Frank Vignola, Vinny Raniolo

murrayatuptown

So, this past Friday's show was my 4th time seeing F&V live (workshops were same day so lets not count those).

This was very unlike any of the others. The person in charge of the program at this little middle school was responsible for organizing and fundraising to pull off a sextet appearance.

The entire ensemble had not appeared on stage together before. They communicated electronically for several weeks to put together a set list, and some contributed arrangements of originals or works of others to feature one of the sextet.

Bassist Tom Knific arranged his original Siena to feature Julien Labro on accordina (assuming I spelled it right, a tiny breath-powered (as opposed to bellows) member of the accordion family...looks like a pack of dominoes, black & white round buttons all over the top. I haven't been exposed to much accordion so I have never seen anyone with that kind of techique. I think he has grown and become even more monstrous a player than what blew me away 3-4-5 years ago, whatever it was...or that memory was torched by Friday's performance! Tom has an eye-opening resume (online) in classical and jazz styles, his wife & sons are also talented (make that Talented) musicians, and interestingly, he also teaches jazz guitar at Western Michigan University. His playing was very tasteful and subtle. He was understated but obviously expressive and fully capable...just reserved...no Mingus to counter the bebop energy the sax, drums & accordion cranked out. Unfortunately my view of him was blocked somewhat by two music stands, being in the back. Tom just finished some big band arrangements for Randy Brecker as part of a program at WMU Randy has been participating in.

Julien arranged Don Sebesky's ballad 'Bittersweet' because it was a favorite of the late bassist Charlie Haden to feature Tom, as well as share this work with the audience.

Vinny did a lot more soloing than last time I saw him. I don't ever really notice him with a La Pompe style rhythm, but he has developed a tone, almost a voice, with vibrato that fits in well with Frank. They both seem to integrate a lot of subtle vibrato that is part of their 'voice' as opposed to occasionally using it for effect or expression here and there. You definitely hear him and his synchronization with Frank is uncanny. Reminds me of Nipper the RCA logo dog in how closely he watches other players...when he watches. Sometimes he looks in the direction of the audience, instead. Not sure what can be seen from the stage. A few musicians commented how hard it was to see the audience with the lighting.

Frank of course has a distinctive string voice due to persistent integration of a little vibrato, adding more where he wishes to accent with it. I have a Concord Jazz Guitar Collective CD Howard Alden, Jimmy Bruno & Frank Vignola, my first exposure to H & J. It's interesting to listen and figure out who is who on each solo.

Julien also arranged a Klezmer-inspired piece (not sure if it had a title) for the sextet. He warned us it was 'out there', we could decide for ourselves whether we liked it or not, and hoped we were still there 'after the half time). The musicians met people in the lobby at intermission. Again, the accordion performance was unlike anything I had seen (or the capacity to remember). He has a pickup on it and a distortion pedal he used for the Caravan at the end of the 2nd set. He sounds at times like a bebop sax. I can't really describe his chordal comping but it might as well be compared to a pianist at times.

Frank left a lot of room for the others. He did a lot more comping than soloing. I missed the intensity and quantity of playing one hears in a duo performance, but it was all good. He'd step back at times and listen, while someone else soloed, and move music stands etc. out of the way for a clear view of the drums or bass.

Frank & Julien performed what was mostly (I don't remember) a duet ending with Dark Eyes (or I should say Les Yeux Noir?). If that sounds vague it's because Julien played for almost 20 minutes straight.

He came out on stage alone and said he was told to play a solo...not sure what he would play, but it would be a solo. Some very busy playing with self-comping, as he sat there with his eyes closed for a good portion most of the first several minutes, then he looked backstage, perhaps with some staged annoyance, as if to wonder where the others were. After another minute or so, another (pseudo?)-annoyed glance backstage, and Frank came running out with double-time cartoon-character footsteps, hurriedly plugged in, tossed the guitar over his head and started playing. He has this way of approaching another musician (imagine a herding dog stalking a herd) when he's comping. Maybe I'm distorting it, but I find it very interesting. He'll step closer and closer, playing faster and faster as if he's 'pushing' the other person a little to express themself. If the pace stays fast(er), he does something I'm still trying to figure out. I've seen Wawau Adler do it too...maybe a double or bidirectional La Pompe. I really can't describe it but it's an attention-grabber. Julien & Frank continued into another familiar tune I couldn't recall the name of, then it became Dark Eyes. That got pretty intense then morphed into some 'outside improv' then back to Dark Eyes. Frank got the audience clapping for the gradual accelerando at the end that reminds the listener of the song's Russian roots (envision dancers?), and I don't even remember if the rest of the sextet joined them.

Drummer Tim Froncek was clearly enjoying himself and a very tasteful player, 'organic' in his use of hands rather than sticks at times, traded a few short but very exuberant licks with Frank during Caravan, and got a little intimate (nothing offensive) with his snare drum during a solo in a way I think I need to research before describing. I think I'm going to check Youtube for the stuff my mother listened to as a teen, maybe Miguelito Valdes performing 'Babalu' (before Desi Arnaz).

Sax & flute from Carl Cafagna is what made me expect a bebop element.
He does play Django however, and that is how Frank met him. Very agile player, capable on flute as well, although he humbly said afterward he didn't consider himself a 'real flute player'. Frank's stopped Carl in his tracks with one of his jokes, telling a story about how they each have four children, Carl: three girls & a boy, Frank: four boys. Carl said 'that's a lot of boys!' Frank responded 'That's not so amazing; it only took me about 4 minutes.' Carl covered his face and turned aside for a moment. Frank told another joke that wasn't all that funny, then said 'some bad jokes to make the music sound better!' and handed the mic to Carl to introduce his composition 'Anna'. Carl of course said 'How do I follow that?'. 'Anna' was a re-arrangement of what Carl thinks is the only composition that ever came to him spontaneously. He normally writes in a very organized fashion, with templates, etc.

Carl knew all my older musician friends & teachers from the Detroit area, who was still alive and playing, and unfortunately was not. He said I shouldn't have given up saxophone for guitar...I had a much easier instrument before...even a monkey can play sax!' An older man said 'not as well as you!', and Carl said something like 'Well, maybe a chimp'.

Overall, it was an eclectic show, spanning Django's material, bebop, Klezmer and beyond, with most players suggesting material or presenting their own arrangements for this special event. They were very appreciative the producer of the fine arts series at a small rural middle school brought them all together. This was not a normal ensemble so for me it was special event also.

There were refreshments afterward, and another chance to speak with the musicians. Frank is always a barrel of monkeys, with stories and jokes. The refreshments were a veggie tray, chocolate cupcakes and sparkling apple juice. Frank said 'This stuff is going straight to my head...my you look fine tonight' to the woman serving it, obviously in jest. He had stories funny & sad, like the only gig he was ever late (realized while on a NY bridge he had left his guitar in the driveway at home!), driving away with a guitar leaning against the car, and gigs he got because someone else didn't show up or didn't feel well, and people who were paid in advance and didn't show up or asked for more money before going on stage. He didn't understand any of that. He's happy to get out of bed knowing 'Great! I have a gig today! He also mentioned people who were no longer playing or in poor health or both.

Buco

Sounds like a magical night of music!