Chinese Dance, Solid Brass, and Guitar Gods: First Night in Morristown from Marie Pfeifer
By Marie Pfeifer
First Night Morris 2012 featured something for everyone. Here is what caught my eye (and ears).
Photos by Marie Pfeifer.Please click icon below for captions.
The Gods of Jazz
The duo of Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo jazzed it up with special guest Bucky Pizzarelli for a rendition of Stairway to Heaven at the Morristown United Methodist Church for First Night Morris, to the delight of a packed house that bestowed a standing ovation upon the trio. The show was even more amazing after the announcement that Pizzarelli will celebrate his 86th birthday on Jan. 9. The years have not hurt his performance in the least!
Premier Brass Group – Solid Brass Lite
Solid Brass Lite welcomed the New Year with its one-of-a-kind, critically acclaimed brass ensemble that performed music spanning six centuries, from the Medieval to the Beach Boys (and everything in between). This performance did not disappoint the audiences at the Presbyterian Church on the Green. Solid Brass has recorded, toured internationally, appeared on PBS-TV and received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Nai Ni Chen Dance Company – Fusion of Chinese and American Dance
Nai Ni Chen Dance Company is a study in energy and motion. Its creative dance fuses American dance with the fluidity, grace and color of Asian art. The beauty and rich color of their performance mesmerized audiences who welcomed the New Year at the auditorium of Morristown High School. The internationally renowned company has received 12 distinctive awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and numerous awards from the NJ State Council on the Arts for its outstanding blending of the discipline of Chinese classical movement with the freedom of American modern dance.
The Nai Ni Chen Dance Company at Morristown High School for First Night 2012. Photo by Marie Pfeifer
Video: Frank Vignola’s flying fingers make hummingbird wings look like slo-mo, on Morris Township stage
One of these days PBS should do a Nature special about guitarist Frank Vignola. How many extra fingers is he hiding–and why do they make hummingbird wings seem tortoise-like by comparison?
Frank, who packages the virtuosity of Segovia with the impishness of Marx (Harpo, though he looks more like Chico), recently brought down the house at The Minstrel in Morris Township. His sidemen, Vinny Raniolo and Glenn Tosto, were no slouches on the fretboard, either.
In this video clip, the trio takes Beethoven for a spin on the autobahn. Fasten your seatbelts.
FRANK VIGNOLA ON DJANGO REINHARDT
NOTE: The Minstrel is moving its monthly open stage to Thursday, Nov. 10, to accommodate a special show on Friday, Nov. 11: The Canadian duo Dala. Please make these two feel comfortable in the Lower 48…we have a feeling they will be spending a long time here.
Frank Vignola, left, and Vinny Raniola at The Minstrel on Oct. 28. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
HOW DOES HE DO THAT? Glenn Tosto sneaks a peak at Frank Vignola's flying fingers at The Minstrel in Morris Township. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
IS THAT JAZZMAN FRANK VIGNOLA ON THE FOLK PROJECT BANNER? Glenn Tosto, left, with Frank Vignola at The Minstrel in Morris Township. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Frank Vignola, right, with Glenn Tosto on stage at The Minstrel. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
NO LENS IS FAST ENOUGH to stop Frank Vignola's lightning fingers. Glenn Tosto, left, and Vinny Raniolo (not pictured) provide the rhythm section at The Minstrel. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Video: Frank Vignola on Django, at the Bickford in Morris Township
It takes one to know one.
Guitar wizard Frank Vignola pays tribute to the late, great Django Reinhardt after a 2010 concert at the Bickford Theatre in Morris Township celebrating Django’s legacy.
