie Van Halen. The 43-year-old was 27 when he signed with the Concord Jazz label in the 1990s. He has played with artists including Wynton Marsalis, Queen Latifah and Mark O'Connor, and has toured and recorded with Madonna, Leon Redbone and Ringo Starr. The New York Times called Vignola one of the top 10 acts of 1988.
An educator and author as well as a musician, Vignola has written 18 instructional guitar books and has a series of CD-ROM educational products for Truefire.com. Vignola has also taught clinics and masterclasses for colleges and universities throughout the country, including The Juilliard School and Boston University.
Vache was a charter member of the faculty of the Juilliard Jazz Program. His resume, in addition to performing on the cornet, trumpet and flugelhorn, includes acting and music direction. He has performed and recorded with Rosemary Clooney, Phil Woods, Jon Faddis, Wycliffe Gordon, Howard Alden, and many others- a veritable list of hall of famers of jazz. His beautifully warm notes have been heard at all the major jazz venues and festivals, including the Blue Note, the Newport Jazz Festival, the North Sea Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Vienna Opera.
He has recorded more than 35 albums as a leader and has collaborated on countless others as a sideman. The legendary musician has also made a foray into pop culture, composing and performing music for movies like "The Luckiest Man in the World" and "The Gig." He also trained Richard Gere to play the trumpet for the actor's performance in Francis Ford Coppola's movie "The Cotton Club" about a famous night club in Harlem.
Both artists have longstanding relationships with Performance Music at The University of Scranton. Vignola and his colleague Sam Pilafian - then touring together as "Travelin' Light" - were the composers for Scranton's 14th annual World Premiere Composition Series in 1996. Their "Gypsy Fire" for band and "My Wish for the World" for choir were premiered by The University's student concert band and choir. This also will be Vache's third performance as part of the concert series at Scranton.
For more information, call 941-7624, or e-mail music@scranton.edu.
