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.

John Jorgenson, born July 6, 1956, in Madison, Wisconsin, is perhaps best known for his guitar work with bands such as the Desert Rose Band and The Hellecasters. Jorgenson is also proficient in the mandolin, mandocello, Dobro, pedal steel, piano, upright bass, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone. John Jorgenson, known for his blistering guitar and mandolin licks and mastery of a broad musical palette, has earned a reputation as a world-class musician, as evidenced by his collaborations with Earl Scruggs, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, Luciano Pavarotti, Bob Dylan and many others.

2010 marked the 100th birthday of the great gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt. Since discovering Django in 1979, Jorgenson has become “the US Ambassador of Gypsy Jazz” which is quite an honor given the distinctly European slant of the music’s heritage. Over the years Jorgenson has continued to honor the legacy of Reinhardt by bringing his unique brand of Gypsy Jazz to the masses with his John Jorgenson Quintet.

Jorgenson continues to expand his dynamic range of musical offerings, exploring new elements of world music, bluegrass, rock and classical as he captivates and enlightens fellow musicians and listeners along the way. Touring with multiple musical configurations such as the John Jorgenson Quintet, the John Jorgenson Electric Band, the John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band and the Desert Rose Band. Jorgenson annually plays dates across the U.S. and Europe. Each permutation allows him to make prodigious use of his mastery of many instruments; no matter which band Jorgenson is playing with, his brilliant guitar work leads the way with music that is a combination of groundbreaking playing full of soaring melodies and driving rhythms.

His roots lie in Gypsy Swing music, the style pioneered in the 1930s by the legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Joscho Stephan has not merely absorbed this music, but also interprets it on the highest level and is actively engaged in extending its boundaries. Despite his young age, after four highly acclaimed CDs and a DVD he has played his way into the illustrious circle of the finest Gipsy Swing musicians in the world.

Great jazz musicians such as Paquito de Rivera, James Carter, Charlie Mariano or Grady Tate enthusiastically praised the talented newcomer after performing together. He has toured Australia with top guitarists Martin Taylor and Tommy Emmanuel and has performed with his own bands (trio to quintet) on numerous important European festivals (among others in Slovenia, Italy, France, Poland and the UK).

His concert appearances in New York’s Lincoln Center or the American country capital Nashville were equally well-received, as were his performances in the New Yorker jazz shrine Birdland.

Across the board, the press only has good things to say about Joscho Stephan. His debut “Swinging Strings” was named CD of the month by American magazine Guitar Player. In the words of the highly regarded Acoustic Guitar Magazine, he is the guarantor for the future of Gypsy jazz guitar.

A native of Portland, Maine, Grammy nominated violinist Gabriel Terracciano has been playing the violin since the age of three. Since then, Gabe has developed into a versatile multi-instrumentalist and a musician who has been recognized for playing the violin “in a way that’s unlike anyone else” (Sam Pfeifle, Portland Phoenix), while “proving himself as an improviser, never overplaying or imitating his predecessors on his instrument” (iTunes official album review for Crunch Time with Ron McClure).

Gabe is First Violinist of the two time Grammy-award winning Turtle Island String Quartet, and has toured and recorded with them throughout the United States alongside other jazz luminaries including Cyrus Chestnut and Terence Blanchard. Along with leading his own bands, he is also currently a member of several New York-based groups including Nefesh Mountain and the Mona’s Monday Night Bluegrass Band.

Along with his performing career, Gabe is also a committed educator and composer. He was an adjunct instructor in violin and guitar at NYU from 2016-2018, and has taught privately and in both large and small group settings for many years. Along with masterclasses at Carleton College and for the US Army “Pershing’s Own” Strings, he has worked for educational organizations including Centrum Red Hot Strings, Django in June, Tufts Community Music, Maine Jazz Camp, and The geniusHive School (Accra, Ghana). He also teaches a private studio out of his home in Harlem.

Gabe has been featured on multiple recordings spanning the stylistic spectrum, a full list of which can be found in the discography page on this website.  He has two albums released as a leader – In Flight (2020) and Three Part Invention (2021), both available on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms.

Gabe has a Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance from the NYU Steinhardt School, and undergraduate degrees from both Tufts University and The New England Conservatory of Music.

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

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.

Gypsy Jazz has been Olli’s primary focus since his start playing in jazz clubs and festivals across Finland, and touring Europe with Sinti Guitarist Paulus Schäfer. Though still young, he has already played with notable artists such as Bucky Pizzarelli, Stochelo Rosenberg, Tommy Emmanuel, Andreas Öberg, Cyrille Aimee, Antti Sarpila and Marian Petrescu.

Olli recorded his first album “Trois Générations” (2011) with Hot Club de Finlande and Vitali Imereli and recorded his second album “Kouvola Junction” (2012) with Paulus Schäfer and Arnoud van den Berg.

Rhythm Future Quartet – co-led by Olli with violinist Jason Anick – released its debut album in 2014, followed by ‘Travels’ in 2016, which received rave reviews including Best Album of 2016 by Huffington Post and All About Jazz magazines. The Fall of 2018 marked the release of their newest album, “Rhythm Future Quartet and Friends”, which features the critically acclaimed singer Cyrille Aimée, Brazil’s top bandolimist Hamilton de Holanda, and guitarist Stochelo Rosenberg.

During the last few years Olli has been exploring musically. 2017 toured and recorded album ‘Rise and Grind’ together with virtuoso accordionist Julien Labro. In 2018 Olli started a duo project with New York based Brasilian 7-string guitarist Cesar Garabini playing mostly Brasilian Choro music. In 2019 Olli recorded with Grammy award winning pianist Marian Petrescu.