Frank Vignola's Guitar Night with Mark Whitfield and Pasquale Grasso
Birdland315 West 44th Street, New York 10036
Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night brings Mark Whitfield to Birdland Theater for its November 4 edition, with Vignola and Pasquale Grasso on guitar, Gary Mazzaroppi on bass, and Alex Raderman on drums. The weekly series is built around the guitar’s many roles in jazz, with tunes from the standard repertoire and a different guest artist welcomed each week. This installment makes Whitfield the featured guest, joining a working quartet led by Vignola.
Vignola leads Guitar Night every Wednesday at Birdland Theater, drawing inspiration from journeyman jazz guitarist John Pisano’s Los Angeles Guitar Night. The series reflects Vignola’s standing as a player sought out by major artists across pop, jazz, and orchestral settings: the listing names Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Tommy Emmanuel, and the Boston and New York Pops among the musicians and ensembles he has worked with. It presents his virtuosity as the through line of a program that brings established guitarists into conversation with the jazz songbook.
Birdland offers a refined jazz experience in a room where the audience sits at tables close to the stage, allowing every note to reach you clearly. The venue features a full menu with dishes like New Orleans-style gumbo alongside a well-stocked bar, making it easy to enjoy a meal or drinks while listening. Each show is ticketed per set, encouraging focused listening as the music unfolds in roughly 45-minute segments. The club’s walls echo decades of jazz history, having hosted legends and continuing to attract top contemporary artists. Located in Manhattan’s Theater District, the space balances a serious music environment with the energy of a night out, where attentive audiences savor the performances without distraction. Booking ahead is essential, as the club fills quickly for its celebrated lineup.