As a young guitar-slinger eager to make an impression on the New York City scene in the mid-1980s, Frank Vignola toured and recorded with high-profile acts such as Madonna, Ringo Starr and Donald Fagen. But the 22-year-old Vignola actually put himself on the map by taking on the Gypsy jazz legend Django Reinhardt.

The upstart talked his way into a gig at Manhattan’s leading cabaret, Michael’s Pub, by convincing the management to book a tribute to Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s Quintette du Hot Club de France. (FULL ARTICLE: Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News)