Frank Vignola's Guitar Night with Bria Skonberg and Pasquale Grasso
Birdland315 West 44th Street, New York 10036
Frank Vignola’s weekly Guitar Night arrives at Birdland with Bria Skonberg as the November 18 guest. Vignola and Pasquale Grasso are listed on guitar, alongside Gary Mazzaroppi on bass and Alex Raderman on drums. The group draws on the standard repertoire in a program devoted to the many facets of jazz guitar, carrying forward a series inspired by John Pisano’s Los Angeles Guitar Night. Skonberg joins the regular format of Vignola and friends welcoming a different guest artist each week.
Vignola has been the guitarist of choice for Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, John Lewis, Lionel Hampton and Tommy Emmanuel, according to his bio. Skonberg was born in British Columbia, is now based in New York, and works as a singer, trumpeter, songwriter, arranger and bandleader. The Wall Street Journal has called her “one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation,” while The New York Times described her as the “shining hope of hot jazz.” Together, the billing brings a guest artist associated with hot jazz into Vignola’s ongoing celebration of guitar-led standards.
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.