Gene Bertoncini

Frank Vignola is one of the most extraordinary guitarists performing before the public today. His stunning virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world’s top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Lionel Hampton, Tommy Emmanuel, John Lewis, the Boston Pops, the New York Pops, and guitar legend Les Paul, who named Vignola to his “Five Most Admired Guitarists List” for the Wall Street Journal. In 2020, Frank introduced the Big Jersey Guitar Club offering multiple formats for studying guitar with him online including 10-week Learning Clubs™, and Let’s Practice Sessions, plus Song Intensives and Methods.

Jimmy Bruno, born July 22, 1953 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a master jazz guitarist and jazz educator. One of the most critically acclaimed jazz guitarists performing today, Jimmy Bruno came to prominence as a jazz musician in the 1990's, after a successful twenty-year career as a sought-after commercial guitarist and session musician.

"An expressive instrumentalist, Cherry has a hip, melodic approach that is a refreshing contrast to guitarists who frequently resort to playing 'finger music', the execution of rapid streams of notes that serve no musical purpose other than to fill space"- Jim Ferguson: Jazztimes - 06/02

Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Ed moved to New York in 1978 to play guitar with Dizzy Gillespie from 1978 to 1992 performing in Gillespie's quartet, big band and with The United Nation Orchestra, which recorded the Grammy Award-winning, Live at Royal Festival Hall

Ed has worked and/or recorded with: Paquito D'Rivera' (they recorded "Havana Cafe"); Henry Threadgill (three cds with Henry's 'Very Very Circus'); Hammond organist John Patton ('Blue Planet Man', 'Minor Swing' and 'This One’s for Jah'); Roy Hargrove; Hamiett Bluiett ('With Eyes Wide Open'); Jimmy Smith; John Faddis; Dr. Lonnie Smith ('In The Beginning');

Ed’s own recordings include 'The Spirit Speaks', inspired by Jimmy Smith; ‘A Second Look’, 'It's All Good', and his most recent recording: ‘Soul Tree’, featuring Kyle Koehler on Hammond B3 organ and drummer Anwar Marshall.

Ed continues to work nationally and internationally; concerts, workshops, jazz clubs.

Bassist Gary Mazzaroppi is a veteran virtuoso who enjoyed a long-running association with the late great guitar innovator and raconteur Les Paul. Mazzaroppi has accompanied jazz giants from across the spectrum, ranging from vintage greats Lionel Hampton and Clark Terry, Marian McPartland, Red Norvo & Stan Getz, to fusionists Bela Fleck and Chuck Mangione, and, even Willie Nelson, in his songbook excursions. In addition to his busy playing career, Gary is also in the faculty of the Brookdale Community College School of Music, in Lincroft, NJ

Master musician and guitar virtuoso Doug Munro is an established veteran of the New York music scene. Since 1987 he has released 19 albums as a leader and has appeared on over 75 recordings as a sideman, producer, and arranger working with a diverse array of artists including Dr. John, Michael Brecker, and Dr. Lonnie Smith. Doug has over 75 original published compositions and over 300 recorded arrangements performed by some of the finest players in the world. He has released recordings in many jazz styles including: Soul-Jazz, Organ Trio, Latin and Gypsy Jazz.

Doug’s latest release with his postmodern swing group, La Pompe Attack is called “Putt Lake Toodleloo”. It's a certified #1 chart topping hit and features guitarists, Vinny Raniolo, Ted Gottsegen, Ben Wood and Ernesto Pugliese along with saxophonist Albert Rivera, bassist Michael Goetz and drummers Ian Carroll and Jon Doty.

In the recording field Doug has received two Grammy nominations and two NAIRD awards. Amazon.com picked Boogaloo to Beck , on which Doug performed, arranged, and co-produced, as one of its Top Ten Jazz CD’s of 2003. Doug also did orchestration work on the Oscar winning documentary When We Were Kings. In 2011 “A Very Gypsy Christmas “ was picked as one of the top five holiday releases by the Wall Street Journal.

Doug has written 4 books on jazz improvisation for Alfred Music Publications, including “Swing to Bebop”, which won the Music and Sound Retailers instructional book of the year award in 2000.

As an educator Doug created and was Director of the Jazz Studies Program at The Conservatory of Music at Purchase College from 1993-2002. He continues to teach there as Director Emeritus. This esteemed jazz program boasts a faculty that includes John Abercrombie, Todd Coolman, Jon Faddis, Eric Alexander, John Riley and many other top jazz performers.

As a touring guitar musician, performer, and educator, Vinny Raniolo is best known for his accompanying skills and is a very high demand rhythm guitarist. His dynamic playing has brought him to 14 countries on three continents – and still growing – having performed in some of the world’s most illustrious venues, including the Sydney Opera House in Australia, The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, New York’s Lincoln Center and the world’s oldest indoor concert hall, Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy.

While keeping a busy touring schedule in a variety of musical settings, Vinny has also become a familiar figure on Public Television. Featured previously on three popular shows, including the heavily programmed Tommy Emmanuel and Friends, in Frank Vignola’s Four Generations of Guitar as the youngest generation in the lineage of jazz guitarists with veteran Bucky Pizzarelli and in the Music Gone Public series.

Recording credits include soundtracks for HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and Woody Allen’s film Café Society.

Ken Smith was born in Florida, USA and grew up in New Jersey and Abu Dhabi. Ken’s musical education includes a B.M. in Performance from Arizona State University. While living in Arizona, Ken worked as a soloist and ensemble member, playing everything from solo classical guitar to theater productions. Ken also began teaching the guitar at this time, creating a unique approach to applying the language of jazz to the fretboard. Since moving to New York City in 1997, Ken has performed and toured in the US, Asia and Europe, as a side man and leader. Ken is a member of Frank Vignola’s Birdland Guitar Band. Ken is currently developing a suite of educational products that document his unique approach to teaching jazz guitar.

Frank Sole began playing guitar at just 8-years-old after listening to a family member's Chet Atkins record. He is an experienced performer and has been a dedicated teacher for the past 48 years.

Frank has a B.A. from Rutgers in Classical Guitar and a K-12 teaching certification. He teaches at several events, workshops, and camps covering a multitude of genres. He plays jazz, rock, folk, and classical guitar, and is always striving to improve and learn something new!

In addition to his music prowess, Frank has a keen interest in the biomechanics of guitar playing and has developed a unique approach to playing the guitar with an emphasis on body alignment & postural integrity. When he offers them, Frank’s Morning Yoga sessions are frequently the most-attended sessions at camp!