This disc feature the talents of relatively young guitarist Vignola and veteran reedman Frank Wess in what amounts to a meeting of two generations. Also on this date is Vignola’s longtime partner Joe Ascione, a fine drummer and prolific composer.
Bolstered by the presence of pianist Roland Hanna, bassist John Goldsby and trumpeter Randy Sandke, the group on Off Broadway alternately swings hard and plays sweet and subtle. On electric guitar, Vignola gets in plenty of fiery phrases during tunes like Ascione’s “Funny How,” graced with a relentlessly bluesy guitar solo, and Cole Porter’s “What’s Up,” which features a seamlessly grooving tenor solo by Wess with an equally effective excursion by Vignola. Adding a bit of sonic variety to the session, acoustic guitar is featured on select tracks. The results are a bit subtler but no less effective, evidenced by Vignola’s expansively funky work on “Limone’s Blues” and “Sing That.”
Frank Vignola: Off Broadway
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