Frank Vignola and Unit Four: Look Right, Jog Left

The liner notes to this project state many fine cigars were smoked during the making of this CD. That’s not all that was fired up. Vignola burns from the outset. My hunch is Frank is a fan of George Benson, since his playing often sounds similar. There are also shades of Joe Pass, plus a hint of Pat Metheny-all of which points to Vignola’s great fluidity on his instrument. The opening cut “Organized Confusion,” takes listeners on a whirlwind hard-swinging ride. “President Street” is soft and lyrical. A couple of tunes have a Latin flair which helps show off Vignola’s more graceful chops. Then there’s “Jog Left,” a complex tune, Spanish-tinged and blue. But what sets it apart from the rest of the material here is a jagged stop-start rhythm which holds a tension between melodic phrases, plus there’s a dynamite funky synth-organ solo by Allen Farnham. – Deni Kasrel

Originally Published January 1, 1997